HC Lugano have had a good start to the Champions Hockey League, and today they have a chance to secure top spot in Group C. Ryan Gardner has won a CHL title before, back in 2009 with Zurich, and he's ready to take another run at it. But standing first in their way is Adler Mannheim.
by Maurizio Urech
LUGANO – Ryan Gardner won Swiss league titles with HC Lugano in 2003 and 2006. Since then, he's also won national titles with ZSC Lions Zurich and SC Bern, and was a member of the Zurich team that won the original Champions Hockey League in 2008-09. Now, after 10 years away, the 38-year-old Canadian-born forward is back in Lugano.
Ryan, after 10 years away, was it an easy decision for you to accept the offer from Lugano?
"Yes, in fact I had always in my mind to come back here. I had six wonderful years in this organization and made friends outside the rink. Lugano is a sort of second home to me, and as soon as I started to speak with Lugano it was an easy decision for me to come back."
After 10 years, the locker room in Lugano changed a lot. How you found it now?
"It's obvious the coaches changed, in the front office too, but a few players like Julien Vauclair, Steve Hirschi, Sebastien Reuille, Alessandro Chiesa and Raffaele Sannitz are still part of the team. The world of Swiss hockey is small – I've played with a lot of them on the national team. What hasn't changed in Lugano is the passion for this club at all levels, starting from the owners – the Mantegazzas – to the amazing fans. When I was away the club had some very difficult years, but the fans were always there to support the club."
In January 2009 you won the Champions League with the ZSC Lions with a win in the Final against Magnitogorsk. What are your memories of that journey?
"We were the outsiders. Even in the Semi-Final against the Espoo Blues, people gave us little credit, but we had a good team with some strong individuals players like Finnish goalie Ari Sulander and forwards like Jean-Guy Trudel and Domenico Pittis. The coaching staff gave us all the important information about out our opponents, so we were prepared. The great thing was that all of Swiss ice hockey was supporting us, not only our fans, and that gave us more motivation to achieve that unbelievable victory!”
On Wednesday, Lugano needs one more point to secure the spot in the playoffs, and behind the Adler Mannheim bench will be standing the coach of your victory, Sean Simpson!
"In our heads, one thing has to be clear: we want to win every game, and we have to be ready from the opening face-off. Friday we start the league and we want to start with a positive feeling. There'd be nothing better then winning and securing the top spot in our group. As for Simpson, I know him well and I'm sure he will do everything to pump up his players. We won in Mannheim, so they have just one thing in their minds – strike back and win here in Lugano. That's why we cannot speculate on the one point, and for that we need to play our best hockey."