Bitter zero: Masters Salzburg lost 0-2 in the first semi-final game against Bozen. David’s crew increasingly lost track of the game.
They roared through the quarter-finals with 4-1 victories, winning the two home games with three goals plus in the previous season duels – but at the start of the semi-final series between Eisbullen and Bozen the pair skating was over. In front of only around 2,700 ice arena spectators, the guests deservedly won 2-0 and immediately celebrated the away win. “We didn’t score,” Salzburg coach Oliver David summed it up. After an initially fast-paced game in which the South Tyroleans (without Raubein Halmo) had presented in the first power play in the new edition of last year’s final – Ford caught goalie Tolvanen backhand short corner. There was no immediate response because a Meyer deflection hit the crossbar (10th). Otherwise, despite the Bulls’ clear increase in chances in the starting third (21:7), it was just Harvey’s last stop – the visiting keeper played extremely confidently. Nothing changed in the further course of the game. Especially since Bozen’s game became more and more grippy and the Bulls’ offense lost more and more of its power. The score was almost 2-0 when the half-time siren sounded two times – Gazley once again scored from close range against his former club. He no longer had an answer. In the end, only the dozen or so Italo fans who had traveled with us were singing. “We had the chances and tried everything,” said captain Tom Raffl. “We’re looking forward.” Friday in Bolzano there definitely needs to be an increase in performance. Meanwhile, KAC didn’t show any weakness at home and beat Pustertal with a whopping 7:1.
source site-12