With four Game Days behind us and a three week break from Champions Hockey League action ahead of us, now’s the perfect time to reflect on the start of the new season. Here are our Top 5 Moments from Game Days 1 to 4!
Zug beat SønderjyskE 10-0
EV Zug got their 2021/22 CHL campaign up and running with an emphatic victory against SønderjyskE Vojens in Denmark on Game Day 2. With both sides having lost on Game Day 1, getting points on the board was a must, and the Swiss Giants wasted no time in racking up a lead.
The 2021 NL champions scored four in the first period, three in the second and another three in the final period to record the biggest win of the season so far. They are also the first, and only, team to reach double digits this season. Check out the highlight reel below and try not to lose count of the goals!
Newcomers Leksand become first Playoff qualifiers
The Swedish club from the small town of Leksand might have been flying under the radar before the start of the season, but what a splash they’ve made!! Leksands IF, who are in their debut season in the pan-European competition, became the first team to qualify for the Playoffs after their fourth consecutive win of the season.
The Swedes beat Slovan Bratislava and Oceláři Třinec twice on Game Days 1-4, scoring 15 whilst only allowing eight into the back of their net, and will battle it out with Swiss side Fribourg-Gottéron on Game Days 5 and 6 for the Group F title.
Donbass debut sets attendance record
HC Donbass Donetsk made their debut in the CHL in front of their home fans back on 3 September. The Ukranian champions lined up against Rungsted Seier Capital and boy what an occasion this turned out to be!
Nearly 6000 fans turned up for this chess match of a game that was dominated by an amazing performance from Rungsted goaltender Ville Kolppanen. The fans pushed their team on creating an amazing atmosphere in the packed arena.
Donbas scored the first goal of the night and the crowd erupted. But despite playing valiantly on their debut, not even a rocket was getting past Kolppanen in OT and the subsequent shootout, as the away team ultimately took the extra point.
Richard Gynge’s beautiful hat-trick
Another memorable moment came on Game Day 2. The Växjö Lakers faced Pinguins Bremerhaven in an important Group A tie but as the puck hit the ice for the opening face-off, nobody knew just what a show Richard Gynge was about to put on.
The Swedish sniper, who is in his fourth season at Växjö, wasted no time in opening the scoresheet on the night, as he netted his first just one minute into the game.
He added his second, a close-range shot from a tight angle, midway through the second period and completed his hat trick with a lovely breakaway goal at 52:41.
Cardiff beat Lausanne at home
Rounding out our Top 5 Moments is one of the best games of the Group Stage so far – the Cardiff Devils vs Lausanne HC on Game Day 2.
The Welsh side hosted the Swiss in the Ice Arena Wales and beat them 4-1. Cole Sanford scored two and teammates Brodie Reid and Sam Duggan also pitched in. But the real thrill is a look at the stats because despite a pretty one-sided scoreline, the game unfolded in a completely different manner.
The Devils recorded 11 fewer shots on target than Lausanne, had one less powerplay, won half as many faceoffs and their Expected Win percentage was below 30%! Yet they managed to capitalise on nearly every scoring opportunity and with their fans cheering their every move, they were seemingly unstoppable on the night!
So that’s our Top 5 Moments of Game Days one to four but with two more fast approaching, there will certainly be more surprises waiting for us!