Putsch in Salzburg: The handicap breaks the away curse – ICEHL
Pustertal’s Shane Hanna (right) and Thomas Raffl have a gripping duel. © GEPA Pictures / David Geieregger
HC Pustertal confirmed its strong form and ended a long, gloomy series on Friday evening: the Wolves managed an away coup against Red Bull Salzburg.
December 03, 2021
Author: det
It was September 24, 2021 and the season game in which HC Pustertal prevailed 3-2 in Villach. This was the Wolves’ last away win so far. Now this spell has been broken: In a spectacular duel against the top team from Salzburg, Raimo Helminen’s squad won a 4-3 victory after a penalty shoot-out.
The wolves continue to show that they are strong on the uptrend. Since the coaching change they got 11 out of 18 possible points. That is why the team around Daniel Glira, who celebrated his comeback on Friday in Salzburg after a week-long injury break, is quietly approaching the top 10.
Pustertal and Salzburg don’t give each other anything. © GEPA Pictures / David Geieregger
In the Salzburger Volksgarten, which had to do without fans due to the lockdown in Austria, the Bulls and the handicap fought a great fight in which Salzburg set the tone for long stretches, but again and again on the Puster defense and above all on Tomas Sholl Chipped teeth. The US boy defused 50 (!) Shots and thus impressively proved that he is currently one of the most formidable goalkeepers in the league. On the other hand, the handicap offensive is immensely effective. A few chances resulted in three goals, with Ikonen & Co. first 2-0 and then 3-2 in front, before Greg Carey scored the much-acclaimed winner in the penalty shootout.
The highlights
| Ice cold handicap | Salzburg has a huge chance in the first third with Wukovits, but the goals make the guests: Kristensen with a hammer-hard Blueliner (18th) and Harju after a rebound (20th) provide the surprising Wolves lead. |
| Bardaro’s carver | Pustertal makes life difficult for itself: After a gross Bardaro mistake in the build-up game, Bulls top scorer Brennan shows all his class and scores afterwards (26th). At 2-2 shortly before the break, Huber is forgotten by the defensive (39th). |
| In rapid succession | Salzburg reserved the final third, but Ikonen (after strong preparatory work by Mantinger and Budish) scored the Pusterer 3-2 lead (56th), which was equalized by Nissner in a power play less than 60 seconds later (57th). |
| Punish | After the goalless overtime, the penalty shoot-out begins: While Sholl does not shoot, Carey scores the decisive 4: 3 for the wolves. |
For the wolves, the home game against the Vienna Capitals will start on Saturday at 5 p.m.
Red Bull Salzburg – HC Pustertal 3: 4 nP
RBS: Tolvanes (Lamoureux); Heinrich-Stapelfeldt, Brennan-Pallestrang, Kanzig-Zündel, Wimmer; Baltram-Nissner-Huber, Raffl-Järvinen-Schneider, Wukovits-Leonhardt-Loney, Hochkofler-Thaler-Borzecki
Coach: McIlvane
HCP: Scholl (Stoll); Hanna-Willcox, Caruso-Kristensen, Glira-Hofer, Althuber-Andergassen; Carey-Harju-Bardaro, Mantinger-Ikonen-Budish, Stukel-Gerlach-Hannoun, Ivan Deluca-Berger-Stephan Deluca.
Trainer: Helminen
Crack: 0: 1 Kristensen (17.05), 0: 2 Harju (19.27), 1: 2 Brennan (25.02), 2: 2 Huber (38.41), 2: 3 Ikonen (55.11), 3: 3 Nissner (56.09). Decisive penalty: Carey
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