Andy Bernard and his Merano Eagles are taking flight. © BK Photo

An appeal from Merano: "We need our fans!"

In the Alps Hockey League, not a single day of the week goes by without playoff ice hockey: This Thursday, the puck will be sliding across the ice in Sterzing and Merano. Both rinks are guaranteed to be action-packed, intense, and emotional.

March 12, 2026

Euphoria is particularly strong in the spa town. The reason? HC Meran surprisingly won the series lead on Tuesday and also secured home advantage in their match against Asiago. The match at the Odegar Stadium ended 4-2.

The recipe for success was quite simple: Asiago's star line, featuring Alps' top scorer Ryan Valentini and top goal scorer Nick Porco – arguably the best offensive unit in the entire league – was completely neutralized. "We knew we had to go hard, play man-to-man, and get on their nerves," said goalie Andy Bernard, who also praised his teammates highly: "Everyone now understands what's at stake. Everyone played with full commitment and complete focus – that made my job as a goalie easier."

"I get into a flow – I like that." HCM regular Andreas Bernard

However, Bernard also played a key role in the opening victory. He stopped 30 of 32 shots, nearly 94 percent of all Asiago's attempts. This was already the 44th game of the season for the Kaltern native, who only missed one game due to illness. The 35-year-old shows no signs of fatigue. "I once played 51 regular-season games in Finland, so the situation isn't new to me. When I play every few days, I get into a flow – I like that," Bernard reveals.

Bolzano striker Pascal Brunner will play for Merano in the second quarter-final. © hcb

It's unclear whether the injured Bolzano loanee Enrico Larcher will be among Bernard's line-up for the second playoff game. However, HCB forward Pascal Brunner will be playing for his hometown club this time. He certainly doesn't intend to let anything hold him back, not now. "We finally want to see a lot of people in the arena, we need our fans!" Bernard appealed. HCM's poor performance throughout the season alienated many fans, but now they're suddenly back in the game. "The game in Asiago showed: Why shouldn't we be allowed to dream?" Bernard said in an interview. SportNewsThe match in Merano starts on Thursday at 20 pm.

Broncos promise next fight

Simultaneously with the clash at the MeranArena, the playoff atmosphere is also sweeping through the Weihenstephan Arena in Sterzing. There, the Broncos are hosting the reigning champions from Zell am See. "Fight" would probably be a more accurate description. The Wipptal team is known and feared for their tough, aggressive style of play. The Zell am See Polar Bears experienced this firsthand in their opening victory on Tuesday.

"Now we know what's coming." Sebastian Zauner, EK Zell am See

“Now we have a rough idea of ​​what to expect, and we’ll try to give it our all in Sterzing,” said EKZ defenseman Sebastian Zauner. Broncos star Paul Eisendle had already said on Tuesday after the game, with all its brawls and rough play: “We play hard and we’ll keep playing hard – that’s playoff hockey!”

Paul Eisendle (right) and his Sterzing team are aiming for their first victory. © Radlwimmer

Eisendle is bothered by the fact that Wipptal held the lead against the champions for a long time, only to then let the game slip away. "We know what we need to do better. Let's see how it goes at home." The game starts at 20 p.m. in the Sterzing inflatable hall. South Tyrol's third quarterfinalist, HC Gröden, is running after its 2:3 defeat on Wednesday in Salzburg They will only play their first home playoff game on Friday.

The Alps Hockey League quarterfinals:

Wipptal Broncos – EK Zell am See
Match date: Thursday, 8:30 p.m.
Best of 7 series: 0:1

HC Meran – Asiago Hockey
Match date: Thursday, 8:30 p.m.
Best of 7 series: 1:0

SG Cortina – KHL Sisak
Match date: Thursday, 8:30 p.m.
Best of 7 series: 0:1

HC Gherdëina – RB Juniors
Match date: Friday, 8:30 p.m.
Best of 7 series: 0:1