Ice Hockey in Val Gardena

Being situated high in the Alps, Val Gardena has always been focused on cold-weather sports, and ice hockey is one of them. Did you know that Val Gardena has its own team? Founded in 1927, HC Gherdeina is one of Italy’s oldest ice hockey organizations. During the 20th century, the team frequently played in Italy’s top league, the Serie A, winning the championship four times. Currently, HC Gherdeina plays in the Alps Hockey League (founded in 2016), challenging teams from northern Italy, Austria and Slovenia.

If you are in Val Gardena during winter, why not go to an ice hockey game? Since 1999, HC Gherdeina has played its home games at the Pranives ice stadium in Selva, which has a capacity of 2,000 people. Games are on all the time; inquire locally to find out when the next one takes place!

The atmosphere during hockey games is fantastic. Many locals show up to enthusiastically support their team during home games - even more so during the playoffs at the end of the season. If you decide to go, keep in mind that it’s pretty cold in an ice stadium though - dress accordingly!

If you’re new to ice hockey, here are some things you may want to know…

Ice hockey is a team sport played on ice skates. The goal of the game is to score goals by shooting a rubber puck into the opponent’s goal, using hockey sticks. Whoever scores more goals by the end of a game, wins.

What makes ice hockey interesting is that it is a very fast game. By skating on ice, players move much quicker than they could by running, and at any given moment the puck can cross the whole playing field with a single pass.

Ice hockey is a very physical sport. Body checks are part of the game, and many behaviours that would result in fouls in other sports are completely normal in ice hockey. There is a limit, though, and if players cross it, they are taken out of the game for two minutes, resulting in a “Power Play” (man advantage) for the other team.

A characteristic of ice hockey is that it is played five on five (plus goaltenders), and that all players (a “line”) are substituted once every minute or so. This ensures that everyone gets regular rest before storming out onto the ice again.

All these things make ice hockey a very intense sport. The playing time is divided into three 20-minute periods, and the clock is stopped every time the game is interrupted. If you decide to go see a HC Gherdeina hockey game, expect it to last well into the evening! But don’t worry - snacks, drinks and refreshments are all sold at the Pranives stadium.

If reading this article got you interested, consider supporting HC Gherdeina by going to a match! Who knows, it may even turn out to be a highlight of your vacation.

For more information, check out the HC Gherdeina game schedule here: www.hcgherdeina.com