The 19th edition of the Dolomitencup is history – and with it a historic final. Dynamo Pardubice won the trophy for the third time in its third tournament appearance. In front of a sold-out crowd at the Würtharena in Neumarkt, the top Czech club spectacularly defeated the Frankfurt Lions from the DEL 4-1.
Three appearances, three trophies, six games, six wins – Pardubice and the Dolomitencup are a perfect match. The puck artists from the Czech Republic truly always present themselves in South Tyrol’s Unterland region as a colossus that clears everything and everyone out of the way. In their first tournament appearance in 2022, Pardubice rolled over all their opponents, as they did again in 2023. Now, after a year’s break, last year’s Extraliga finalists were back in action, and once again no one could hold a candle to them. In the end, Czech world champion and long-time NHL star Lukas Sedlak lifted the trophy.
The final against Löwen Frankfurt, themselves three-time tournament winners, had everything a final needs. Speed, toughness, beautiful goals and, for a long time, great excitement. In short, it was the best advertisement for ice hockey that the nearly 1,000 spectators in the Würtharena could have hoped for. This was also because the fans who had travelled with the team created a great atmosphere.
On the ice, the players were carried along by the atmosphere. In the first period, it was primarily the Frankfurt team that was really on fire. Right at the start, Dynamo goalie Tomas Vomacka defused a shot from Chris Wilkie with a spectacular save. However, the Frankfurt centre got his revenge in the 13th minute with a one-timer goal to make it 1-0. He scored the Lions’ third power play goal in their second tournament game.
Suddenly, the dynamo motor starts running
However, the goal proved to be fuel for Dynamo’s engine, as the Czechs really turned up the heat after the first break. In this period alone, they fired 18 shots at Frankfurt’s goal. Goalie Mirko Pantkowski proved to be an almost insurmountable obstacle for a long time – at least until the 36th minute, when he suddenly had to pick the ball out of his net twice in quick succession. First, Jan Stransky deflected the puck into the net, before Patrik Poulicek scored a well-deserved 2-1 goal from a spin move.
As the game progressed, with increasingly fierce tackles and brief boxing matches, Pardubice’s offensive fireworks seemed to slowly fizzle out. Nevertheless, Frankfurt was unable to capitalise on the space that was now opening up. On the contrary, Pardubice fired two more rockets in the final phase: Captain Sedlak sent the puck under the crossbar from a sharp angle (53rd minute). It was the decisive 3-1. Shortly afterwards, Libor Hajek increased the score to 4-1 with a slap shot (58th minute).
Landshut wins bronze
The small final had already taken place in the Würtharena that afternoon. The traditional German club EV Landshut from the DEL2 celebrated a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Vålerenga Oslo. It was the start of an exciting final day at this year’s Dolomitencup, which later ended with Dynamo Pardubice winning the title.
Löwen Frankfurt – HC Dynamo Pardubice 1:4 (1:0, 0:2, 0:2)
Frankfurt: Pantkowski (Brenner); Matushkin-Pasanen, McNeill-Joyaux, Niehus-Mckiernan, Kose; Pfannengut-Schweiger-Brace, Fröberg-Wilkie-Kose, Burns-Bicker-Dunham, Proft-Lobach-Cimmerman
Coach: Tom Rowe
Pardubice: Vomacka (Will); Dvorak-Ceresnak, Hajek-Gazda, Miklis-Tourigny, Hradek-Koskalek; Sedlak-Mandat-Lauko, Urban-Smejkal-Kousal, Poulicek-Vondracek-Kelemen, Hercik-Stransky-Kaplan.
Coach: Filip Pesan
Goals: 0:1 Chris Wilkie (12:43), 1:1 Jan Stransky (35:17), 1:2 Patrik Poulicek (35:46), 1:3 Lukas Sedlak (52:58), 1:4 Libor Hajek (57:02)
MVP: Mirko Pantkowski (Frankfurt), Peter Ceresnak (Pardubice)
Referees: Lazzeri, Moschen (Fleischmann, Pardatscher)
Attendance: 978 (sold out)
Photo: Max Pattis
