Friday, 30. October 2026 |
HC Falkensteiner Pustertal vs. Red Bulls
In what was an expectedly tight contest in Bruneck, the hosts took the lead behind a strong offensive performance, netting two power-play goals. Fredrik Claesson, making his debut for the Red Bulls, managed to narrow the gap during the second period. While the Red Bulls subsequently created opportunities to equalize, they remained under heavy pressure defensively and ultimately conceded a third goal—a blow that effectively decided the match, even though the Salzburg side managed to ramp up the pressure in the final stages.
Next Home Game
On 1 November vs. Hydro Fehérvár AV19 | 4.30 p.m.
Match Progress
As early as the second minute, Salzburg goaltender David Kickert was called upon to make a save against a shot from Alan Lobis, who had found himself briefly unmarked. The game quickly picked up pace, with the Red Bulls—featuring debutant Fredrik Claesson—enjoying some solid offensive time early on. However, the hosts began to exert increasing pressure as the period went on. In the sixth minute, the Red Bulls got a lucky break when a deflected shot hit the post. Mario Huber had a promising opportunity from the right face-off circle (11th minute), but it posed no problem for goaltender Colin Furlong. Meanwhile, the Pustertal side’s shot frequency increased significantly. David Kickert made several strong saves against the hosts, but he stood no chance during the first penalty kill when Gerry Fitzgerald fired a one-timer into the net from in front of the goal (17th minute). Moments later, another Pustertal forward found himself alone in front of Kickert (18th minute), but the goaltender reacted brilliantly to prevent the deficit from widening before the first intermission.
The second period began as a more balanced affair; the Red Bulls had shaken off the pressure and were moving the puck well into the offensive zone. Both teams kept chances in front of the net to a minimum, and Salzburg failed to generate any significant shots during their first power play. Ironically, it was while shorthanded that Salzburg’s Nick Poisson created the best chance of the period so far—a 3-on-2 break (32nd minute)—but the hosts soon capitalized on their numerical advantage when Greg DiTomaso hammered a long-range shot into the net, leaving the goalie with no chance (32nd minute). The final stretch of the period proved to be particularly intense. First, Jayden Lee missed a prime opportunity during a power play (37th minute), then the puck struck the post just past goaltender David Kickert. Shortly after, at the other end of the ice, Fredrik Claesson scored with a one-timer from the face-off circle—marking his debut for Salzburg with a goal (39th minute).
Immediately after the start of the final period, Michael Raffl came close to equalizing, though he was positioned too close to the goaltender during a power-play face-off (41st minute). Shortly thereafter, Peter Hochkofler fired a shot from the slot (43rd minute). The Red Bulls were more active on the attack, but their momentum was halted by a four-minute penalty kill. The game remained tight, with the hosts pushing forward and putting the Salzburg goal under sustained pressure. David Kickert found himself in the thick of the action repeatedly, continuing to deliver a strong performance. However, a counterattack saw Cole Bardreau break away toward the net, scoring to effectively seal the game (53rd minute). The Red Bulls refused to give up; Ty Rattie (55th minute) and Fredrik Claesson (56th minute) unleashed powerful shots—the latter requiring a video review to confirm the play. Ultimately, even a final push with an extra skater yielded no further goals, and the Red Bulls were defeated 1–3 by a formidable Pustertal side.
Statement from Teemu Levijoki
"We knew they would come out hard. We really struggled in the first period. I felt we had the upper hand in the second, but we didn't make enough of our chances. Pustertal decided the game with two power-play goals—that was certainly one of the reasons we lost today."
win2day ICE Hockey League
HC Falkensteiner Pustertal – EC Red Bull Salzburg 3:1 (1:0, 1:1, 1:0)
Goals:
1:0 | 16:55 | Gerry Fitzgerald | PP
2:0 | 31:57 | Greg DiTomaso | PP
2:1 | 38:04 | Fredrik Claesson
3:1 | 52:22 | Cole Bardreau
Attendance: 3,088
Next Home Game
win2day ICE Hockey League
On 1 November vs. Hydro Fehérvár AV19
Eisarena Salzburg | 4.30 p.m.
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