First home defeat of the season for Bolzano. Vienna wins 5 to 3
After nine consecutive home victories, the HCB Alto Adige Alperia crashes at the Sparkasse Arena: to win, with the score of 5 a 3are the spusu Capitals of Vienna.
The Foxes try to launch a comeback on several occasions, but the final rewards the Austrians: Bolzano at the moment still in first place, but tied with Innsbruck and tomorrow also Salzburg can try to reach the summit.
The record. Coach Glen Hanlon has to give up Luca Frigo with the flu, with Kasslatter who is therefore part of the attacking 12. Between the posts is Harvey.
Immediately fireworks and after just 31 seconds Bolzano is ahead: counterattack by Halmo, who goes down the left lane, takes aim and dusts the intersection of the posts. Vienna didn’t let themselves be discouraged and at 04:31 they evened the score, thanks to a Bauer shot that surprised Harvey at the near post. On the wave of 1 to 1 the Capitals try to push, touching the advantage with Sheppard.
Biancorossi who for their part do not materialize a powerplay and shortly after they throw away a good opportunity with Mitch Hults, who ends up on the outside of the net on the counterattack. Bolzano who then resists the penalty twice, when in the final part of the fraction the nervousness increases and the penalties are rained down.
Start of central period the hosts immediately produce a great chance with Gazley, who freed by Halmo is stopped by a miracle of Steen. However, the Foxes were distracted and at 11.18 pm they gave Vienna the advantage: Dalhuisen missed the pass and Bradley had a game to beat Harvey boys.
The red and white suffer from a Vienna that keeps the center of gravity high and that goes close to trio with Antal and Bauer, whose joy is denied by two excellent interventions by Harvey. At the end of a 4 against 4, at 32:19, the Capitals still find the third goal: Prokes launches Rotter, who on his return from the penalty bench shoots a slap into the net on which the red and white goalkeeper can do nothing this time. Then the nervousness returns, calls from both sides and Bolzano who find themselves in powerplay: at 38:21 Matt Frattin beats Steen for the second time, with a first intention shot on Culkin’s assist.
The Foxes look to pick up the pace in the middle period, making themselves dangerous with a shot by McClure providentially deflected by an opposing defender. However, Vienna held up well and at 49:45 took advantage of the chance in powerplay: Zimmer pounced on a loose puck and brought his players back to +2. The red and whites do not give up, but with Culkin they devour the goal that would shorten the distances.
However, the effort produces a numerical superiority, which at 57:21 was capitalized on by Angelo Miceli: the number 26’s shot hit the crossbar, Hackl’s body and went into the net. Final assault with the sixth man of movement and on a deflection by McClure, with a great clash in front of goal, the hosts are one step away from the sensational draw. Instead, Bradley’s goal into an empty net arrives, which closes the scoreboard at 3-5.
Frank and teammates will be back on the ice for a long time five days “on the road”: between Friday 25 and Tuesday 29 November will in fact be on stage a Klagenfurt, Fehervar and Vienna.
HCB South Tyrol Alperia – spusu Vienna Capitals 3 – 5 [1-1; 1-2; 1-2]
Networks: 00:31 Mike Halmo (1-0); 04:31 Sascha Bauer (1-1); 11:18pm Matt Bradley (1-2); 32:10 Rafael Rotter (1-3); 38:21 Matt Frattin PP1 (2-3); 49:45 Max Zimmer PP1 (2-4); 57:21 Angelo Miceli PP1 (3-4); 59:05 Matt Bradley IT (3-5).
Shots on goal: 33-31. Penalty minutes: 12-14. Referees: Smetana, Zrnic/Riecken, Zgonc. Spectators: 2,932.
