Image: GEPA pictures/ David Geieregger (GEPA pictures)
In the seventh game of the final, Salzburg managed to do what the Steinbach Black Wings had failed to do exactly a month earlier: the Mozart city-dwellers defeated Bozen away in the decisive game. In the final showdown, a lot had already spoken for the South Tyroleans after the hosts took a 1-0 lead in front of 6,800 fans through Cole Hults (27./pp). But Salzburg captain Thomas Raffl (51st) equalized, 108 seconds before the final siren Nicolai Meyer scored the 2-1, which fixed the eighth league title in the club’s history. The tenth Austrian championship title was confirmed when they reached the final.
Bolzano with a better start, Salzburg with the better end
The clash between the two best teams of the regular season also reflected the balance in the seventh game of the “best of seven” series. After a goalless first third with the hosts slightly superior, Salzburg took command in the middle third. But the South Tyroleans used their second power play in this game to take the lead (27th). Hults shot from the blue line and beat goalkeeper Atte Tolvanen, who was blocked from sight.
Salzburg immediately put the pressure back on, but were unable to make use of four minutes of overpay. A power play was also unsuccessful in the final third. After goalie Tolvanen defused two counterattacks by Bolzano, Mozartstadt was rewarded: Captain Raffl scored in the 51st minute in front of the opposing goal to make it 1-1. The strong Bolzano goalkeeper Sam Harvey was powerless against the shot of the veteran.
Salzburg, who were already 3-1 up in the series and gambled away the early crown in the third overtime in game five, followed suit. 108 seconds before the final siren, Meyer deflected a shot from Chay Genoway to score the winning goal.
Salzburg thus prevailed for the first time in the title duel with Bozen. In 2014, the Bulls lost the “best of five” final series against South Tyrol 2: 3, in 2018 they drew the short straw in the “best of seven” mode with 3: 4. For the two home defeats in the decisive games, they now took revenge with the away triumph.
Source: Nachrichten
