Klobenstein – The Rittner Buam SkyAlps are facing a grueling weekend of travel. On Friday, October 23, they’ll face KHL Sisak in Croatia, before taking on HD Jesenice in Slovenia on Saturday, October 24. The team will leave Klobenstein on Friday morning and spend the night in Croatia after the game, before continuing on to Jesenice, which is about a three-hour drive away.
Sisak as a serious opponent
The first game in Sisak begins on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Goaltender Gianluca Vallini described the Croatians as a strong team: Sisak is now in its third year in the Alps Hockey League and reached the semifinals last season, which underscores the club’s quality. Vallini offered a similar assessment of the Slovenians: Jesenice is high in the standings, plays a physical style, and has excellent young players. He expects both games to be close and exciting.
Vallini Has an Impressive Personal Track Record
The game in Jesenice begins Saturday at 6 p.m. Vallini heads into the back-to-back road games with a save percentage of 93.7 percent after nine games. Last week, he recorded his first shutout in a Rittner jersey against the Red Bull Hockey Juniors. He credited the team’s unity as the key to their performance so far: the new players have been integrated quickly, and the atmosphere in the locker room is excellent.
