CALDARO. Caldaro wins the Italian Hockey League 2020/21 at the end of an incredible final against Merano, decided after almost 14 minutes of overtime and full of emotions. This is the report of a game-4 reassembled by the Anderlan boys who never gave up and proved to be stronger once again, against a Merano who came close to success on several occasions, coming one step away from victory but always stopping shortly before. It ends 3: 2 in extra time for the home Pike who find the decisive goal by Michele Volcan. Caldaro, therefore, holds the IHL title after the one won with Merano two seasons ago. For the Bianconere Eagles it is the third consecutive defeat in the final (2 times with Caldaro and once with Appiano).
Caldaro triumphs again in the Italian Hockey League
The celebration of Caldaro at the end of the final match 4 with Merano, won 3-2 in overtime: it is the second consecutive title (photo Max Pattis)
Merano closes the first half with the advantage of a goal
The first fraction sees the bianconeri start strong and immediately put Morandell under pressure, confirmed among the pikes. 52 seconds after halfway through the fraction the hosts suffer the first goal of the evening from Verza, good at launching on a central rebound at the end of an insistent action. The Lucci are not there and respond, having with Bastian Andergassen the best opportunity at the end of the fraction but Tragust puts a piece of it by keeping his team ahead. In the final of the period then Juscak almost doubled, but the post tells him no.
After the doubling of the guests, Caldaro reprimand their opponents by the end of the second half
The second period opens with an opportunity in counter-escape for Lombardi, then at 28.25 Lombardi himself always doubles on the counterattack with a powerful slapshot. Caldaro, below 0-2, is not there, and in power play reopens the games 75 seconds later with Soelva author of a big stone from the left. The Merano then goes back to pushing, Morandell is super in keeping his team up especially on Victor Ahlstroem. Another numerical superiority is then decisive, with De Donà scoring on a rebound at 36.37 after Michael Felderer’s shot.
Cross of Merano at the end of the third half
On parity and everything to be redone in the third fraction, when Merano seems to be a bit tired but still very present. Race blocked, few opportunities despite the many skating on both sides. Few but important opportunities, especially for Merano which sees Thaler stopped in 1 vs 0 by Morandell and 30 seconds from the end Oscar Ahlstroem who finds the crossbar on a deviation.
At the overtime arrives the network that allows Caldaro to retain the title of the IHL
So we go to overtime, where we inevitably feel tired. However, it is the home team that is preferred by sensation, with many shots towards Tragust. The epilogue then arrives at 73.54 with a shot in traffic (yet another) by Volcan that Tragust does not see and that goes out behind him even if there was a deviation attributable to the captain of the Lucci, Felderer. Thus ends the IHL 2020/21 with the second consecutive title victory by the Lucci di Caldaro, again against Merano.
The match report
SV Kaltern Caldaro rothoblaas – HC Merano Pircher OT 3-2 (0-1, 2-1, 0-0, 1-0)
Goal: 10:52 C. Verza (S. Kobler) (0: 1), 28:25 C. Lombardi (O. Ahlstroem) (0: 2), 29:35 M. Soelva (M. Felderer, T. Virtala ) (1: 2, PP1), 36:37 L. De Dona ‘(M. Soelva, M. Felderer) (2: 2, PP1), 73:54 M. Volcan (M. Soelva, M. Felderer) ( 3: 2)
CALDARO: Daniel Morandell 73:54 (Alex Andergassen); Marko Juhani Virtala – Matteo Cappuccio; Michele Volcan – Simon Vinatzer; Florian Massar – Jonas Schoepfer; Lorenz Gruber; Luca De Dona ‘- Teemu Sakari Virtala – Michael Felderer; Maximilian Soelva – Andreas Vinatzer – Raphael Felderer; Patrick Gius – Bastian Andergassen – Jonas Oberrauch; Simon Andergassen – Matthias Fill – Franz Erschbamer; Karl Anderlan;
MERANO: Thomas Tragust 73:54 (Lorenzo Marinelli); Christian Borgatello – Alessio Stablum; David Pfoestl – Andreas Radin; Philipp Beber – Ivan Doliana; Mathias Hellweger; Victor Per Ahlstroem – Oscar Erik Ahlstroem – Luca Ansoldi; Sebastian Thaler – Thomas Mitterer – Fabian Platzer; Daniel Gellon – Mattia Cassibba – Michal Juscak; Cristian Verza – Christian Lombardi – Stefan Kobler; Douglas Brian Mc Kay;
Penalty: 12-16 (2-2, 8-12, 2-2, 0-0)
Throws: 37-35 (10-15, 11-9, 9-8, 7-3)
Referees: P. Gruber, F. Lottaroli (L. Fleischmann, A. Wiest)
Caldaro wins the final series 3: 2