- Both teams lost on Game Day 1
- Lahti will have the home-ice advantage
- First-time match-up between these two
This first-time match-up between Finland's Lahti Pelicans and reigning CHL Champions Genève-Servette will see both of these teams hope to get back to winning ways, but one thing's certain in the Champions Hockey League Regular Season - each game has a winner. Who will make it one win-one loss and who will go 0-for-2? Here's your preview!
Liiga runnes-up Lahti had a game to forget against Färjestad Karlstad on Friday, with the Finns losing 5-0 and failing to score in the game. What went wrong? Aside from frustration up front and a bad link between defence and offence, a real lack of discipline cost Lahti the game as they had to multiple man-advantages with two goals coming while on the PK. If they are to come back against Geneva, they'll have to keep the penalties in check as the Swiss have strong and very deadly special teams.
For Geneva it was a better game, but same 0 points. After going 2-0 up over rising DEL stars Pinguins Bremerhaven thanks to goals from Tanner Richard and Simon Le Coultre, the Swiss club failed to find twine again and allowed Bremerhaven to complete the comeback and take the win on the night.
It wasn't all doom and gloom however, as Geneva outshot the Pinguins and created more chances up front. Goaltending also wasn't bad, defence could maybe be a bit tighter, but it wasn't as if the Swiss were out of the game completely. Going up against Lahti, they'll just have to tighten up a few loose bolts.