Italy convinces, poker at Slovenia
Nice success for the Azzurri at the second outing of the Euro Ice Hockey Challenge in Budapest
Field hockey Italy is back to winning ways. It does so at the second outing of the Euro Ice Hockey Challenge in Budapest, beating Slovenia 4-2. A decidedly different Blue Team than the one seen against Ukraine: more spirited, more proactive and, in the end, deservedly victorious. MVP of the match Daniel Mantenuto, author of a double; Pietroniro and Gellon, in his first tricolor presence, scored the other two goals. With these three points the Azzurri rise to 4 and are still in the running for a first place in the round. Tomorrow will be a rest day for coach Keenan’s troop: only after the challenges between Ukraine and Slovenia and between Hungary and France will the opponent of the last match on Sunday be discovered.
Chronicle. Coach Mike Keenan keeps Smith, Spornberger, Trivellato, Deluca, Sanna, Insam and Hannoun at rest. A younger lineup, with an average age of 25.9. Defending the cage is Fazio.
From the first minutes it is a crisper Italy. The Azzurri hold up well in penalty killing, then at minute 08:11 they take the lead with the extra man, thanks to Mantenuto who from a central position leaves Stojanovic no chance. A nice action on the Petan-Frigo axis still puts the shivers on Slovenia, which tries to react and calls Fazio to the first important intervention on Kalan’s shot. The Blue Team is lethal on the powerplay and at 16:41 hits the double: this time it is Pietroniro who from the middle distance finds the right angle to score. Slovenia made a comeback in the final, hitting a crossbar with Podlipnik. Just 9 seconds before the siren, here is the goal that shortens the distance: Logar’s shot is deflected into the net by Maver.
On the wave of the goal scored at the end of the first half, Slovenia also pushes in the opening of the middle period: Fazio saves everything on Simsic, then Zajc shoots out from an excellent position. Italy, for its part, continued to defend well with the man down – two consecutive powerplays for the Slovenians – and came back to grind out the game at the match’s halftime mark: Felicetti came close to scoring his third on an error in the opponents’ zone exit, then at 33:02 it was Daniel Gellon, in his first appearance for the Azzurri, who put the puck rejected by Stojanovic on Ginnetti’s shot into the net. It was then Fazio who took the 3-1 lead into the locker room with a great instinctive save on Jezovsek.
At 46:57 the Azzurri put the game on ice: Stojanovic conceded the rebound on Pietroniro’s shot and Mantenuto did not hesitate to sign his personal double. Fazio on the other continued his great game, with two capital interventions on Kalan. With 75 seconds left before the final siren, Slovenia shortened the distance with a shot to the cross by Svetina. A goal that does not change the substance: it is Italy that wins the three points.
Slovenia – Italy 2 – 4 [1-2; 0-1; 1-1]
Goals: 08:11 Daniel Mantenuto PP1 (0-1); 16:41 Phil Pietroniro PP1 (0-2); 19:51 Luka Maver (1-2); 33:02 Daniel Gellon (1-3); 46:57 Daniel Mantenuto (1-4); 58:45 Erik Svetina (2-4)
Shots on goal: 39-31
Penalty minutes: 6-10
Referees: Korbuly, Varju / Árkovics, Fényi
Spectators: 265
Standings Group B
Italy – 4 points (2 games played)
Ukraine – 2 (1)
Slovenia – 0 (1)
