Alan Lobis has good reason to smile: The Pustertal star is currently playing exceptionally well. © Iwan Foppa / HC Pustertal

Grandpa as a special fan: A young man from Puster Valley blossoms

One win separates HC Pustertal from a major upset: On Tuesday (starting at 7:45 p.m.), the Wolves can knock the reigning champions Salzburg out of the playoffs and advance to the semifinals. Pustertal's breakout star of the season also aims to make a splash.

March 17, 2026

HC Pustertal has been part of the ICE Hockey League for five years. Now the Wolves are on the verge of pulling off the biggest upset in their league history. In the quarterfinal series against four-time champions Red Bull Salzburg, the Pustertal team holds a 3-0 lead. Just one more win is needed to eliminate the Bulls and advance the Wolves to the semifinals. It could all happen as early as Tuesday in their home game (starting at 7:45 p.m.).

One of the key players in this success story is Alan Lobis. The 21-year-old from Kaltern can certainly be considered one of the Puster Valley's biggest discoveries of the season so far. After two strong winters with the Ritten Buam in the Alps Hockey League, the forward was signed permanently by the Puster Valley team last summer. Starting as the 13th (and final) forward, Lobis steadily worked his way up the roster and has now earned a spot on the third line alongside Mikael Frycklund and JC Lipon. Of the South Tyrolean forwards on the HCP roster, only Tommy Purdeller is currently accumulating more ice time.

Alan Lobis is currently playing exceptionally well. © Iwan Foppa / HC Pustertal

Lobis is fully repaying the trust placed in him, especially in Quarterfinal 3 on Saturday. In the 4-3 victory in Salzburg, the player from Kaltern shone with two impressive assists. "It's an absolutely fantastic series, it's so much fun," Lobis enthused in an interview with... SportNews, But he also knows: "The last victory is always the hardest. A team on the verge of elimination will give everything and then some. We have to try to continue playing our game, just like in the previous three matches."

The grandfather is a legend at HC Bozen.

When Lobis and his HCP team battle for a place in the semifinals on Tuesday, one person will be especially cheering them on: Grandpa Herbert Strohmaier. Many South Tyroleans will recognize the name, as Grandpa Strohmaier is a well-known figure in the local ice hockey scene. The 72-year-old played for HC Bolzano for 16 years, winning eight Scudetti with Italy's record champions and even serving as captain for a time.

“I asked Grandpa if he was rooting for Bolzano or for us. He said he was a fan of mine.” Alan Lobis

Grandpa a legend at HC Bozen, grandson a rising talent at their arch-rivals Pustertal – do they ever exchange a few barbs? “No,” laughs Alan Lobis, adding: “Grandpa is just incredibly proud, and he gets a real kick out of watching me play. He’s often at the stadium for our home games in Bruneck.” With a grin, Lobis adds: “I once asked him who he was rooting for – us or Bozen. He said he was a fan of mine!”

Herbert Strohmaier, HCB legend and grandfather of Alan Lobis. © kp

Lobis will wear number 16 in Bruneck, the number his grandfather wore his entire life. "That makes me really proud," says the 21-year-old, who comes from a true hockey family. Besides his grandfather Herbert (the father of Alan's mother Miriam), his father Mathias Lobis is also a former ice hockey star who played for HC Bozen, but primarily for SV Kaltern. His sister Laura Lobis is one of Italy's best ice hockey players and recently participated in the Olympic Games.

Now the fourth quarter-final against Salzburg is upon us. "Our goal from the start was to compete for the cup. That's becoming increasingly realistic. But first we have to close out the series!" said Lobis, who, incidentally, has extended his contract in Bruneck until summer 2029.

Will HC Bozen show a reaction?

While HC Pustertal dreams of the semifinals, HC Bozen is looking to make amends. The Foxes suffered one of their most bitter defeats in years on Saturday: In quarterfinal 3, the Red and Whites were leading 2-0 against Olimpija Ljubljana before the Slovenians turned the match around in just 38 seconds (!). HCB departed for Ljubljana on Monday afternoon with their full roster; coach Doug Shedden will decide today which players will have to sit out.

ICE Quarterfinals, Game 4 (Best-of-7)

Villacher SV – Graz99ers (7:15 pm)
Score in the series: 0:3

Olimpija Ljubljana – HC Bozen (19.15 p.m.)
Score in the series: 2:1

HC Pustertal – Red Bull Salzburg (19.45 p.m.)
Score in the series: 3:0

Quarter-final, Game 2

Fehervar AV19 – Klagenfurter AC (7:15 pm)
Score in the series: 0:1