Chiavenna won the IHL Division 1 title.

In front of 2.000 fans: Chiavenna snatches the title from HCP

In the IHL Division 1 final, HC Pustertal Junior faced HC Chiavenna on Sunday at the Intercable Arena. The Pustertal team was the better team for much of the match, but Chiavenna held its nerve and took the title.

April 13, 2025

From: azl

The grand finale of the IHL Division 1, better known as Serie C, reached its dramatic climax on Sunday evening with the fifth and decisive game between HC Pustertal Junior and HC Chiavenna in front of 1.950 fans. After a furious comeback in the best-of-five series, in which the Pustertal team managed to equalize a 0-2 deficit to a 2-2 draw, the final game proved to be the end of the story: Chiavenna prevailed with an ice-cold performance 7-4 and secured the title.

It was already clear in the first period that the visitors from Chiavenna were determined to win the final. Pustertal started the game with a high pace, but was repeatedly thwarted by the strong visiting goalie Mattia Tava. Chiavenna, on the other hand, was extremely efficient: David Sibilevych scored on the power play to take the lead, and shortly thereafter, Alex Tava made it 2-0. Pustertal also started the second period with a strong performance, but once again, Chiavenna's goalkeeper stood in their way.

Pustertal writes to

The reward finally came: Elias Fauster broke through with a spectacular solo effort, reducing the deficit to 1-2 on the power play. The visitors' response wasn't long in coming – Denny Deanesi coolly capitalized on a counterattack, before Sibilevych made it 4-1 with a precise wrist shot into the top corner. But the Pustertal team didn't give up: Fauster again narrowed the gap with a shot under the crossbar, and Lukas Crepaz scored on the power play with a blocked shot to make it 3-4. However, Chiavenna once again had the final say in the period – Deanesi scored from the right-hand corner to make it 5-3.

HC Pustertal Junior lost 4:7. © Social Media / Iwan Foppa

The home team came out of the locker room with a lot of energy in the final period. David Laner took advantage of a rebound after a spectacular combination play and brought Pustertal back to 4-5. But once again, it was Deanesi who perfectly finished off a counterattack with his third goal of the night. Oleksii Mikhnov increased the lead to 7-4 shortly after, thus sealing the game. HCP's attempt to build pressure with a sixth skater also proved unsuccessful.

IHL Division 1, Final

HC Pustertal Junior – HC Chiavenna 4:7
Goals: 0:1 Sibilevych (9.30), 0:2 Alex Tava (16.20), 1:2 Fauster (24.13), 1:3 Deanesi (27.30), 1:4 Sibilevych (30.54), 2:4 Fauster (34.58), 3:4 Crepaz (35.35), 3:5 (Deanesi (36.54), 4:5 Laner (42.56), 4:6 Deanesi (46.35), 4:7 Mikhnov (56.25)
Audience: 1.950
Final score: 2:3