In front of 1000 spectators: Puschtra ice hockey champions determined

Ice hockey is more popular in the Pustertal than in any other part of South Tyrol. Proof of this? The finals of the “Forst Puschtra Hockey League” and the “Puschtra Youth League” took place at the Intercabel Arena at the weekend. The focus of the big ice hockey festival: the duel between apostles and wild boars.

March 06, 2024

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Before the grand PHL final took place at the Bruneck Ice Stadium at the weekend, the placement games for the 21st title fights of the Puschtra Cup took place. There the Red Devils Welsberg (in the game for 5th place) against the HC Tigers (8:0) and the Mammuts Toblach against HC Oacha (7:1 in the game for 3rd place) had the upper hand.

The race for the top scorer crown was an Oacha affair: Elias Pohlin won the scorer ranking with 33 points ahead of his teammates Dietmar Götsch (29 points) and Stefan Huber (25 points).

Probably the best finale of all time

The 2024 final was probably the most exciting and high-class of all time, played in front of a record crowd of almost 1000 spectators in the Intercable Arena. The Pfolzna Wildschweine were the superior table leaders in the preliminary round and faced the 12 Apostles from St. Georgen. The two title holders of the past two years fought an open battle. Pfalzen managed to equalize a 0-3 deficit over the course of the game. The score went into extra time at 3-3, but there was no decisive goal, so the penalty shootout had to decide. There the Jergina grabbed the victory, which meant defending their title and a double (including the cup).

St. Georgen is a record champion with 7 titles. With Welsberg and Gsies there are two other places in the Pustertal that have always had a team in the “Forst Puschtra Cup Hockey League” for over 20 years.

Final table “Forst Puschtra Hockey League”:
1. 12 Apostles St. Georgen
2. SSV Pfalzen Wild Boars
3. Mammoth's Dobbiaco
4. HC Oacha
5. Red Devils Welsberg
6. HC Tigers Brixen
7. ASC Gsiesertal

Own youth league as a model for success

For the second time, the round game “Puschtra Youth League” was played across borders. The Puster teams from Gsies and Pfalzen crossed rackets with the children from Leisach, Virgen, Sillian, Lesach/Gailtal and Irschen/Oberdrauburg. No fewer than 180 children met several times over the winter and at the final tournament in Brunico. Defending champion ASC Gsiesertal was able to celebrate the PCJ Cup again this year!

The final participants of the youth league in the group photo.

“We are probably one of the very few hobby leagues that also takes care of a youth championship and continually promotes it,” emphasizes the President of the PHL and PCJ, Markus Kargruber.

Final table “Puschtra Youth League”:
1. ASC Gsiesertal
2. SSV Pfalzen
3. SG Prägraten/Virgen
4. UEC Leisach
5. EC Sillian
6. EC ÖÄV Obergailtal Lesachtal
7. SG Irschen/Oberdrauburg