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A symbolic image: Manuel Gaffal scores for Linz, while the Puster Valley team watches on. © BWL
Toothless wolves lose in Linz
HC Falkensteiner Pustertal lost the first of two away games this weekend in eastern Austria. Against the Black Wings Linz, the Wolves couldn't find their usual rhythm and ultimately suffered a deserved defeat.
09 October 2026
From: cst
The truth is that Bruneck struggled to find their rhythm for much of the game. Their top line of Cole Bardreau and Tommy Purdeller was ineffective, and goalie Eddie Pasquale wasn't the reliable presence he'd been in the past. All in all, it wasn't the energetic HC Pustertal that Wolves fans had come to expect from them this season.
This also includes making it too easy for Linz to score. The Austrians twice pounced on rebounds without any resistance, and Brady Shaw and Luca Erne were allowed to combine well before the Black Wings' second goal – although the assist for Linz star Graham Knott's goal was certainly impressive.
Finally, the power play also failed to work, even though Linz certainly showed promise. The Wolves had a man advantage almost continuously at the end of the second period and the beginning of the third – but to no avail. In the end, a deserved defeat is recorded. However, the Puster Valley team won't have much time to dwell on it, as they continue their campaign in Vienna on Sunday (17 p.m.).
Linz-HCP: The most important scenes
| blow after blow | The first period was a wild, back-and-forth affair, but with the upper hand for the Upper Austrians. This was reflected in the score at the first intermission, with Linz leading 2-1. Gaffal (10th minute, with a deflection) and Knott (14th minute) scored for the Black Wings, while Bowlby (13th minute) scored for HCP. |
| Deluca strikes back | A simple tap-in by Gaffal gave Linz a two-goal lead at the start of the second period (24th minute), but Deluca responded with a beautiful, effortless shot into the near corner (31st minute). However, the lead was quickly lost. Lebler pounced on a rebound to make it 4-2 (35th minute). |
| HCP presses in vain | The Wolves had never lost a final period this season. Accordingly, the South Tyroleans played with great intensity. However, unnecessary penalty minutes took the wind out of Bruneck's sails. |
| Knott confirms final result | Knott cleverly hooks Pasquale and slots home to make it 5-2. That's the final score in a match where HCP never got going from the start. |
HC Bozen didn't win, but at least they managed to gain a point. The Foxes lost 3-4 in overtime in Villach. HC Milano's home debut at the Rho Arena also did not go well. Although newcomer Diego Kostner from Val Gardena put Milan in the lead, they ultimately suffered a 1-4 defeat against Innsbruck.
Black Wings Linz – HC Falkensteiner Pustertal 5:2
Business Administration: Wells (speaker); Wimmer-Wüschl, Lindner-Moro, Söllinger-Kragl; Shaw-Knott-Erne, Maier-Topping-Lebler, Neubauer-Bliss-Romig, Pusnik-Tschofen-Gaffal, Eder.Coach: Phillip Lukas
HCP: Pasquale (Furlong); Lauridsen-Di Tomaso, Farrance-Osmanski, Glira-Zanatta; Ierullo-Bardreau-Purdeller, Bowlby-Fontaine-Rueschhoff, Lobis-Fitzgerald-Lipon, Deluca.
Coach: Jason Jaspers
Gates: 1:0 Gaffal (9.11), 1:1 Bowlby (12.50), 2:1 Knott (13.32), 3:1 Gaffal (23.57), 3:2 Deluca (30.08), 4:2 Lebler (34.12), 5:2 Knott (54.31)
Viewers: 3.466
Villach – Bolzano 4:3 aet
Gates: 0:1 Gellon (6.55), 0:2 Digiacinto (12.04), 1:2 Hancock (16.01), 2:2 Sproul (22.11), 2:3 Schneider (34.18), 3:3 Sproul (40.52), 4:3 Wallenta (63.19)Viewers: 2.695
ICE Hockey League: The other results from Friday
Milano HC – HC Innsbruck 1:4Goals: 1:0 Kostner (10.31), 1:1 Innsbruck (18.29), 1:2 Owre (34.06), 1:3 Richards (41.43), 1:4 Witting (58.44)
Audience: 2.654
Ferencvarosi TC – Vienna Capitals 3:2
Goals: 0:1 Lilja (2.52), 1:1 Savoie (21.40), 2:1 Kestila (40.16), 3:1 Toth (51.59), 3:2 Vey (59.06)
Audience: 1.418
Graz99ers – Olimpija Ljubljana 3:4 aet
Goals: 0:1 Lawrence (0.25), 1:1 Lippitsch (36.45), 1:2 Lawrence (44.00), 1:3 Meyer (46.50), 2:3 Huber (50.26), 3:3 Swaney (52.52), 3:4 Meyer (64.04)
Audience: 2.662
Fehervar AV19 – Red Bull Salzburg 1:6
Goals: 1:0 Ambrus (12.53), 1:1 Schneider (30.07), 1:2 Lee (35.10), 1:3 Lee (37.31), 1:4 Schneider (38.55), 1:5 Schneider (48.47), 1:6 Galipeau (58.28)
Audience: 3.771
Pioneers Vorarlberg – Klagenfurter AC 4:5 nP
Goals: 1-0 Murray (7:32), 1-1 Waschnig (14:37), 2-1 Britt (20:50), 2-2 Nickl (26:35), 2-3 Herburger (36:22), 3-3 Leeb (36:49), 4-3 van Nees (37:37), 4-4 Drozg (43:59). Decisive penalty: Hundertpfund.
Audience: 1.212
| SP | G | U | V | TV | P | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. HCB South Tyrol | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 31:20 | 19 |
| 2. Linz | 9 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 35:27 | 18 |
| 3. EC Klagenfurt | 9 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 37:27 | 17 |
| 4. HC Milan | 9 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 27:28 | 15 |
| 5. HC Pustertal | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 24:19 | 14 |
| 6. Olimpija Ljubljana | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 37:25 | 14 |
| 7. EC Salzburg | 9 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 30:31 | 13 |
| 8. EC Villacher SV | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 23:25 | 12 |
| 9. Graz99ers | 9 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 23:27 | 12 |
| 10. Vienna Capitals | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 24:24 | 11 |
| 11. HC Innsbruck | 9 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 22:26 | 11 |
| 12. Ferencvarosi | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 23:24 | 10 |
| 13. Fehervar | 9 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 17:30 | 10 |
| 14. Vorarlberg | 9 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 20:40 | 1 |
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