Tuesday, 17. March 2026 |
HC Falkensteiner Pustertal vs. Red Bulls | Playoffs
Their tremendous effort in Bruneck unfortunately went unrewarded. In a balanced and hard-fought game, the Red Bulls, led by their outstanding goaltender David Kickert, took the lead in the first period with a goal from Peter Schneider. The home team equalized in the second period, and the game remained close until the 106th minute when Pustertal finally scored the decisive goal.
EC Red Bull Salzburg has been eliminated from the 2026 playoffs without a win in the quarterfinals. This marks only the second time in club history that the Red Bulls have been knocked out of the season after the first knockout round. For the past 13 years, Salzburg had reached at least the semifinals.
Highlights HC Falkensteiner Pustertal vs. Red Bulls
Game Summary
Both teams started the game with great focus and initially played a tight defense. The first good chances belonged to the Red Bulls. Tyler Lewington fired a shot from the mid-slot (4th minute), followed by Luca Auer from a sharp angle, whose shot was brilliantly saved by Pustertal's goalie, Edward Pasquale (5th minute). Salzburg's goalie, David Kickert, was then tested in his first playoff appearance, as the home team mostly fired shots from open play without much preparation. The Red Bulls subsequently had more of the possession and constantly pressured the Pustertal defense, while the home team, almost as usual, created scoring opportunities through fast breaks. Peter Schneider finally put the Red Bulls in the lead, converting a rebound off the boards with a backhand shot (18th minute). Lucas Thaler (18th minute) and Devante Stephens (19th minute), both open in the slot, had chances to extend the lead. After 20 penalty-free minutes, the Red Bulls took a 1-0 lead into the locker room.
In the second period, the home team had the first clear scoring chance, with Luca Zanatta finding himself alone in front of David Kickert (24th minute). The battles for the puck then became more physical, leading to penalties. Peter Schneider got to the puck before Pasquale on the power play but was immediately pressured (26th minute). During Pustertal's first power play, David Kickert had to pull out all the stops, creating havoc in front of the Salzburg net. However, Mario Huber had Salzburg's best chance while shorthanded after a breakaway (30th minute). Then Peter Schneider had another opportunity in the slot (33rd minute). And once again, Pustertal threatened with a high-scoring power play, with plenty of traffic in front of the net and some good shots. But the home team tied the game with a deflected shot from Tommy Purdeller (37th minute). The second period belonged to Pustertal, who had the better scoring chances overall.
The score remained 1-1 going into the final period. An open, back-and-forth game ensued, with numerous shots and fierce battles, but few genuine scoring chances. The home team had one such opportunity on a 3-on-1 power play (47th minute). In the 49th minute, Troy Bourke had a chance while shorthanded after a 2-on-1 break, but Kickert made a strong save on a short solo effort by Tommy Purdeller. The home team then took over the offensive duties somewhat, while the Red Bulls focused heavily on defense. In the 59th minute, Adam Almquist hit the post with a long-range shot, and shortly afterward, Benjamin Nissner had a clear opportunity in the slot (60th minute). Nothing else went in, and the game went to overtime.
The Red Bulls started the second half strongly. Michael Raffl scored with a backhand shot (62nd minute), and Tyler Lewington scored in the slot (63rd minute). Salzburg applied pressure. Then the home team also found their rhythm and created some excellent scoring chances. Twice – Austin Osmanski (68th minute) and Austin Rueschhoff (69th minute) – broke away on goal, but Kickert made the save. After that, the home team created further dangerous situations in front of the Salzburg net, some of which were resolved with a bit of luck. Shortly before the next intermission, the Red Bulls regained the upper hand and generated a lot of traffic in front of Pasquale, who kept everything clean. 1-1 after 80 minutes.
The second overtime period unfolded similarly to the first. The opening minutes belonged to Salzburg, who put the Pustertal defense under considerable pressure. Their best chance came when Lucas Thaler, slightly under pressure, fired a shot from close range (85th minute). Then the momentum shifted back and forth, with both teams creating opportunities. Tommy Purdeller had one such chance in the slot (88th minute). Shortly after, the puck grazed the post next to Kickert. Towards the end, the home team again had more of the play and carried a half-power play into the next intermission. The fierce battle continued into the third overtime period. Raphael Andergassen finally found the gap and beat Salzburg's goalkeeper David Kickert, who made a huge save, for the second time, which means the end of the season for the Red Bulls.
Statement Manny Viveiros
Statement by Manny Viveiros
"I congratulate Pustertal on their success and the entire series. Unfortunately, we lost by just one goal again. We had our chances, and with a bit more luck, we could have scored more goals. We're disappointed, but credit to our opponents; the better team won the series."
win2day ICE Hockey League | Playoff Quarterfinals | Game 4
HC Falkensteiner Pustertal – EC Red Bull Salzburg 2:1 (0:1, 1:0, 0:0) OT
Goals:
0:1 | 17:29 | Peter Schneider
1:1 | 36:42 | Tommy Purdeller
2:1 | 105:38 | Raphael Andergassen
Attendance: 3,104
Playoff–Quarterfinals | Red Bulls vs. HC Falkensteiner Pustertal | 0:4
1 | Tue, March 10, 2026 | EC Red Bull Salzburg – HC Falkensteiner Pustertal 2:3 (1:0, 1:2, 0:0) OT
2 | Thu, March 12, 2026 | HC Falkensteiner Pustertal – EC Red Bull Salzburg 2:1 (1:1, 1:0, 0:0)
3 | Sat, March 14, 2026 | EC Red Bull Salzburg – HC Falkensteiner Pustertal 3:4 (1:1, 2:3, 0:0)
4 | Tue, March 17, 2026 | HC Falkensteiner Pustertal – EC Red Bull Salzburg 2:1 (0:1, 1:0, 0:0) OT
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Red Bulls lose playoff opener against Pustertal in overtime// WIN2DAY ICE HOCKEY LEAGUE | PLAYOFFS