Not even in the fourth game against Jesenice a victory arrives

Collalbo, February 24, 2022 - For the Rittner Buam on Thursday night the return game of the Master Round against Jesenice ended with a 2:7 defeat. For 53 minutes Heiskanen's team resisted the Slovenian club, then all the floodbanks broke down.

THE SUMMARY: The highlight of the game started just 117 seconds in when Glavic had to go to the penalty box. The Rittner Buam, who have to do without Frei, exploit the power play. At first Froberg comes out victorious from Lutz's attack, but shortly after he has to surrender to Sharp's backhand shot (3'09"). The goal seems to wake up the Slovenian lines because Jesenice reacts immediately. Brus misses (5th minute), but Elo equalizes with a shot in the corner (5'28"). The guests continued to press, but were constantly stopped by Smith. In the final minutes, the Rittner Buam once more became dangerous, but were unlucky when a shot of Lutz ended up on the goal frame (16th). So, at the end of a very exciting first period, the game goes to the locker room on 1:1.

In the second period, the game flattens out. Maybe it also depends on the fact that the goal of the 1:2, arrived with a shot deflected by Brus, was reviewed by the referees on the video proof for several minutes before being validated (24'21"). The goal arrives with Jesenice on the powerplay. After a counterattack and a masterful assist by Viikila, Pance, unforgivably left free in the slot, scores the 3:1 for the guests (34'47"). The reaction of the blue-reds is slow in arriving, so in the meantime the five remaining minutes of the second period pass.

The final period is completely different. The Rittner Buam press to shorten the distances, at the beginning without worrying much the adversaries. In the 47th minute Manuel Öhler intercepts a shot of Osburn, shoots and beats Froberg for the 2:3. Renon's team tries to draw, while Jesenice continues to be strong in counterattacks and shortly after the Rittner Buam's goal, wastes lightly a two against one. Just such a counterattack is fatal to Heiskanen's team seven minutes before the end: after a lonely action in the middle of the field Svetina serves Sotlar and the latter beats Smith who suffers the fourth goal of the night (52ß51"). The Rittner Buam cannot resist anymore and in the final minutes Jesenice scores three more goals with Sotlar, Brus and Elo.

The Rittner Buam will be back on the ice on Saturday, February 26. The blue-red will be engaged in the home of Asiago. The match at the Odegar Stadium will start at 8.30 pm.

 

Rittner Buam - HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice 2:7 (1:1, 0:2, 1:4)

Goals: 1:0 MacGregor Sharp (3'09"/PP), 1:1 Elo (5'28"), 1:2 Brus (24'21"/PP), 1:3 Pance (34'47"), 2:3 Manuel Öhler (46'20"), 2:4 Sotlar (52'51"), 2:5 Sotlar (54'22"), 2:6 Brus (56'35"), 2:7 Elo (57'19")

MVP of the match (presented by Loacker): Logar (JES) & Sailio (RIT)

Photo: Max Pattis