HC Bozen celebrates a clear derby victory. © Vanna Antonello

Clear derby victory! Bozen cements power relations

This HCB Südtirol Alperia is a force to be reckoned with: just two days after the embarrassing home defeat against the Pioneers Vorarlberg, the Talferstädter have struck back – with a brilliant derby victory against the HC Pustertal.

05 January 2025

From the Sparkasse Arena

It was almost exactly a year ago to the day when HC Pustertal beat HC Bozen 4:1 in the Sparkasse Arena. On Sunday evening - the day before Epiphany - the Foxes finally struck back and sent the Wolves home with exactly the same result (4:1). This means that HCB has won all three derbies so far this season.

The 15th ICE derby between Bozen and Pustertal took place in front of almost 7.000 spectators, and the Sparkasse Arena reported a sell-out for the first time this season. The HCB has now secured its 10th victory in the cross-border league against its eternal arch-rivals from the east of South Tyrol. In other words: the Bozen team has won two thirds of its duels against Pustertal.

The South Tyrolean ice hockey derby par excellence was evenly matched for a long time on Sunday evening. The HCP initially held out strongly (especially physically) and even took the lead through ex-Bozen player Daniel Glira. The visitors' necks were broken at the start of the final third. First, Brett Findlay, another former Bozen player, failed to score on the post in front of Sam Harvey, and just a short time later the HCB took the lead 2-1. The home team then increased their lead to 4-1 within just four minutes.

The negative highlight of the game: Pustertal's Mikael Frycklund made a terrible check against Brad McClure and sent him head first into the boards. The Bolzano attacker curled up on the ground in pain and the doctors had to go on the ice. In the last minutes of the game, however, McClure returned from the locker room to the ice to great applause from the fans. The Canadian probably escaped with just a scare.

HCB Südtirol Alperia – HC Pustertal 4:1

HSBC: Harvey (Vallini); Hults-DiPerna, Spornberger-Bourque, Valentine Seed; Marchetti-Christoffer-Salinitri, DiGiacinto-McClure-Gazley, Frank-Mantenuto-Finoro, Frigo-Helewka-Bradley.
Coach: Hanlon

HCP: Pasquale (Bernard); Glira-Wesley, Althuber-Bouramman, Andersen-Osmanski; Purdeller-Findlay-Akeson, Coulter-Frycklund-Petan, Conci-Lacroix-Mantinger, Deluca-Andergassen-Gschliesser.
Coach: Jaspers

Gates: 0:1 Glira (10.00), 1:1 Christoffer (22.31), 2:1 Digiacinto (43.43), 3:1 Helweka (46.25), 4:1 Frigo (47.47)

Viewers: 6.738 (sold out)

ICE: The other games on Sunday

Fehervar – Linz 2:1
1:0 Ambrus (07.21), 2:0 Gaunce (13.32), 2:1 Lebler (45.17)
Audience: 4.058

Vorarlberg – Asiago 5:2
1:0 Keefer (07.10), 2:0 Woger (11.07), 3:0 Maier (28.14), 3:1 Moncada (42.22), 4:1 Passolt (43.02), 5:1 Keefer (49.22), 5: 2 Rigoni (57.16)
Audience: 2.217

Innsbruck – Klagenfurt 0:3
0:1 Herburger (32.51), 0:2 From (48.16), 0:3 Mursak (56.30)
Audience: 2.300

Vienna – Graz 0:3
0:1 Bailey (17.25), 0:2 Brunner (52.06), 0:3 Schiechl (59.55)
Audience: 6.320

Villach – Laibach 4:5 after extra time
1:0 Scherbak (10.58), 2:0 Pearson (18.12), 3:0 Scherbak (21.43), 4:0 Pearson (29.51), 4:1 Lavoie (32.12), 4:2 Kerbashian (36.33), 4: 3 Bonino (37.30), 4:4 Sabolic (59.55), 4:5 Bonino (65.00)
Audience: 3.465