The Wipptal Broncos reached the Alps Hockey League playoffs for the sixth time in a row © Oskar Brunner

Wipptal Broncos | When the master round becomes their downfall

The Wipptal Broncos' season ended in the Alps Hockey League quarterfinals. The Broncos were eliminated by the reigning champions and clear favorites from Zell am See. SportNews, together with President Stefan Troyer, looks back at the past championship.

March 25, 2026

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Summer was fairly quiet in the Wipptal valley, with few changes compared to the previous season. While a few import players were replaced, the majority of the roster remained the same. Consequently, the Wild Horses got off to a good start in the new season, securing four wins in their first five matches.

Then came the now traditional October slump for the Blue-Whites. Between October 9th and November 15th, Eisendle & Co. only left the ice victorious once, namely against their "favorite opponent" from Sisak. Afterwards, the Fuggerstadt team found their footing again, fought their way out of the relegation zone, and by Christmas at the latest were vying for a place in the Master Round.

Early qualification for the playoffs

Despite tough competition from Klobenstein, the Bregenzerwald, and Kitzbühel, the Broncos ultimately secured a place in the top five, thus qualifying early for the playoff quarterfinals. Furthermore, Coach Johan Sjöquist's team qualified for the Italian Championship semifinals, a preparatory tournament held at the Santa Giulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan. In a hard-fought battle, the Wipptal team narrowly lost to the Ritten/Renon team, missing out on their first-ever appearance in the finals.

The wild horses repeatedly engaged in fierce duels against Asiago © Oskar Brunner

In the Alps Hockey League's Master Round, the South Tyrolean team fell into a deep slump once again, rarely able to compete with, let alone win against, the league's top teams. At the end of the intermediate round, the Wipptal Broncos finished in fifth place, thus missing out on home ice advantage in the first playoff round. But that wasn't all: due to their disappointing performances against the powerhouse from Zell am See, the Pinzgau team decided to draw the league's highest-ranked opponent.

The run ended against Zell am See © BRUNNER 2025/26

In the end, the Wild Horses put on a magnificent display against Salzburg, but their superior skill on the ice ultimately prevailed. (When asked by...) SportNews President Stefan Troyer responded as follows: “It was a season with many highs and lows. We were all very surprised that Zell am See chose the highest-ranked team. I think our weak performance in the Master Round was the deciding factor. Overall, however, we achieved our season goals.”

With the Wipptal Broncos eliminated, an incredible streak could continue: For the past five years, the team that defeated the Wipptal Broncos has always been crowned champion of the Alps Hockey League. With Zell am See now in the running, there's a good chance this could happen for the sixth time in a row.

What are the next steps?

As they say, after the season comes the next season. Although Broncos fans will have to wait a long time for the next championship, the decision-makers are already working diligently behind the scenes on the team of the future. Troyer declined to comment further, however, as discussions had only recently begun and nothing was yet finalized.