Jubilation at SV Kaltern: The Pike have made a perfect start to the playoffs. © social media / MICO26 / Diego Barbieri

Playoff opener: Mixed feelings in Überetsch

The Italian Hockey League playoffs began on Saturday. Among the contenders were the Eppan Pirates and the Kaltern Pike. While SV Kaltern started the season with a victory, it began disastrously for HC Eppan.

February 28, 2026

From: mv

In the IHL, the time has come when the checks come to a head and the players' beards grow ever longer: the playoffs are here! From a South Tyrolean perspective, only the two teams from the Überetsch region remain: SV Kaltern and HC Eppan. While the Pike celebrated a 4-1 victory over Feltre, the Pirates suffered a painful and bitter 2-4 defeat against Pergine.

Kaltern got off to a dream start to the fifth season: In their home arena, the Pike gave HC Feltre absolutely no chance on Saturday, thrashing the visitors 4-1. After a scoreless first period, the Kaltern goal music blared three times in the second. Mikael Saha on the power play, Matteo Cappuccio, and Moritz Selva, again on the power play, sent the arena into raptures.

Eppan squanders 2-0 lead

In the final period, the Pike, who have only lost six games this season, skillfully managed their lead. Maximilian Sölva first made it 4-0, before Canadian Austin Wong scored a consolation goal for Feltre on the power play – but that was all.

HC Eppan, on the other hand, got off to a disastrous start in the playoffs. The Pirates are set to face HC Pergine in the quarterfinals – but after the first game, the yellow-and-blue team has already lost home-ice advantage: Pergine won 4-2 on Saturday. And this despite the Pirates having led 2-1 until seven minutes before the final buzzer.

Eppan's Martin Graf opened the scoring in the quarter-final series against Pergine. © Max Pattis

The game started perfectly for Eppan: Martin Graf in the first period and Andreas Radin in the second gave them a 2-0 lead. Although Dino Andreotti brought the visitors back into the game shortly afterward, the Pirates held onto their lead until just before the end. Then, during Eppan's power play, Andreotti struck with clinical precision to tie the game at 2-2. Things went from bad to worse for the home team when former HCB defenseman Stefano Marchetti gave Pergine their first lead of the season with four minutes remaining. An empty-net goal by Marco Foccoli sealed the Pirates' disappointing start to the fifth season.

The second game of the "Best of Five" series will take place on Tuesday: Kaltern will play in Feltre, Eppan in Pergine (both games start at 8:30 pm).

IHL Playoffs: Quarterfinals, Game 1

SV Kaltern – HC Feltre 4:1
Goals: 1:0 Saha (21.08/PP), 2:0 Cappuccio (24.33), 3:0 Selva (39.38/PP), 4:0 Maximilian Sölva (49.30), 4:1 Wong (51.01/PP)

HC Eppan – HC Pergine 2:4
Goals: 1:0 Graf (12.10), 2:0 Radin (28.00/PP), 2:1 Andreotti (31.46), 2:2 Andreotti (53.01/SH), 2:3 Marchetti (56.07), 2:4 Foccoli (59.16/EN)

HC Varese – HC Alleghe 5:3
Goals: 1:0 Terzago (5.11), 1:1 Ernesto (6.09), 1:2 Isiguzo (9.12/PP), 2:2 Buono (24.31), 3:2 Bastille (28.19), 4:2 Buono (31.57), 5:2 Ghiglione (49.19/PP), 5:3 Iori (57.42)

HC Aosta – HC Fassa 5:4 OT
Goals: 0:1 Kuronen (7.29/PP), 0:2 Rossi (7.40/PP), 1:2 Nimenko (9.17/PP), 2:2 Nimenko (11.22), 2:3 Salo (15.53), 3:3 Mocellin (27.38/PP), 4:3 McNally (43.04), 4:4 Deluca (54.17), 5:4 Nimenko (64.14)