At Olimpico the challenge for the Super Cup between Cortina and Varese – FISG

The first official match of the 2023-24 season concludes the past year for Italian ice hockey and sets the stage S. J. Cortina HaveroItalian champion for the 17th time, H HCMV Varese Hockey LeagueWho lifted the Italian Cup for the first time last January. This is the lineup for the Super Cup, now in its 22nd edition, which will take place on Saturday at the Stadio Olimpico in Ampezzo, from 8:30 p.m. The challenge is expected to be intense given that Cortina and Varese have never won this trophy in their history.

The “new” Cortina, still led by Giorgio De Bettin on the bench, is very similar to the last one, not only able to win the Italian League but also reaching the final of the Alpine Hockey League and surrendering only in the sixth game. From the final match against Jesenice. There are actually two new features proposed by the Biancocelesti market, which will be full and ready for use on Saturday. Among the American participants is Hayden Hockey, the goalkeeper who was seen in a Rittner Buam jersey last season and who replaces Marco De Filippo (who moved to Asiago in the Ice Hockey League). The other new face will play in attack and be named As Massimo Carozza, 27 years old Who has already played in Italy with Bolzano (ICE) and above all with Val Pusteria (ALPS) and returns after two seasons abroad. The rest of the kit is basically the same, with the strong Italian element who has performed well in a Cortina jersey in recent tournaments: From brothers Luca and Michael Zanatta to captain Francesco Adami, and from Tommaso Traversa to Luca Barnabeau, one of the strengths of the De Petin team is certainly shared experience.

Jason Seed and Greg Di Tomaso remained on defense as outsidersDuring the attack, the very fast and sure-footed player actually showed excellent things Diego Coglietta. The latter was Alpine’s top player in terms of points scored in the regular season, main round and playoffs (51 games/63 points). Cortina who certainly deserves the underdogs, against Varese who in addition to the Italian Cup also won the IHL and wants to try to surprise.

It won’t be easy for the yellows and blacks, Deeply renewed Compared to last season as well At the technical guide level, With Canadian Claude Davies replacing him By Swede Niklas Czarnecki. And the two foreigners are new too, With Scandinavian Erik Naslund in defense while former Girdina, Kyle Gibbons and Massimo Petronero compete up front., the fifth and youngest brother of the “dynasty”, fresh from a season in Vaasa. Mastini will present themselves with a revamped squad that can still incorporate some of the key points that proved key to last winter’s successes. These undoubtedly include goalkeeper Rocco Perla, full-backs Alex Bertin and Andrea Schina, as well as strikers Marcelo Borghi, Andrea Vanetti and Alessio Peruso. After losing 4-3 in the last friendly match against Vaasa, this Super Cup also represents an important opportunity for Varese to compete against another AHL team.

It should be noted on a statistical level that it is certain that the event’s honor list will be enriched with a new name, knowing that Cortina and Varese have never raised it in their history, and that if Saturday’s event will be the first time for the yellows and blacks, Cortina will return after the defeats of 2007 and 2013 (in Both matches against Bolzano, the score was 1-0 and 4-3 on penalties).

Before the match: Luca Zanatta and Andrea Vanetti

Luca Zanatta, one of the pillars of the Biancocelesti defense, is preparing to start his fifth consecutive season with the Impezzo team, and his tenth overall. The 32-year-old knows the opponent who arrives at the Olimpico but is also aware of the season he is seeing Cortina is involved on four fronts, the first of which is with the Super Cup. “We want to win this trophy because it is missing from the Cortina show and because we want to start the sporting year off well which will keep you very busy. At the same time, we know that despite playing against a team playing in a lower category championship, Varese will have nothing to lose and I think they will play with great determination to surprise us. We have kept much of last season’s roster but there are some new features such as starting goalkeeper Hayden Hockey and Massimo Carrozza in attack. Will the Super Cup really be an important first step?: “Adefinitely. Also understand where we are in light of upcoming appointments. We want to maintain the Italian League and stay at the top of the Alps, perhaps to take revenge on Jesenis, after losing the bitter final in the last edition. On top of that, there is the novelty of the Confederations Cup being held on home soil in November. In short, if I were a Cortina fan, I would say that the season is full of events in which we want to stand out, starting with the Super Cup and these different goals give us a lot of energy to show our value and continue. “The long tradition that this team represents.”

On the Varese front, there is a lot of excitement about the start of the competitive season after the previous season brought a city that has given so much to hockey and can still give so much into the spotlight. Specifically in light of this comparison we asked Andrea Vanetti, in his sixth year of struggle with the Lombard team and captain of the yellow and black for the fourth year in a row, what are the feelings? Before the race that can give more success ” On paper it seems that the meeting has already been decided. They have some type of experience on the roster and are a class apart. But as hockey and team sports in general teach us, anything can happen in one game, and there are no predictions you can make other than throwing your heart over the obstacle. “Will Varese play publicly?” But after the start in which we will have to adapt to their path, it is clear that we do not want to give anything away and we will try to do our race. We are also confident in ourselves because in the last friendly match, despite losing to a local team like Vasa, we were able to stay in the match until the end.. I also count on the contribution of our fans who showed us warmth and a lot of affection even at the beginning of the season. Last year, with the gradual growth of our performance, we always ended with a sold-out stadium, a sign of a great passion that was reborn and wanted to write more pages. “It is clear that this season, in addition to the Super Cup, we want to defend the IHL title and clearly the Italian Cup.” Has the team changed a lot? ” But I would say there are many changes looking to the future by bringing in young people. This holds some of the more experienced players like me accountable and makes us work harder.“

For those who cannot attend, a live broadcast is scheduled to be filmed and those who wish will be able to purchase web access on the Cortina website (www.hockeycortina.it) starting on Friday the 15th at 12.00. Also on the official website of the Ampezzo club, tickets to watch the match in person have been on sale for a few days.

Super Cup Honor List
2001 HCG Milan (Asiago – Milan 1-3)
2002 HCG Milan (Milan – Asiago 5-2)
2003 Asiago (Milan – Asiago 0-1)
2004 HC Bolzano (Milan – Bolzano 3-5)
2005 undisputed
2006 HCJ Milan (Final Four – Final: Milan – Ritten 6-2)
2007 HC Bolzano (Cortina – Bolzano 0-1)
2008 HC Bolzano (Bolzano – Pontebba 6-3)
2009 Reiten Sport (Reiten – Bolzano 5-1)
2010 Reiten Sport (Asiago – Reiten 0-3)
2011 HC Val Pusteria (Vall Pusteria – Asiago 3-1)
2012 HC Bolzano (Cortina – Bolzano 3-4r)
2013 Asiago Hockey 1935 (Asiago – Valbelice 1-0)
2014 HC Val Pusteria Lobby (Rittner Boam – Val Pusteria 3-4)
2015 Asiago Hockey 1935 (Asiago – Ritner Boam 2-1)
2016 HC Val Pusteria Lobby (Rittner Boam – Val Pusteria 1-3)
2017 Ritner Boam (Ritner Boam – Hockey Milano Rossoblu 8-3)
2018 Ritner Boam (Reitner Boam – Hockey Milano Rossoblu October 4-5)
2019 Reitner Boam (Reitner Boam – SV Caltern/Caldaro 7-2)
2020 Migros Asiago Hockey (Asiago – Merano 4-2)
2021 Migros Asiago Hockey (Asiago-Interland 4-1)
2022 Migros Asiago Hockey (Asiago – Interland October 3-4)

Cortina, who won the seventeenth Scudetto in its history at the end of the last round of the Italian League – Italian League 2022/23 season (Photo by Vito Di Romeo)

Mastini Varese celebrate winning the Italian Cup after winning the final 3-1 over Caldaro (Photo by Tatiana Monerato)