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Cedric Lacroix & Co. celebrated a mandatory victory. © HC Pustertal / I. Foppa
Minimalist wolves beat the big problem child
A good horse doesn't jump higher than it has to. True to this motto, HC Pustertal won its third game in a row on Friday evening. The last time the Wolves managed this was in mid-October. Despite the victory, however, the performance against bottom-placed Innsbruck raises questions.
03 January 2025
From the Intercable Arena
From:
Leo Holzknecht
The way in which games are won plays only a minor role in sport. What counts are the three points. HC Pustertal took this wisdom to heart on Friday evening. Against the extremely harmless Haie, Raphael Andergassen & Co. revealed shortcomings in all areas of the game. Offensively, things were tight and things were sometimes fierce at the back. The fact that Jason Jaspers' team ultimately won 4:1 is a positive sign for the derby against HC Bozen on Sunday. lost at the same time against the Pioneers Vorarlberg.
What the Wolves offered the 2800 fans for a long time was - to put it mildly - weak. Alex Petan & Co. simply found no way to get past the league's most porous defense. Any threat to the goal? None. At the same time, the Wolves repeatedly caught dangerous counterattacks, which only failed to result in a goal thanks to Eddie Pasquale. It was only the equalizer by the in-form Brett Findlay that shook the HCP awake. A new game began in which the differences between the teams came to light. A controlled final third finally gave the Black and Yellows the expected success.
The Wolves have to thank goalie Eddie Pasquale once again, who made important saves in the second period, and Findlay, who provided the initial spark for the win with a spectacular goal. They are currently Pustertal's driving force, capable of taking control of a game at any time. HCP fans hope that the duo will also play a decisive role on Sunday in Bolzano (18 p.m.).
The highlights
| Early shock | Ole Andersen and Cedric Lacroix sit together in the penalty box and watch as Patrick Grasso deflects a Brasso cross into the goal. |
| Weak | Pustertal is not present in the first 30 minutes. The Wolves have to thank goalie Eddie Pasquale that the deficit is not greater. He saves against Corey Mackin and Mark Rassell in the last second. |
| Who else? | Brett Findlay is currently by far the best legionnaire in the attack - and has scored his sixth goal in the last six games. The left-footed player remains ice-cold in front of Brandner alone. |
| Go then | In the final third, the HCP increased the speed, tied Innsbruck up in their zone and took a well-deserved 2:1. Mikael Frycklund scored after a shot by Andersen. |
| It becomes clear | After a beautiful pass from Frycklund, Alex Petan hits the net with pinpoint accuracy. Two minutes later, Anders Krogsgaard deflects an Akeson pass into his own goal. |
HC Pustertal – HC Innsbruck 4:1
HCP: Pasquale (Bernard); Glira-Wesley, Andersen-Osmanski, Althuber-Bouramman; Akeson-Findlay-Purdeller, Coulter-Frycklund-Petan, Andergassen-Lacroix-Mantinger, Deluca-Traversa-Conci, Gschliesser.coach: Jasper
HCI: Brandner (Gratzer); McFadden-Devin Steffler, Kele Steffler-Krogsgaard, Jakubitzka-Stöffler, Wille; Rassell-Grasso-Zusevics, Bär-Valentini-Hirano, Mackin-Lattner-Bracco, Dobnig-Mader-Ploner.
coach: Smotherman
Gates: 0:1 Grasso (5.49), 1:1 Findlay (31.31), 2:1 Frycklund (44.16), 3:1 Petan (53.41), 4:1 Akeson (55.33)
Viewers: 2817
ICE Hockey League:
Klagenfurter AC — Black Wings Linz 3:11:0 Fraser (25.14), 1:1 Knott (32.48), 2:1 Maier (55.06), 3:1 Mursak (58.46)
Audience: 4.404
Red Bull Salzburg — Vienna Capitals 1:4
0:1 Jasper (20.53), 1:1 Huber (23.00), 1:2 Böhm (26.18), 1:3 Jasper (29.88), 1:4 Jasper (58.29)
Audience: 3.259
Fehérvár AV19 — Olimpija Ljubljana 2:1
0:1 Kerbashian (03.16), 1:1 Hari (24.44), 2:1 Brown (31.00)
Audience: 3.759
Asiago Hockey — Villacher SV 1:4
0:1 Scherbak (11.43), 1:1 Zampieri (14.51), 1:2 Rebernig (16.32), 1:3 Pearson (30.00), 1:4 Holway (46.57)
Audience: 2.958
HC Bozen – Pioneers Vorarlberg 1:3
0:1 Gilmour (09.06), 1:1 Frigo (49.07), 1:2 Sowder (55.48), 1:3 Cooper (59.34)
Audience: 2520
The table
| SP | G | U | V | TV | P | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Fehervar | 35 | 23 | 0 | 12 | 111:82 | 69 |
| 2. HCB South Tyrol | 33 | 25 | 0 | 8 | 111:81 | 68 |
| 3. EC Klagenfurt | 33 | 21 | 0 | 12 | 120:89 | 65 |
| 4. EC Villach | 34 | 21 | 0 | 13 | 126:100 | 60 |
| 5. EC Salzburg | 31 | 19 | 0 | 12 | 113:92 | 59 |
| 6. Linz | 33 | 20 | 0 | 13 | 100:89 | 59 |
| 7. Graz99ers | 34 | 18 | 0 | 16 | 99:84 | 57 |
| 8. Olimpija Ljubljana | 35 | 17 | 0 | 18 | 93:103 | 47 |
| 9. HC Pustertal | 32 | 13 | 0 | 19 | 105:105 | 42 |
| 10. Vienna Capitals | 33 | 14 | 0 | 19 | 80:95 | 41 |
| 11. Vorarlberg | 34 | 10 | 0 | 24 | 79:117 | 32 |
| 12. Asiago Hockey | 34 | 8 | 0 | 26 | 91:129 | 28 |
| 13. HC Innsbruck | 35 | 9 | 0 | 26 | 74:136 | 27 |
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