Will HC Bozen and HC Pustertal meet in the playoffs? © HCB

South Tyrol dreams: Bolzano against Puster Valley in the quarter-finals?

The ICE Hockey League regular season ended on Sunday. Now there's a unique situation: Will HC Bozen and HC Pustertal meet in the quarterfinals?

March 01, 2026

From: det

It's the sporting event that captivates the masses in South Tyrol. When HC Bolzano meets HC Pustertal, the whole region watches. Need an example? All four of the Foxes' games against the Wolves this season were sold out. And now there could be a very special highlight: a clash between the two South Tyrolean ice hockey powerhouses is shaping up in the quarterfinals.

HC Bozen has won the preliminary round finished in 4th place, HC Pustertal advanced on Sunday thanks to the 1-0 victory against Villach They managed to climb to 5th place at the last minute. In other words, the logical quarter-final match would have to be Bolzano against Pustertal.

What is Salzburg doing?

That's the theory, of course; in practice, things can look different. The top three teams in the table, namely Graz (1st), Klagenfurt (2nd), and Salzburg (3rd), can choose their quarterfinal opponent. Graz and Klagenfurt will almost certainly not pick fifth-placed Pustertal.

It remains to be seen what Salzburg plans. The Bulls will likely have to choose between the Wolves (5th place) and Olimpija Ljubljana (6th place), having only won once against each team. The team that remains will face HC Bolzano.

All four matches between Bolzano and Pustertal this season were sold out. © Vanna Antonello

Final confirmation of the playoff pairings will only come after the conclusion of the pre-playoffs, which take place next week. The Vienna Capitals (7th place), Villacher SV (8th), the Black Wings Linz (9th), and Fehervar AV19 (10th) are battling for the last two spots, after which the so-called "quarterfinal pick" will be held. The playoffs begin on Tuesday, March 10th.

Ice hockey fans in South Tyrol are dreaming of a quarterfinal matchup between Bolzano and Pustertal. The two ice hockey giants last faced each other in the 2011/12 postseason. Back then, HC Bolzano won the Serie A final series against HCP with a sweep, meaning a 4-0 victory.