For Dustin Gazley and his teammates, Thursday's match is about more than just a win. © V. Antonello

Bolzano faces a vacation: What's holding the star-studded team back?

While HC Falkensteiner Pustertal has reached the ICE Hockey League semifinals, HCB Südtirol Alperia is facing elimination. An early defeat against Olimpija Ljubljana would mean the end of a season in which a highly touted team (almost) never reached its full potential.

March 18, 2026

From: cst

On paper, one of the best HC Bozen teams of all time, but often a complete flop on the ice. The Foxes are under immense pressure ahead of their fifth semifinal game against Olimpija Ljubljana on Thursday (7:45 p.m.). The mood after the crushing 0:4 defeat in Slovenia Tuesday evening is anything but good.

Coach Doug Shedden appeared bewildered as he stepped into the Hala Tivoli arena for an interview on Tuesday evening. The Canadian had come to Bolzano as a savior, to replace the unpopular Kurt Kleinendorst. Now he faces a catastrophic failure and the prospect of being eliminated in the quarterfinals with a team that, on paper, has all the attributes to be a serious title contender. Although the Slovenians are not an unbeatable team, they have been superior to HCB for much of their previous matches. Shedden resorted to platitudes and pep talks. There were no answers to his team's poor performance.

The big guessing game: What's going wrong in Bolzano?

The big question is what's wrong with HCB. Key players like Shane Gersich and Brett Pollock don't seem to be able to reach their full potential. Others, like Philip Samuelsson, seem to make mistakes in every game. Even captain Daniel Frank, who always pulls the team out of the mire when others falter, is a shadow of his former self. It seems like something's wrong in the Foxes' locker room – because it can't be due to a lack of fundamental quality.

A symbolic image: Matt Bradley and HCB have been outmatched by the Slovenians so far. © Vanna Antonello

On Thursday, HCB has the chance to at least extend what has so far been a disastrous quarterfinal series. All eyes will be on the reaction of the Bolzano fans, who normally stand firmly behind their team. However, their disappointing playoff performances, in which even basic virtues like fighting spirit and passion were lacking, could also mean a nasty reception for the HCB players in their home arena.

The fact is, HCB is fighting against the end of the season on Thursday. Should the season actually end after the next 60 minutes, HC Pustertal would also take over the current dominant position in South Tyrolean ice hockey. The Wolves are floating after the Sweep against Salzburg They are on cloud nine and can sit back with anticipation on Thursday evening when their local rival fights against disaster.

ICE Hockey League: Playoffs, Quarterfinals

HC Bozen – Olimpija Ljubljana (Thursday, 7:45 pm)
Best of 7 series: 1:3

Klagenfurter AC – AV Feherhar (7:15 pm)
Best of 7 series: 1:1

Already in the semi-finals: Graz 99ers, HC Pustertal