Italian Supercup: Asiago wins.
Asiago in celebration
Migross Supermarkets Asiago Hockey won its sixth Italian Super Cup, beating the host Unterland Cavaliers 3-4 in overtime.
It was certainly not an easy match for Asiago, which found in front of it an organized and toned team that made the Italian champions struggle more than one might have thought on the eve of the match. Barrasso can field Saracino for the first time but has to give up Moncada, Mascherin and Zampieri.
Crisp first half at the Wurth Arena, both teams put all the energy they have on the ice and in this they are supported by the numerous fans in the stands, also present a colorful and noisy Giallorossi troop.
Asiago dominates the ice in the first minutes of the game, but Peiti is in splendid form and is always ready. The home goalie’s guard fails in the 8th minute: Manganelli’s downhill run ended with an ice-scraping shot that is pushed back by Peiti, Rutkowski picks it up, takes aim and cold-cocks the home goalie.
Shortly afterwards it was the Cavaliers who had an excellent chance with Sullmann shooting from a good position, but Fazio clamps and blocks everything. Asiago remained dangerous with the puck on the sticks, and so McShane came close to a eurogoal with an applaudable play under goal, stopped at the last by Peiti. In the final minutes of the fraction the hosts can play on the powerplay, but they risk conceding a goal for a penalty whistled to Finoro, who then wastes.
In the second half, the Lions dropped their engine revs conspicuously and the Cavaliers took advantage to equalize on the powerplay with Haarala, who received on the left by Remolato and put the puck under the crossbar. Asiago responded angrily with Gazzola four minutes later in double numerical superiority: immediately after McShane won the engagement, the puck reached defenseman number 24, who fired a torpedo behind Peiti. Asiago could stretch with Magnabosco and McShane, but the home goalie was ready. In the 18th minute in numerical superiority Unterland equalized again with Haarala who slotted the puck behind Fazio.
In the third period the hosts go into the net on the expiration of a powerplay after 3 minutes and 54 seconds with Kaufmann, who under goal is the quickest of all to get to a loose puck. The Giallorossi struggle to find the right rhythm again and to witness the equalizing goal we have to wait until the 14th minute, when in numerical inferiority McShane sends the puck to the cross of the posts and gives the equalizer to Migross. At the end of the half a good pressure from the Stellati, but it does not turn into a goal.
It thus goes to overtime. Asiago starts strong, controlling the puck for a long time, but as soon as they lose it Nyman hits a sensational crossbar. A few seconds pass and Saracino is sent to the net by Rutkowski but he too hits an iron, this time it is the left post. The Giallorossi had more and eventually “broke through” with Finoro, who collected a loose puck after a Peiti save on Marchetti and turned it into the net.
Migross Supermarkets Asiago Hockey thus wins its sixth Italian Super Cup and its first victory of the season, after stops in Jesenice and Innsbruck. The next commitment for the Stellata team is set for Friday, September 16, when it will begin its journey in the ICE Hockey League in Graz.
Unterland formation: Peiti (Giovanelli), Kaufmann, Egger, Remolato, Zerbetto R., Markkula, Goldner, Curti, Galassiti D., Zerbetto G., Haarala, Nyman, Brighenti, Kokoska, Wieser, Galassiti G., De Nardin, Soelva, Sullmann Pilser, Girardi, Oberrauch.
Asiago Formation: Fazio (Longhini), Forte, Gios, Porco, Misley, Vallati, Saracino, Stevan, Casetti, Rigoni F., Vankus, Gazzola, Rutkowski, Parini, Manganelli, Marchetti, Salinitri, Rigoni F., McShane, Finoro, Magnabosco.
Tab: 8:57 (A) 0-1 Rutkowski (Rigoni #19, Manganelli), 27:30 (U) 1-1 Haarala (Remolato, Wieser), 31:32 (A) 1-2 Gazzola (Finoro), 38:48 (U) 2-2 Haarala (Zerbetto G., Nyman), 43:54 (U) 3-2 Kaufmann (Kokoska, Brighenti), 54:06 (A) 3-3 McShane, 65:05 (A) 3-4 Finoro (Marchetti)
