Acroni Jesenice — Cortina: 3:0, Alps Hockey League

Akroni Jesenice defeated Cortina 3:0 in the Alpine Hockey League on Saturday evening, keeping their momentum going with a third straight victory. The home side moved further clear at the top of the table while Cortina's struggles continued.

Jesenice sit second after seven games, sitting on six wins and one defeat, while Cortana occupy eleventh with just a single victory from six outings. The gap between them has only widened, and the away side's form has not improved since the start of the campaign.

Both teams came into this fixture with contrasting recent records. Jesenice had won five of their last six matches, including a 5:3 victory over Vipiteno Broncos on Wednesday, while Cortina lost three of their past four games, most recently falling 1:3 to Salzburg 2. The difference in confidence between the two sides was visible from the opening period.

We had tipped a home win before kick-off, putting the probability at 61 per cent, and the result confirmed that assessment. To be fair, the away team rarely threatened, and Jesenice controlled the tempo without needing to chase the game.

The victory keeps Jesenice within striking distance of the leaders, while Cortina remain rooted to the bottom half of the standings. By then they will know the pressure is mounting, and a clean sheet against a team that rarely scores makes little difference to their overall position.