The World Cup report card: These South Tyroleans played brilliantly

In the first part of our comprehensive World Cup report card, we focus on the coach, the goalkeepers, and the defenders. It becomes clear that almost all of the South Tyrolean players made a positive impression.

Jukka Jalonen 5,5 On the positive side, the team was rejuvenated compared to the Olympics, giving new players a chance. The rigid defensive system was evident and, with some limitations, functioned well. However, many things went wrong: the power play was nonexistent, talented players like Tommaso De Luca and Alessandro Segafredo were never brought to their full potential, constant line rotations didn't work – and some line selections were baffling. Players were forced to play positions they weren't familiar with at their club. For example, Ivan De Luca, a natural winger, was called up as a center simply because there weren't enough centers available. Given these facts, the assessment of outgoing coach Jukka Jalonen cannot be positive.

Jacob Smith 6,5 Ten years after signing with HC Bozen, the Italian-Canadian played his first game for Italy at the World Championship. His performance against Slovakia was very good – even though he finished with a save percentage of only 87,10 percent. His biggest misfortune: He has two goalies, Fadani and Clara, ahead of him, against whom he simply cannot get close.

Damian Clara 7,5 Due to his commitments in North America, he arrived late – but after overcoming the jet lag, he promptly delivered a heroic performance, saving 55 shots against the Czech Republic. He also frustrated the Swedes with his positioning, reflexes, and understanding of the game. Finally, against Slovenia, he showed some human traits – not least because, as throughout the World Championship, he was repeatedly let down.

Davide Fadani also always kept a clear head. © ANSA / ANTHONY ANEX

Davide Fadani 7 Having such a strong backup goalie is a true luxury. To call his performances solid would be an understatement. Although significantly smaller and more slight than many of his counterparts, he has long since reached this level. No wonder he played 25 games for EHC Kloten in the Swiss top league last season. He will be battling Clara for the starting net for the Blue Team for the next ten years.

Carmine Buono 6 After winning the AlpsHL title with HC Gherdëina, he unexpectedly made the World Championship squad. He performed well, given the expectations. Despite his lack of speed, which became apparent on fast breaks, he played confidently and fearlessly on the fourth line. He even received power-play minutes from Jalonen.

Dylan Di Perna 5 The weakest defenseman on the Azzurri roster. He stood out for poor positioning, glaring errors, and general overexertion. He completely lacked the physicality – as well as any chemistry with his linemate Alex Trivellato. His personal low point: in the Norway game, the Italian-Canadian was on the ice for all four goals conceded.

Dylan DiPerna left much to be desired. © ANSA / CYRIL ZINGARO

Gregorio Gios 6 The Asiago star isn't the type of player who makes incisive passes or creates attacking opportunities. Instead, the 26-year-old is known for his robust physicality and his ability to dominate in front of goal. He demonstrated these qualities – exactly as the coaching staff expected. He didn't make any glaring errors and played his game with surprising reliability.

Gabriel Nitz 7 The big winner of this World Cup – and not just because he scored Italy's first goal against Slovakia. He steadily worked his way up the pecking order from a squad player, averaging over 13 minutes of playing time in the last three matches. Unflappable and playing simply, he is a bright spot in the otherwise faltering Italian defense.

Phil Pietroniro 6,5 The defensive shortcomings that the Italian-American has always possessed, he compensates for with other qualities. He was by far the most shot-on-shot player in Italy's lineup – a whopping 21, but only one of them found the back of the net. He was always ready for a one-timer on the power play, but was rarely supplied with passes by his teammates.

Luca Zanatta 5,5 The oldest player on the Azzurri roster at 35. However, the HCP star shows no signs of fatigue. He logged more ice time than any other player – an average of 18:32 minutes per game. But the best defenseman of last year's World Championship Division I Group B team failed to impress. His performance was marred by weakness in one-on-one battles, sluggishness, and inaccuracies.

Alex Trivellato 6 The new captain suffered from a lack of understanding with DiPerna. His lapses, like the one against Norway when he initially chased after a lost stick or stumbled at the worst possible moment, were uncharacteristic. He recovered as the tournament progressed and demonstrated his vast experience at the international level. He proved indispensable as a leader in the locker room.

Peter Spornberger 7 He showed the coaching staff that the lack of an Olympic nomination was a grave mistake. The DEL star combined defensive responsibility and offensive drive like no other defenseman. It's no surprise that he had the best ± statistic (-3) of all the Italian defensemen who saw regular playing time throughout the tournament.

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The World Cup report card: These South Tyroleans played brilliantly

Italy's relegation from the top division was sealed on Monday with a crushing 1-5 defeat against direct rivals Slovenia. SportNews takes a closer look at the Azzurri's performance at the World Cup in Switzerland, revealing who impressed and who fell short of expectations.

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