For Vienna, South Tyrol is a land of conquest
(mg) Val Pusteria loses sharply against a particular Vienna. The training from Brunico falls on the ice just twenty-two hours after the successful away match in Salzburg and is perhaps more affected by the fatigue of the match and the away match than the opponents. Coach Helminen, today, has to do without the Danish Emil Kristensen and revolutionizes the defensive lines by “promoting” Glira in second position alongside Caruso, with Andergassen in third, paired with Altuber and Hofer in fourth line. The start six remains unchanged with Tomas Sholl in goal (Hannes Stoll as his back-up), Shane Hanna / Reece Willcox; Greg Carey / John Harju / Anthony Bardaro. Second line: Michael Caruso / Daniel Glira and forward Matthias Mantinger / Jasse Ikonen / Zac Budish; third line: Ivan Althuber – Raphael Andergassen and forward Jakob Stukel / Max Gerlach / Dante Hannoun. In fourth position: Armin Hofer – Ivan De Luca – Simon Berger – Stephan De Luca.
The race, let’s face it, was not a good one. Vienna, for reasons of force majeure, had to “turn three lines” and almost always played “throw-in”. That of the Austrian capital is, however, a grim formation, capable of winning ten of the last twelve races and that had made a full booty even last night at the Palaonda. The Cap are – ultimately – these days a “bad cat to peel” are a formation that manages to hurt all its opponents and the Val Pusteria, tonight, had neither the strength nor the ability to be an exception.
Coming to the news: on the first penalty of the match (5:49) Johan Harju, wedges himself in the slalom in the heart of the defense, but in front of the goalkeeper who protects the cage entirely with his body he cannot find the right opening to let the puck pass. It would seem an interesting starter of the power play that has just begun but – on the other hand – in the two minutes the Val Pusteria complicates life to the point of not being able to create any scoring opportunity. At the end of Alex Wall’s penalty, Jakob Stukel is punished for two minutes but also the Cap’s power play is sterile. The match is nervous and there is, again, a penalty in favor of the hosts (09: 42-Artner Fabio 2 min. For obstruction) but also on this occasion the people of Pusteria, even tonight in the usual black suit cannot find the space to shoot dangerously towards Bernhard Starkbaum’s door. In reality, the whole first half is below expectations. Vienna strives more to destroy the game than to create it in turn. Furthermore, both teams have the legs of the match played just 24 hours before and this is clearly visible.
The second drittel is also played more on nerves and charges than on pure technique. The two teams try and decide that they both play very covered. The only thrills of the first ten minutes are concentrated in the Power Play following the penalty whistled against the Swedish Karlsson (22:39) the Val Pusteria besieges the third defensive of the Austrians but the pressure only leads to an external pole and two excellent saves of the visiting goalkeeper. At 9:29 a nice triangulation puts the n. 42 in front of the goalkeeper, in the slot, the attacker does not notice the greedy opportunity and smooths the shot that allows the defense to recover. The occasion acts as a little antechamber to the goal of the guests. Nikolaus Hartl, author, in similar circumstances, of the equalizer goal at Palaonda, with a violent conclusion from outside and with the complicity of a defense that, on the occasion, is, perhaps, a little too squashed on the goalkeeper, door of Sholl.
In the third half, Val Pusteria continues to waste chances and in the opening a shot by Ikonen from a short distance was saved with difficulty by Starkbaum. Then a penalty is whistled against Joel Lowry, and also in this circumstance the absence of Emil Kristense, is felt as the Danish full-back is, undoubtedly, the best shooter from the blue of the Pusterese. Another chance at 47th on Mantinger’s cue but the puck just went out. Despite the pressure of Helminen’s boys, they are – on the other hand, the visitors to score again with a well-orchestrated counter-escape and concluded by James Sheppard. Then at 52:52, a penalty whistled to Shane Hanna, costs dear to the hosts who in numerical superiority, bag the 3-0 with a short-range shot by Matthew Neal.
Saturday 4 December, 5.00 pm – Intercable Arena in Brunico
HC Lupi Val Pusteria / Pustertal Wölfe – spusu Vienna Capitals 0 – 3 (0-0, 0-1, 0-2)
Shots on Goal: 14: 15, 12: 10,
Referees: Thomas Berneker (1st) – Manuel Nikolic (2nd); Line Judges: Davide Mantovani and Florian Martin.
Head Coach Val Pusteria: Raimo HelminenHel – Head Coach Vienna: Dave Barr.
SCORES: 33:53 0: 1 GWG EQ VIC Nikolaus Hartl (Alex Wall); 47:51 0: 2 VIC James Sheppard (Nicolai Meyer – Alex Wall); 54:48 0: 3 PP1 VIC Matthew Neal (Prapavessis – Hartl);