Stressful Christmas schedule starts with a bang

Collalbo, December 22, 2021 - After almost two weeks of break, on Thursday, December 23, the Rittner Buam will return to play in the Alps Hockey League ice. The blue-reds will be guests of EHC Lustenau, at 7:30 pm the game between the second and the third in the standings will be staged. On Boxing Day, on the other hand, the Rittner Buam will have to gallop to the home of the Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan.  

EHC Lustenau is in great shape. After the 7:3 defeat on November 4 in the first game against the Rittner Buam, the Lions have won eight of the following nine games in the Alps Hockey League. So on Thursday Mike Flanagan's team will arrive at the 16th challenge against the historical South Tyrol's club, but the latter is clearly leading the overall statistics with 12 victories to 3. With Chris D'Alvise (37 points in 24 games) and Maximilian Wilfan (36/24), the historic Austrian club has in its ranks two explosive forwards that Renon's hockey players will have to keep in check.

"Lustenau is for sure one of the strongest teams this year and precisely for this reason our young team will have to proceed with concentration and discipline. Matches like this one between the team currently second and the one currently third, therefore between two equal opponents, are perfect indicators for us to see where we are at this stage of the season. After the long break we are certainly rested and our boys are eager to get back to the hunt for goals", explains Adolf Insam, sports director of the Rittner Buam. In the top game of the 24th round, coach Santeri Heiskanen will be able to use almost the whole team. He will have to excuse only Michael Lang. 

This week the blue-reds will be engaged in another league game. On Sunday, December 26, the Rittner Buam will be guests of the Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan. The 113th challenge with the team from Vipiteno will be played on Boxing Day, starting at 7:30 pm. The first game, a little more than a month ago, ended 4:0 in favor of Simon Kostner and his teammates.

 

 

Alps Hockey League 2021/22

Thursday, December 23, 2021 - 7:30 pm, Rheinhalle, Lustenau

EHC Lustenau - Rittner Buam

Sunday, December 26, 2021 - 7.30 pm, Weihenstephan Arena, Sterzing

Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan - Rittner Buam

 

Ranking:

  1. HDD SIJ Acroni Jesenice 59 points/24 games
  2. EHC Lustenau 50/24
  3. Rittner Buam 49/23
  4. Migross Supermarkets Asiago Hockey 48/22
  5. Red Bull Hockey Juniors 46/28
  6. HC Gherdëina valgardena.it 39/23
  7. S.G. Cortina Hafro 38/25
  8. SHC Fassa Falcons 37/25
  9. EK Die Zeller Eisbären 35/24
  10. HC Meran/o Pircher 32/24
  11. EC-KAC Future Team 32/28
  12. EC Bregenzerwald 30/18
  13. Wipptal Broncos Weihenstephan 30/22
  14. EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel 26/24
  15. Steel Wings Linz 23/22
  16. BEMER VEU Feldkirch 17/23
  17. Vienna Capitals Silver 12/23

Photo: Max Pattis