Saturday, 24. January 2026 |
AlpsHL | Regular Season | EKZ vs. RBJ
The home team took a 2-0 lead in the first period thanks to goals from Sebastian Zauner and Nicklas Huard. Christian Jennes made it 3-0 in the second period, with few clear-cut chances for either side. The Juniors tried everything in the final period, but couldn't find a way past the compact Eisbären defense and the impressive goalkeeper Alexander Schmidt.
Game dates | Austrian Championship Final
Thu, 02/12/2026 | 7:30 p.m. | EK Die Zeller Eisbären vs. Red Bull Hockey Juniors
Sat, 02/14/2026 | 7:15 p.m. | Red Bull Hockey Juniors vs. EK Die Zeller Eisbären
Game summary
The Juniors got off to a flying start in the third Salzburg derby and dominated the opening minutes. Zell goalkeeper Alexander Schmidt confidently saved the first shots on goal. As the game progressed, Zell am See also got into their stride, but Juniors goalie Luca Haitzmann remained solid. Due to the disciplined defensive work of both teams, clear-cut chances were few and far between at first. In the 13th minute, the Eisbären took advantage of a period of pressure: Ethan Szypula passed to Sebastian Zauner in the high slot, who scored to make it 1-0. The Red Bulls responded with offensive pressure, but were unable to convert their chances. In the 19th minute, Nicklas Huard converted a great chance in front of Haitzmann to make it 2-0 after a pass from Kele Steffler.
In the second period, the Eisbären found their footing in the third and put the young Salzburg team under pressure early on. The Juniors then got into the game better, but slowed themselves down with a power play. In this duel between the league's currently strongest power play and penalty kill, the Red Bulls held their ground and survived the penalty without conceding a goal. Shortly after the power play ended (28th minute), Christian Jennes converted a rebound from Blaz Tomazevic to make it 3-0. The Red Bulls then had their first power play, but failed to score on several attempts against Alexander Schmidt. The Juniors defended another shorthanded situation strongly, then had some good phases of play, but failed to score. Overall, both teams struggled to create clear chances.
Every centimeter was fought for in the final period. Both teams looked for opportunities with numerous changes of direction, but came up against attentive defensive lines. The Red Bulls were slightly more offensive and forced the Eisbären into mistakes with aggressive forechecking, but Schmidt remained the last line of defense. Another power play by Zell put pressure on the Juniors, who kept their defense compact and cleared the shorthanded situation consistently. Back at full strength, the Red Bulls continued to push for the first goal, but were unable to break through the Eisbären defense. The final Salzburg derby of the regular season ended 0-3 in favor of Zell am See. On February 12, the two teams will meet again in the final of the Austrian championship; the title will be decided on aggregate score in a home and away match. The decisive game will take place on Saturday, February 14, 2026, at 7:15 p.m. at the Eisarena Salzburg.
Head Coach Teemu Levijoki
“We weren't ready to play today. We were often a step too late, they played cleverly and we couldn't find our game. Of course, we have a few players out at the moment, but that's no excuse. The boys have to learn to step up and fill those roles, especially in games like today. That's the learning process the players have to go through if they want to play at a professional level.”
Alps Hockey League | Regular season
EK Die Zeller Eisbären – Red Bull Hockey Juniors 3:0 (2:0, 1:0, 0:0)
Goals
1:0 | 12:01 | Sebastian Zauner
2:0 | 18:18 | Nicklas Huard
3:0 | 27:00 | Christian Jennes
Juniors earn a point after trailing by three goals// JUNIORS
Juniors continue winning streak// JUNIORS
Juniors become first team to secure playoff spot// JUNIORS