HC Bolzano
| HC Bolzano | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| City | Bolzano, South Tyrol, Italy |
| League |
Serie A 1948–2013 Alpenliga 1991–1997 1998–1999 Erste Bank Eishockey Liga 2013– |
| Founded | 1933 |
| Home arena |
Palaonda/Eiswelle (Capacity: 7,200) |
| Colors | White, Red |
| Owner(s) | Otto Massimo |
| General manager | Dr. Dieter Knoll |
| Head coach | Tom Pokel |
| Captain | Alexander Egger |
| Website | HC Bolzano |
| Franchise history | |
| 1933– | HC Bolzano |
| Championships | |
| Serie A | 19 (1963, 1973, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1990, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2008, 2009, 2012) |
| Alpenliga | 1 (1994) |
| EBEL | 1 (2014) |
Hockey Club Bolzano-Bozen is an Italian ice hockey team located in the city of Bolzano, South Tyrol, that plays in the Austrian Hockey League (EBEL). It was the most successful team in the history of the Italian Serie A, with 19 championships.
HC Bolzano was founded in 1933 and in the first twenty years of its existence, home games were played in an outdoor rink until 1953, when the club moved into the Bolzano Exhibition Hall, which was the first artificial ice was available. Eleven of the nineteen Italian league titles were won there before the team moved in 1994, to the newly built Palaonda/Eiswelle. At the same time, the team also participated in the Alps League in part, an international ice hockey competition, attended by teams from Slovenia and Austria were involved. In addition to a master and three runner-up titles in this competition, the team also won another seven Italian titles, the last of which in 2012 was given the three-time winning the Coppa Italia, the Italian League Cup competition. Other achievements include three gains of the Supercoppa Italiana and the Six Nations tournament, also called Caucasian Ligacup, in 1994.
In 2013, the HC Bolzano applied again for inclusion in the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga (EBEL), after earlier applications failed each time due to the resistance of the Italian Ice Hockey Federation. However, the chaotic conditions in the Serie A paved the way to acceptance, since a large part of the club that was from the second division had been released. The move was also largely motivated by the need of a new major sponsor to help clear their financial situation.
Known as the HCB South Tyrol in the EBEL, Bolzano had surprisingly successful inaugural season in 2013–14. On the back of a heavy recruitment scheme which centred in signing Canadian players of Italian heritage, Bolzano finished in fourth place by the end of the Regulation season. In the EBEL finals, they went on to win the championship by defeating the EC Red Bull Salzburg in the finals, and in doing so becoming to first non-Austrian based club to win the Austrian Championship.
With the victory of the EBEL championship, Bolzano ensured qualification to the first edition of the Champions Hockey League, a prestigious tournament for European clubs. Despite their status of EBEL defending Champions, Bolzano due to numerous financial difficulties that risked compromising the entry of the team in these competitions, were late in confirming their status for a second EBEL season.
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