HC Gherdeina valgardena.it wrote the happy ending to its playoff “Cinderella story” on Saturday evening. In eleventh place after the regular round, Val Gardena was crowned champion in the best-of-seven final series against HC Meran/o with a 4-0 win. In the fourth final game, Val Gardena prevailed 4-3 and was able to lift the Alps Hockey League Trophy for the first time on home ice – in the completely sold-out Pranives ice stadium.
With the series score 3-0 for the hosts from Val Gardena, both teams started the fourth final game of the Alps Hockey League with an open mind in front of a frenetic crowd. First of all, Meran/o in particular had good opportunities in the opening minutes. In the fifth minute, Samuel Claesson initially failed, but Brayden Sherbinin secured the puck as it bounced and hammered it into the net to make it 1-0 for the guests.
In the second ten minutes of the first period, however, the tide turned: Gherdeina exerted enormous pressure and pushed for the equalizer. This also fell in the 20th minute through playoff top goalgetter Vlastimil Dostalek, who used his backhand in the second attempt to make it 1-1.
Gherdeina was able to carry the momentum into the second section. In the 23rd minute, Dostalek again gave the hosts their first lead of the evening – this time in the power play – and put them on course for a championship. Val Gardena remained the more active team, but Meran/o also had its chances to equalize. A beautifully executed breakaway made it 3-1 in the 36th minute: Dmitry Vozovik put Davide Schiavone in the spotlight.
However, HC Merano did not admit defeat in this final series. The visitors continued to fight courageously and David Trivellato scored the goal in the 45th minute after an assist from Daniel Gellon. Just two minutes later, Stephan Deluca restored the two-goal lead with a rebound.
However, Meran/o still didn’t bury its hope – in the 51st minute Patrick Tomasini fought to make it 3-4, opening a very heated final phase with scoring chances on both sides. Meran/o could no longer force an equalizer and ultimately had to narrowly admit defeat 3:4. The guests thus ended their season as runners-up after an impressive playoff run – they had finished the regular round in tenth place, just one place ahead of Gherdeina.
HC Gherdeina is making history. For the first time, a team was crowned champion via the qualifying round and only for the second time in the league’s ten-year history with a 4-0 sweep.
Alps Hockey League | Final game 4, Sat, April 18, 2026:
HC Gherdeina valgardena.it – HC Meran/o Pircher 4:3 (1:1, 2:0, 1:2)
Referees: HOLZER, LAZZERI, Brondi, Strimitzer
Standings in the best-of-7 final series: 4-0
Goals GHE: Dostalek (20th; 23rd/pp1), Schiavone (36th), Deluca (47th)
Goals HCM: Sherbinin (5th), Trivellato (45th), Tomasini (51st)
alps.hockey , Image: Matthäus Kostner
