HC Bolzano Foxes win their 19th Italian title

The Foxes started their winning streak against Val di Fassa in the first round of the Serie A playoffs, winning the series 4:0 and keeping the same rythm in the semi-finals, when they eliminated Cortina (who previously beat them in the Coppa Italia finals).

Val Pusteria as well had no problems defeating the reigning champions of Asiago in the first round, and then lost just one game in the semifinals against Alleghe.

In the finals, despite the regular-season success and the home ice advantage, the wolves lost four games in a row. The finals, anyway, were much more balanced than the final score: Bolzano won the first two games by a single goal, the third in overtime and the last game by a two-goal deficit.

Key to these playoff, and particularly to the finals, was the goalie Matthew Zaba: "I didn't win this Scudetto by myself. We've won it together: every team-mate fought hard on every puck, and I'm so happy for every one of us".

Coach Adolf Insam, who as been assisted by former NHL Brian McCutcheon in the last part of the season, thanked the players for their work, as "the success came despite a really short roster".

Val Pusteria, on the other hand, lost their second finals in a row.

 

Advanced player search

Tweets by @eurohockey