Tommy Purdeller & Co. had to let Hungary go first.

Worries before the World Cup: Italy's defense is swimming

Five days before the start of the home World Cup in Bolzano, the Italian national ice hockey team is an open construction site. On Tuesday, the Azzurri missed out on a lot in the penultimate friendly against Hungary and suffered a defeat.

23 April 2024

From: leo

So promotion doesn't work out: A weak Blue team lost 5:6 against Hungary in Meran and presented a worrying picture for long stretches. Head coach Michael Pelino has to make the right adjustments, especially in defense, if the Azzurri want to start the home World Cup in Bolzano with a win against Romania on Sunday.

The spectators had not yet made themselves comfortable in the Meran Arena when the Hungarians were already 2-0 ahead. First Kristof Papp came free to shoot in the slot and hit the top corner with pinpoint accuracy, 35 seconds later Vilmos Gallo devoured Terrance Amorosa and fed Bence Szabo, who slotted in to make it 2-0. However, the home team's reaction didn't take long to arrive: just 12 seconds after the score was 0-2, Daniel Mantenuto brought the puck onto the goal, Bence Balizs let it ricochet forward, where Tamas Ortenszky pushed the hard rubber into the goal with his own skate.

Hair-raising mistakes

Mantenuto was also in the center shortly afterwards when he was allowed three shots and finally pushed the puck over the line. As a result, Italy tried hard offensively, but was extremely vulnerable defensively: Papp was given too much space shortly before the end of the third, he thanked him and gave Andreas Bernard the disadvantage for the third time.

Ivan Deluca in a duel with Zsombor Garat. © FISG/Valentina Gallina

The break did not help the Azzurri to collect themselves. Instead it was promptly 2:5. Janos Hari ran away and beat Bernard in a 1-on-1 between the braces, shortly afterwards Istvan Terbocs was also successful after a counterattack. The Pelino team then left numerous power plays unused before Gallo increased the score to 6:2 after a nice pass from Cardboard. Bernard didn't cut the best figure. After all: Jason Seed shortened the score to 3:6 with a long shot before the end of the period. Diego Kostner also got stuck with Balizs during a penalty.

Pelino made a substitution in the second period, sending Gianluca Vallini into goal in place of the hapless Bernard. The man from Bolzano had a quiet evening because Hungary slowed down noticeably in the final section. Alex Trivellato & Co. took advantage of this to make it 5:6 with two power play goals. Thomas Larkin slammed the puck under the crossbar after an unsuccessful attempt to clear it, Tommaso De Luca was successful with a direct shot. But the equalizer was no longer possible.

Italy – Hungary 5-6

Italy: Bernard (Vallini); Trivellato Seed, Spornberger-Larkin, Amorosa-Pietroniro, Glira-Insam; Frank-Kostner-Marchetti, Salinitri-Catenacci-Gazley, Frigo-Mantenuto-De Luca, Mantinger-Purdeller-Deluca.
coach: Pelino

Hungary: Balizs (Horvath); Stipsicz-Fejes, Szabo-Nilsson, Garat-Ortenszky, Hadobas; Varga-Hari-Sofron, Papp-Sebok-Gallo, Mihaly-Nagy-Terbocs, Nemes-Nemeth-Sarpatki.
coach: Macadam

Gates: 0:1 Papp (00.45), 0:2 Szabo (1.20), 1:2 Mantenuto (1.32), 2:2 Mantenuto (5.03), 2:3 Papp (18.21), 2:4 Hari (20.59), 2: 5 Terbocs (22.20), 2:6 Gallo (35.36), 3:6 Seed (36.48), 4:6 Larkin (52.40), 5:6 De Luca (53.56)

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