Game Summary
A scare right at the start; Henry Bowlby got to the puck before Atte Tolvanen, but couldn't get past the Finn (1st minute). After two or three more good plays by the home team – Henry Bowlby also hit the post from distance (2nd minute) – the Red Bulls noticeably increased the pressure and soon took control of the game, interrupted by Pustertal counterattacks. Benjamin Nissner had a chance after a 2-on-1 (7th minute). Travis St. Denis then put the Red Bulls in the lead, scoring from an incredibly sharp angle over the prone Pustertal goaltender Edward Pasquale (12th minute). The Red Bulls continued to press, but on their own power play, Henry Bowlby converted a shorthanded counterattack from full speed to tie the game (14th minute). This gave Bruneck renewed momentum, and they played dangerously on the attack again until the intermission. After 20 evenly matched minutes, the score was 1-1.
In the second period, Pustertal quickly took the lead. After a series of shots, Daniel Glira's slapshot sailed past friend and foe into the net (23rd minute). After that, the Red Bulls practically took control of the game and pinned the home team in their defensive zone. But Pasquale was difficult to beat. Often, the puck lay in front of the net after rebounds, but Pustertal's defense somehow managed to clear it. Troy Bourke and Michael Raffl missed the best chance in front of the net when the puck suddenly appeared open in front of them (34th minute). Salzburg tried everything, but it was like playing against a wall, which they couldn't break through until the second intermission despite numerous shots and even a power play.
At the start of the final period, Tolvanen thwarted two excellent scoring opportunities for the home team. Immediately afterward, the Red Bulls again showed their attacking intent. But now Pustertal also increased their offensive efforts, resulting in an end-to-end, open game. As the game progressed, the Red Bulls shifted the focus back into the offensive zone, while Pustertal waited for counterattacking opportunities. During another Salzburg power play (starting in the 52nd minute), the Pustertal net was under constant pressure, but the puck just wouldn't go in. Even in the final minutes with six skaters, the Red Bulls, who relentlessly attacked, lacked the necessary scoring touch. The Pustertal defense was simply impenetrable today, and Salzburg, after this latest narrow defeat, now trails by two games.
