Sabres St. Pölten crown themselves to the first AWHL master after a gripping final!

Sabres St. Pölten crown themselves to the first AWHL master after a gripping final!

St. Pölten, Österreich - The Sabres St. Pölten wrote history on March 29, 2025 by winning the first title in the newly founded Austrian Women’s Hockey League (AWHL). In the final, the Sabres prevailed 5-2 against the KSV Highlanders from Kapfenberg. This victory marks the first championship title for the team after moving from Vienna to St. Pölten, where they had previously become champions.

The final was characterized by a strong performance of the Sabres, led by Hannah Tait, who scored two goals in the first third. As a result, the team laid the foundation stone for victory. With a 2-0 lead, the Sabres went into the middle section, and Katharina Killius increased to 3: 0 in the 24th minute. Emma McKnight followed the 4-0 in the 27th minute before the Highlanders could shorten Vanessa Picka in the 44th minute and in the 45th minute by Nikola Rumanova to 2: 4. Shortly before the final whistle, Anna Billa scored the Empty-Net goal for the 5-2 final score.

Individual awards and more events

Hannah Tait was named the most valuable player (MVP) due to her outstanding achievements in the tournament. She scored a total of two goals and also contributed three assists. In the game for third place, the Lakers Carinthia won 4: 2 against the Graz99ers Huskies. After a goalless first third, Isabelle Hardy put the Carinthian in the lead, but Shelby Bailen equalized for Graz. The game remained exciting until the end when Christina Schusser achieved the new leadership for Carinthia in the 54th minute.

The AWHL is an important step for women's ice hockey sports in Austria. The success story of the Austrian ice hockey team of women, which has been active since 2001, complements the rise of women's ice hockey in the country. According to wikipedia , the national team currently occupies the 14th place in the IIHF world championship 2022. The results of the team in international competitions reflect the progress of women's ice cream Austria against.

The success of the Sabres St. Pölten and the national team show that interest and support for women in ice hockey is growing. In the future, this could lead to even more titles and successes within the AWHL and expand the visibility of women's ice hockey.

For the Sabres St. Pölten, the challenges are already pending, while the entire community looks at the further developments in women's ice hockey in Austria. Laola1 continues to report on the exciting developments in this sport.