Puster Valley striker beats Italy

Italy's chances of staying in the top division at the Ice Hockey World Championship in Switzerland dropped significantly on Tuesday evening. The culprit is none other than a veteran player from HC Pustertal.

19 May 2026

From: fop

After their sensational overtime victory against the Czech Republic in their opening match, Slovenia caused another major upset on the third day of the World Championship. On Tuesday evening, they also snatched a point from Slovakia, losing 5-4 in a penalty shootout.

The standout player on the ice at the World Championships in Fribourg was Rok Ticar. The 37-year-old veteran of the Eastern European team first set up a goal for his team, then scored twice himself. His goal to tie the game at 4-4 with half a minute remaining secured a point for Slovenia, and in the penalty shootout, Ticar was the only one of his team to find the back of the net.

Ticar is the hero of the Slovenians

Ticar is one of 16 (!) Slovenian national team players who earn their living in the ICE Hockey League. Ironically, he's under contract with HC Pustertal, the team he led to the finals last season. Ironically, this is because he's now gotten one over on his fellow HC Pustertal teammates.

With this point, Slovenia – considered a strong relegation candidate alongside Italy before the World Cup – moves further away from the bottom of the table. Their eastern neighbors could potentially secure their survival before their final direct encounter with the Azzurri next Monday.

Ice Hockey World Championship, Group B