Game Summary
The Juniors started the game at a fast pace and quickly tested Gröden goalie Cody Jordan Porter with their first shots. The visitors also had their first chances before the Red Bulls earned their first power play. Despite several dangerous shots, they were unable to score the opening goal. In the 10th minute, Luca Biondi found Vlastimil Dostalek with a long pass, and Dostalek scored to make it 0–1. The Salzburg team responded and created further chances through Lucas Gritznig and Tobias Koller (13th minute), but couldn’t find a way past Porter. Toward the end of the period, the Juniors had to defend while shorthanded for the first time. Gröden capitalized on the power play, with Luca Biondi scoring off passes from Stephan Deluca and Simon Pitschieler to make it 0–2 (20th minute). Just 30 seconds later, the Red Bulls responded: Paul Oberhauser capitalized on a quick counterattack and cut the deficit to 1–2 (20th minute).
The Juniors opened the second period with a flurry of pressure and pushed hard for the equalizer. Gröden held its ground and remained dangerous on quick counterattacks. In the 26th minute, Vlastimil Dostalek scored his second goal of the game off a pass from Dmitri Vozovik to make it 1–3. The game became more physical before Lucas Gritznig, assisted by Jakob Schnabl and Tobias Koller, narrowed the gap to 2–3 with his first Alps Hockey League goal (32nd minute). Spurred on by the goal, the Red Bulls increased the pressure and created further scoring chances. However, they were unable to capitalize on another power play.
The Juniors came out strong in the final period. Edvins Berzins had an early chance (41st), and shortly afterward, Nico Koschek and Antons Macijevskis tested the Val Gardena goalie, with Macijevskis hitting the crossbar (42nd). During another power play, Isak Norlin took a shot from distance (44th minute) and Koschek fired from a sharp angle (45th minute), but the equalizer didn’t come right away. Back at full strength, the Red Bulls continued to put pressure on the visitors. In the 50th minute, it was finally Paul Oberhauser who, in a 2-on-1 situation, converted a pass from Nico Koschek to tie the game at 3–3, completing his two-goal performance. Shortly afterward, the Juniors were awarded a penalty shot, but Nico Koschek was unable to convert it (53rd minute). The Salzburg team kept up the pressure, and Luca Fischer scored off a pass from Benedikt Krainer to make it 4–3 (57th minute). Val Gardena then pulled their goalie for an extra skater. Benedikt Krainer capitalized on the situation and, after a setup from Fischer, scored into an empty net to make it 5–3 (60th minute).
