Hockey, Bolzano defeated by Salzburg in game 7, but what enthusiasm!

Bolzano believed in it up to the last, he fought until the last second, but at the end of a game 7 of the final of the Ice Hockey a league, it was the Red Bulls from Salzburg who took home the cup, avenging at the end of a vibrant and tactical match the two defeats suffered in the past by the red and white. It ends 2-1, with a goal by Nicolai Meyer at 18’12” of the third half, good at deflecting he will submit a shot by Chay Genoway who mocks the red and white goalie Sam Harvey.

Hockeytown

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A bitter ending, at the end of a series that Bolzano overturned in a muscular way, because after winning 1-0 game 1 and losing the second leg in Salzburg with the same result, the Austrian Red Bulls had also taken the next two challenges, winning two match-points, which the Foxes were great at canceling. First the 4-3 at home in a match with strong hearts decided only in the third overtime after the Austrian equalizer had arrived just 26” from the end, then again 4-3 on Tuesday in Salzburg. A comeback that ignited enthusiasm in a city that once again proved to be the real “Hockeytown”, as in the title of the beautiful documentary made by Daniele Rielli which recounts the ride from last to first place in 2018. At the very expense of Salzburg. The 7,000 tickets available were burned in just 3 hours, with requests exceeding 20,000 units. Stuff for strong hearts, like that challenge at the Milanese Forum between Bolzano himself and Saima in front of over 11,500 spectators, a record for Italian hockey, that 3-3 signed by Rick Bragnalo which gave the Milanese the first championship in their history .

Hults unlocks it

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A match felt spasmodically by both sides, with a first half closed on stalemate in which, before looking for the way to goal, both the Foxes and the Red Bulls were above all careful not to reveal themselves too much. It is in the central half that the game starts to heat up. At times, Salzburg seems to be able to take the game in hand, but instead it is Bolzano who passes, good at exploiting the second numerical superiority of the evening. With Peter Hochkofler in the penalty bench for holding, the Foxes are good at maneuvering in their frontcourt, with Domenico Alberga finding free Cole Hults who stabs the Finn Atte Tolvanen from the blue line. We are at 6’08” and Bolzano is ahead in a pit of enthusiasm. Salzburg, in truth, have the possibility of trying to put the result back on an equal footing but Matthew McIlvane’s men are unable to exploit two consecutive numerical superiorities. When it’s not the red and white outfield players who put the Austrians in difficulty, Harvey, the 25-year-old Canadian goalkeeper who blocks dangerous pucks, takes care of it. The central fraction closes on 1-0, with Bolzano unable to exploit the third superiority of the match.

Final mockery

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The decisive third begins, and Salzburg tries to push, while Bolzano is above all careful not to discover themselves. It’s not a good game, the finals are unlikely, but the tension is very high. Salzburg press, but it is Bolzano who twice have the opportunity to double, first with a combination of Angelo Miceli and Matt Frattin who lose the moment, then thanks to a great double save by Tolvanen, who at 9’40 ” first saves Daniel Frank’s conclusion with the mask, and then rejects Daniel Maintained’s conclusion. Goal missed goal conceded, 45 ”pass and the law of sport punishes Bolzano, with Salzburg clinging to Thomas Raffl, one of his totems, who is only caught in front of Harvey. We are at 10’25” of the third time and everything needs to be redone. Bolzano clings to some isolated flare, while Salzburg grows, taking control of the game. Until the final epilogue, Meyer’s advantage that Bolzano tries to cancel, also removing the goalkeeper for a sixth man of movement. The Foxes press, closing Salzburg, but Tolvanen is very good at always saying no. It ends with the 350 Salzburg fans singing “es ist so schön” and the 6500 red and whites applauding their team. However it went, for coach Glen Hanlon and his boys it was a wonderful adventure.