HC Bozen Meets Milano HC in the ICE Hockey League
The Milano HC hosts the HC Bozen on Sunday in the ICE Hockey League, marking the first clash between the two historic Italian ice hockey powerhouses in nearly 14 years, sportnews.bz reported. The match takes place at the Fiera Ice Arena in the northern suburbs of Milan, where all 4,000 tickets sold out within hours of release. The two clubs last met on December 22, 2012, while competing in the Serie A.
Decades of Italian Hockey Dominance and 51 Titles
Sunday’s fixture brings together Italy’s most decorated hockey cities, which share a combined total of 51 championship titles. Milan boasts 32 Scudetti won over 101 years, including 23 titles captured between 1925 and 1960 by the HC Milano and Diavoli Rossoneri Milano, alongside nine titles from successor clubs. Meanwhile, the HC Bozen holds 19 Scudetti as the Italian record champions, supplemented by two titles in the ICE Hockey League.
The rivalry reached its peak after Silvio Berlusconi invested heavily in his Mediolanum sports empire in 1989. Competing clubs like Saima and HC Bozen brought in NHL stars, drawing crowds of up to 11,000 fans to the Forum in Milan.
Fierce On-Ice Battles and Historical Off-Ice Tensions
The intense competition produced legendary on-ice encounters featuring players like Mario Chitarroni, Lucio Topatigh, and a 2006 fight between Carlyle Lewis and Michele Strazzabosco. Off the ice, clashes between supporters led to highway incidents in the 1990s, street battles near Milan stadiums, and heightened security measures during fixtures in Bolzano.
For Sunday’s game, approximately 150 fans from Bolzano will join the 4,000 spectators in Rho. HC Bozen enters the matchup as the league leader with 18 points from seven games, while Milano HC sits fourth in the standings with 15 points after eight matches, featuring six former HCB players on its roster.
ICE Hockey League Standings
| SP | G | U | V | TV | P | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. HCB Südtirol | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 28:16 | 18 |
| 2. EC Klagenfurt | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 32:23 | 15 |
| 3. Linz | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 30:25 | 15 |
| 4. HC Mailand | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 26:24 | 15 |
| 5. HC Pustertal | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 22:14 | 14 |
| 6. Olimpija Ljubljana | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 33:22 | 12 |
| 7. Vienna Capitals | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 22:21 | 11 |
| 8. Graz99ers | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 20:23 | 11 |
| 9. EC Villacher SV | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 19:22 | 10 |
| 10. EC Salzburg | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 24:30 | 10 |
| 11. Fehervar | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 16:24 | 10 |
| 12. HC Innsbruck | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 18:25 | 8 |
| 13. Ferencvarosi | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 20:22 | 7 |
| 14. Vorarlberg | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 16:35 | 0 |
Frequently Asked Questions About the Milan and Bolzano Rivalry
When was the last official ice hockey match between Milan and Bolzano prior to this weekend?
The two teams last faced each other on December 22, 2012, while both played in the Italian Serie A.
How many championship titles do Milan and Bolzano hold combined?
The clubs from both cities have captured a total of 51 national and league titles, with Milan accounting for 32 and Bolzano claiming 19 Scudetti and two ICE titles.
Where is the Milano HC hosting HC Bozen for this fixture?
The match takes place at the Fiera Ice Arena located in Rho, a northern suburb of Milan.
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