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Bolzano fails dramatically: out in the Champions Hockey League autumn!
HC Bozen is eliminated from the Champions Hockey League after a thrilling overtime defeat against Lulea HF (2:3).
Bolzano fails dramatically: out in the Champions Hockey League autumn!
In the last group game of the Champions Hockey League, HC Bozen, the Italian ice hockey team, suffered a bitter defeat. The South Tyroleans lost 2-3 after extra time against Lulea Hockey in Sweden late on Sunday evening and thus missed out on qualifying for the round of 16 of the competition.
The game didn't start well for Bozen. After Lulea dominated in the first half, hosts Eetu Koivistoinen managed to take the lead in the 18th minute. This was followed by another goal from Koivistoinen in the 36th minute, which sent the team from Bolzano into the final third break with a 0-2 deficit. But HC Bozen did not give up. Matt Bradley scored the goal in the 38th minute and brought hope back.
Catching up from Bolzano
In the final third, Bozen showed fighting spirit. Cole Schneider equalized in the 59th minute after the team risked everything in the final minutes and created a real spectacle. But the joy only lasted for a short time. Just 14 seconds after the equalizer, Mathias Brome scored the Swedes' winning goal and sent Bozen into defeat.
With this defeat in the Swedish arena, HC Bozen now only has six points at the end of the group phase. Red Bull Salzburg and KAC also have the same number of points, but they still have games to play. The KAC will face KalPa in Finland on Wednesday evening, while Salzburg hosts the Eisbären Berlin.
Important players were missing
Bozen had to do without three defenders in this crucial game: Philip Samuelsson, Dylan Di Perna and Mark Barberio were unable to support their team. These personnel shortages were certainly not beneficial for the performance of HC Bozen, who performed much better in the second phase of the game, but reached their limits when they were outnumbered.
The Champions Hockey League, the highest European competition for European ice hockey teams, was launched in 2014 and has since enjoyed great popularity in international ice hockey. With 24 participating teams, the current 2025/26 season is entering the decisive phase, and the best 16 teams qualify for the knockout round. , says the description on Wikipedia.
Next week will be crucial for the other Austrian clubs who want to secure the last tickets for the knockout round and perhaps emerge successfully from the remaining games.