Dustin Gazley (right) was the can opener for HCB. © HCB

With old and new power: HCB beats Grenoble

HCB Südtirol Alperia won their opening game of the Südtirol Summer Classic at the Sparkasse Arena in Bolzano-South. The Foxes celebrated a shutout against Grenoble and will now face Red Bull Munich in the final of the pre-season tournament.

August 29, 2026

From: cst

HC Bolzano started their first home game of the new season with backup goalie Marco Constantini in net. And to put it simply: the young Canadian impressed across the board, not only making 33 saves but also recording a shutout. A successful home debut for Constantini, who is expected to gain valuable experience in the league behind former NHL goalie Louis Domingue (who is training regularly and will see ice time in the upcoming games).

The Foxes' first goal against Grenoble, the French runners-up, was scored by a familiar face. Dustin Gazley found the net after 4:44 minutes, scoring the only goal of the first two periods. HCB coach Antti Karhula saw a spirited Bolzano team, but one that didn't always have Grenoble under control. Goalkeeper Constantini was repeatedly called upon to make saves against Teo Sarlieve, David Noel, and their teammates.

That didn't change in the final period. The HCB goalie was the most noticeable player, making two remarkable saves. But then Bolzano struck with clinical precision: After winning a face-off, newcomer Zac Leslie fired a shot from distance that nestled perfectly into the top corner (49th minute). Grenoble subsequently pushed forward with everything they had and created numerous scoring opportunities, but were repeatedly thwarted by Constantini, who was ultimately celebrated by around 1.800 fans.

Munich awaits in the final.

With their victory against the French team, HC Bern has advanced to the final of the South Tyrol Summer Classic. There, captain Luca Frigo and his teammates will face EC Red Bull Munich on Sunday at 20 p.m. The top DEL club secured a last-minute 4-2 win against Lausanne, after the game was tied 2-2 until the 59th minute. Tobias Rieder's goal finally broke the deadlock, and Brady Ferguson's empty-net goal was the icing on the cake.

South Tyrol Summer Classic

HC Bozen – Grenoble 2:0
1-0 Gazley (4.44), 2-0 Leslie (49.00)

RB Munich – Lausanne 4:2
0:1 Suomela (8.28), 0:2 Heldner (10.35), 1:2 Eisenschmid (12.12), 2:2 Kastner (48.21), 3:2 Rieder (58.47), 4:2 Ferguson (59.10)


Sunday program
16 p.m.: Lausanne – Grenoble (3rd place match)
20 p.m.: HCB – Munich (Final)