Matteo Luisetti (left) and HCG only went down in overtime © EKZ/Radlwimmer

Ouch! The champions strike late against Val Gardena.

This defeat was undeserved. HC Gherdëina looked like the winners for much of the Alps Hockey League semi-final opener in Zell am See, but ultimately succumbed very late in the game. More than 2000 fans celebrated their team, the Polar Bears, at the final whistle.

March 26, 2026

From: fop

The Alps Hockey League playoff semifinals have begun. The opening game was a real nail-biter, which Gröden ultimately lost 1-2 in overtime. However, game one against the heavy title favorites has shown that the Furies are a force to be reckoned with!

Until the equalizer with three minutes remaining, Gröden played a more defensive, cleverer, and ultimately better brand of hockey than the Zell am See Ice Bears. The omnipresent Luke Moncada deservedly put the visitors ahead in the ninth minute, finishing off a simple power-play attack with a shot into the far corner.

Furies had had everything under control for a long time

The champions from Salzburg seemed completely taken aback. They lacked penetration, ideas, and physicality – and whenever they managed to create some offensive opportunities, Val Gardena's outstanding goalie, Claes Endre, was there to make the save. With several excellent saves, the January arrival from Sweden cemented his status as the best playoff player in the entire league so far. By the end of the night, he had stopped almost 95 percent of the shots on his net.

For a long time, the Val Gardena defense, led by Dmitry Vozovik (center) and goalkeeper Claes Endre (right), held firm. © EKZ/Radlwimmer

As the atmosphere in the Zell ice rink was already waning and many expected the home team to suffer an opening defeat, they struck back. Christian Jennes fired a slap shot into the net from full speed with three minutes remaining, forcing overtime. This lasted only 53 seconds before Niklas Huard sealed the victory. He was left unmarked by Val Gardena's Sebastiano Soracreppa during the power play and managed to deflect a shot from Steffler into the net.

The series now moves to Pranives in Val Gardena, where the second semi-final game will take place on Saturday at 5:30 pm. Two hours later, the first encounter between Sisak and Merano is scheduled to determine the second finalist of the Alps Hockey League. In this interview, HCM striker Pascal Brunner looks ahead to the duel with the Croatians.

The Alps Hockey League semi-finals:

EK Zell am See – HC Gherdëina 2:1 nV
Goals: 0:1 Luke Moncada (8.58), 1:1 Christian Jennes (56.48), 2:1 Niklas Huard (60.53)
Audience: 2.021
Best of 7 series: 1:0
Next match date: Saturday, 5:30 p.m.

KHL Sisak – HC Meran
Best of 7 series: 0:0
First match date: Saturday, 7:30 pm