Tuesday, 24. March 2026 |

260324 | VF 7 | RBJ vs GHE

Juniors lose to Val Gardena in Game 7Levijoki: “Many young players have gained valuable experience, and that is precisely a key part of our journey.”// JuniorsThe Red Bull Hockey Juniors lost 2-3 to HC Gherdeina valgardena.it in overtime of Game 7 of the Alps Hockey League playoff quarterfinals.

This brings the Juniors’ season to a close; overall, it was a positive campaign, with the team finishing first in the regular season and second in the Master Round. After a scoreless first period, Simon Pitschieler gave the visitors the lead in the 29th minute; the Juniors tied the game twice in the final period with goals from Luca Kogler and Maxim Eliseev, but ultimately fell short in overtime.

Game Summary Both teams started on equal footing and looked to go on the offensive early on. Benedikt Krainer missed the target, and Nikita Bloch hit the post (5th minute). At the other end, Luke Moncada was denied by Luca Haitzmann on a breakaway (8th minute), while the Juniors remained dangerous through Maxim Eliseev, who capitalized on a rebound from Luca Auer (13th minute). Jesse Juhola had a shot from close range (18th), but no goals were scored in the first period.

The Juniors opened the second period by putting pressure on Claes Endre; Val Gardena found themselves shorthanded shortly thereafter, but the home team was unable to capitalize on the opportunity. In the 29th minute, the score became 0–1 at the other end of the rink: Tobias Brighenti sent the puck toward the net, and Simon Pitschieler scored for the South Tyroleans. The Juniors responded with further attacks; Juhola hit the post (37th minute), but the equalizer did not come before the break.

In the final period, the Juniors were rewarded for their efforts: Luca Kogler converted a pass from Adrian Gesson to tie the game at 1-1 (42nd minute). Val Gardena responded, however, as Hannes Kasslatter scored off assists from Martin Castlunger and Matteo Luisetti to make it 1-2 (47th minute). The Juniors increased the pressure in the closing stages; Paul Schuster missed from close range (53rd), and Adrian Gesson narrowly missed (58th). In the 59th minute, the Juniors played with a sixth skater; Maxim Eliseev converted a pass from Philipp Wimmer to tie the game at 2-2, and the game was decided in overtime.

Overtime remained a back-and-forth battle, with Paul Oberhauser taking a shot from close range in the 62nd minute. In the 65th minute, Maxim Eliseev missed a penalty shot, and shortly thereafter, Val Gardena successfully killed a penalty. In the 77th minute, Matteo Luisetti scored off rebounds from Hannes Kasslatter and Julian Senoner to make the final score 2–3.

The Red Bull Hockey Juniors would like to thank all their fans for their support during the 2025–26 season. We congratulate HC Gherdeina valgardena.it on advancing to the semifinals and thank them for an exciting, intense, and hard-fought quarterfinal series.

Statement Head Coach Teemu Levijoki

„The series was very close for long stretches; often, only small moments made the difference. Today, we weren’t able to capitalize on our chances consistently enough in the decisive moments, and we weren’t calm or efficient enough in front of the net. Nevertheless, the team has taken a big step forward in this series and throughout the entire season. Many young players have gained valuable experience, and that is precisely a central part of our journey. Of course, the disappointment after being eliminated is great, but we must learn from such games, grow from them, and draw the right conclusions for the future. Gröden played strongly in this series, and I congratulate them on that.“

Alps Hockey League | Playoff Quarterfinals | Game 7 Red Bull Hockey Juniors – HC Gherdeina valgardena.it 2:3 (0:0, 0:1, 2:1) OT

Goals 0:1 | 28:21 | Simon Pitschieler 1:1 | 41:11 | Luca Kogler 1:2 | 46:26 | Hannes Kasslatter 2:2 | 58:46 | Maxim Eliseev 2:3 | 76:05 | Matteo Luisetti | OT

Statement from EC Red Bull Salzburg regarding the incident in Val Gardena

EC Red Bull Salzburg condemns racist insults and all forms of discrimination in the strongest possible terms. Such behavior runs counter to all the values that our club and the sport stand for: respect, fairness, and solidarity.

Ice hockey must be a place where people are treated with respect, regardless of their origin, skin color, or identity. There is no place for racism in our sport or in our society.

We welcome the clear stance taken by the Alps Hockey League as well as the statement from HC Gherdeina and expect a thorough investigation of the incident.

The Juniors tie the series at 3-3 and force a Game 7!// JUNIORS

Under intense pressure, a clear response: Juniors secure a 9-2 statement win against Val Gardena// JUNIORS

Juniors lose 0-1 on the road// JUNIORS