Heads roll at HCB: Who will it hit next?

So far, only goalkeeper Marcel Melichercik has felt the consequences of the disappointing performance in the first phase of the championship. He was replaced by Matt Climie a week ago.

Looking for a new goalkeeper

But the goalie position is where the most urgent need for action is now, because the Canadian newcomer could leave the Foxes after just one competitive game. The day after his strong performance in the home game against Linz, he injured his knee ligaments during training. He is threatened with a failure that could last well beyond Christmas. HCB boss Dieter Knoll sees himself on the scene and is already exploring the market for a successor. His current replacement Jake Smith will only serve as a backup in the future.

Defender before farewell

But there is an urgent need for action not only in the goalkeeper position, something also urgently needs to be changed in defense. Chris Carlisle, Mat Clark, Robin Gartner and Matt Tomassoni came to Bolzano with excellent references, but none of them have really convinced us yet. The first shaky candidate is the returnee Tomassoni, who made countless mistakes, especially in the last few games. However, since he made a lasting impression in Bolzano in the championship year and is considered extremely experienced in the playoffs, someone else from the defensive quartet could also be affected.

Lots of room for improvement in the storm

So far, only Mike Halmo, Alex Petan and top scorer Austin Smith have impressed on offense. Chris DeSousa was at least able to convince with his commitment. Domenic Monardo and Mike Angelidis have improved significantly recently, but both still have room for improvement - as does Travis Oleksuk. What is missing in the offensive so far is the penetration of the local cracks, who have so far only scored 7 of the 56 HCB goals this season. It may be that coach Pat Curcio, unlike his predecessor Tom Pokel, does not spread the "local players" across all four attack lines, but such poor goal efficiency cannot meet the demands of Markus Gander, Luca Frigo & Co.

The coach is allowed to continue (for now).

Speaking of the coach, he still seems to be firmly in the saddle. If the club management doesn't decide to take a quick reaction, Curcio will also be behind the gang in the home games against Salzburg (November 17th) and Innsbruck (November 19th). Whether this is just a reprieve remains to be seen. Curcio and his assistant Phil Barski undoubtedly have a wealth of ice hockey knowledge, but desolate performances like the last one in the 3:7 in Zagreb show that there is a lack of team leadership. There is a lack of fine-tuning on the defensive side, while the coaching team is still looking for a solid line constellation on the offensive side. These are all deficits that can be eliminated. But the trainers no longer have time to tinker, because with a seven point gap to a fixed playoff place, all alarm bells are ringing.

In any case, now is the time to act before the regular season enters the decisive phase with the resumption of play in ten days. Because it can't be the case that HC Bozen offers exciting ice hockey for short periods, has three of the six league top scorers, has the fourth best power play and still sits at the bottom of the table. This does not do justice to the reputation of the best ice hockey club in Italy, the EBEL champions of 2014.

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Heads roll at HCB: Who will it hit next?

The situation for HCB Südtirol Alperia in the bottom of the table is difficult, some consider it to be the worst in the five-year EBEL membership. And consequently, quite a few people around the traditional Bolzano club are calling for harsh consequences during the current international break.

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