Last year Salzburg and Bozen faced each other in the final. This year the two clubs will meet in the semi-finals. © V. Antonello

Bolzano and Brunico in playoff mode: semi-final party begins

2 South Tyrolean clubs in a playoff semi-final in the ICE Hockey League – this has never happened before! The fight for the final begins on Tuesday. What are the chances of HCB Südtirol Alperia and HC Pustertal?

March 18, 2024

From: cst

The new edition of last year's final between Bolzano and Salzburg contains a lot of explosives. The Bulls are something like the Austrian “arch enemy” of the Foxes, which can also be noticed in the stands. The Red Bull system is rigorously rejected and hostile by the HCB ultras, even though Salzburg are of course a tough brute from a sporting perspective.

Salzburg and Bozen met 4 times this season. The home team always wins – and usually by a clear margin. If it stays that way, the South Tyroleans would lose out in the semi-finals because the Austrians have home advantage. But playoffs are a story of their own, and the Bulls have often had painful playoff experiences with the people of Bolzano - and vice versa, of course, if you think about last year's final defeat. By the way: In the quarter-finals, Salzburg beat Linz relatively easily 4-1.

Pustertal euphoria: the first time in the semi-finals

There is great euphoria in Bruneck, where HC Pustertal is in a playoff semi-final in the ICE for the first time. The opponent couldn't be more difficult: The KAC won the basic round, but also showed nerves in the quarter-finals against Vorarlberg (4:2). Can the wolves become a stumbling block for Klagenfurt? The fact is that they have already defeated the big KAC in the current season - twice.



Nevertheless, the HCP goes into the duel as an outsider. The Red Jackets are the clear favorites to advance to the final, but that is exactly where Puster's chance lies. The HCP was not the favorite against Fehervar either, the end for the Hungarians is known. The South Tyroleans can rely on goalkeeper Jake Smith, who has a sensational catch rate of 92,5 percent in the post-season. Only Salzburg goalie Atte Tolvanen (93,6) is even better.

ICE Hockey League: The semi-final duels

RB Salzburg – HC Bozen
Game 1: Tuesday, March 18th (19.15:XNUMX p.m./A)
Game 2: Friday, March 22nd (19.45:XNUMX p.m./H)
Game 3: Sunday, March 24th (18.30:XNUMX p.m./A)
Game 4: Tuesday, March 26th (19.45:XNUMX p.m./H)
Game 5: Thursday, March 28th (19.15:XNUMX p.m./A)
Game 6: Saturday, March 30th (18 p.m./H)
Game 7: Tuesday, April 2nd (19.15:XNUMX p.m./A)

Klagenfurter AC – HC Pustertal
Game 1: Tuesday, March 19th (19.30:XNUMX p.m./A)
Game 2: Friday, March 22nd (19.30:XNUMX p.m./H)
Game 3: Sunday, March 24th (17.30:XNUMX p.m./A)
Game 4: Tuesday, March 26th (19.45:XNUMX p.m./H)
Game 5: Thursday, March 28th (19.15:XNUMX p.m./A)
Game 6: Saturday, March 30th (19.45 p.m./H)
Game 7: Tuesday, April 2nd (19.15:XNUMX p.m./A)

A: Away game
H: Home game