Rittner Buam won 5:2 at home against Fassa on Saturday night. A final score that, at a first glance, seems clear, but was the result of hard work and a clear improvement in the performance during the second and continuing the upswing in the third period. "We started too casually, almost with presumption. A reason, maybe, has to be sought in the statistics of the results in the Alps Hockey League, as up to now we had won all the challenges with Fassa. Fortunately, then the team grew considerably and in the end we deservedly won. Nevertheless, this start showed us that against every team we have to give 100% from the beginning", summarizes Renon's sport director Adolf Insam.
The success against the Falcons should motivate the team for this week's two matches against the Eagles. The two away games against HC Merano Pircher and EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel, however, promise to be challenging. Merano on Saturday celebrated a surprising win away from home on penalties, beating Jesenice, a semifinalist last season, 2:1. "Merano, who undoubtedly enrich the league, have already branded the territory. The derby against us will be a particular match, since in our ranks there is a Merano, Andreas Lutz, and in theirs many former Renon players, for example the Ahlström twins or Frederic Cloutier. They have a strong and experienced team, against which we cannot afford to make mistakes", Insam said. In this match, Heiskanen's team will have to play without Manuel Öhler.
On Saturday, the Rittner Buam will cross the Brenner Pass for the first time this season. At 7:30 p.m. the blue-reds will be guests of EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel. On Saturday, the Tyroleans from Austria asserted themselves against EC KAC Future Team, winning 2:1 at the end of penalties. "Against Kitzbühel it was always difficult, even though we won 11 of the 12 challenges against them. Especially on the road we had to give our best. I think that after these two games we will know at least a little bit where we stand," Adolf Insam concluded.
Alps Hockey League 2021/22
Thursday, September 16, 2021 - 8:30 pm, Meranarena
HC Merano Pircher - Rittner Buam
Saturday, September 18, 2021 - 7.30 pm, Sportpark
EC Die Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel - Rittner Buam
Photo: Max Pattis