CHL is finally here

The opening day of the Champions Hockey League was packed with action. HC Dynamo Pardubice dominated Fehérvár AV19, winning 7-0, while Ilves Tampere edged out Re-Plast Unia Osvětim 4-3 after overtime. Växjö Lakers overcame Eisbären Berlin 3-1, and ZSC Lions secured a 4-1 victory against Storhamar Hockey. HC Sparta Praha fell to Tappara Tampere in a 2-1 shootout, while Fribourg-Gottéron narrowly defeated Sheffield Steelers 4-3. This thrilling start set the tone for the competition.

HC Dynamo Pardubice – Fehérvár AV19 7-0

Dynamo Pardubice opened their 2024/25 Champions Hockey League (CHL) season in style, thrashing Hungary’s Fehérvár AV19 7-0 in a one-sided affair at Enteria Arena. In front of a crowd of 4,522 fans, Pardubice dominated from the first whistle, securing their first win of the competition with a perfect combination of offensive firepower and solid goaltending.

The game started explosively for Pardubice, who wasted no time asserting their dominance. Just 42 seconds into the game, defenceman Peter Čerešňák put the home team on the scoreboard with a powerplay goal, converting a setup from Lukáš Radil and Jiří Smejkal. The early goal set the tone for the evening, as Pardubice's powerplay unit continued to cause problems for the Hungarian side.

Five minutes later, Pardubice doubled their lead, once again on the powerplay. This time, Lukáš Sedlák found the back of the net, with assists from Roman Červenka and Smejkal, who played a key role in his team’s offensive surge throughout the night. By the end of the first period, Pardubice had outshot Fehérvár 15-5, with their dominance clearly reflected on the scoreboard.

In the second period, Pardubice maintained their momentum, adding two more goals. Sedlák scored his second of the night at 23:49, converting a pass from Tomáš Dvořák and Andrej Šustr. Just six minutes later, Smejkal got on the scoresheet himself, notching his first goal of the tournament off another assist from Šustr and Červenka, increasing the lead to 4-0.

Fehérvár struggled to get back into the game, even when handed multiple powerplay opportunities. Despite Pardubice's penalties in the second period, including infractions by Sedlák and Šustr for slashing and cross-checking, the Hungarian team was unable to capitalize. Pardubice's goalie, Tomáš Vomáčka, was impenetrable, stopping all 30 shots he faced throughout the game.

In the third period, Pardubice continued their relentless assault. Two minutes in, Daniel Herčík scored his first CHL goal on yet another powerplay, putting the game further out of reach for Fehérvár. Martin Kaut followed up with a goal at 45:43, extending the lead to 6-0, and then added his second of the night with a penalty shot at 53:48, sealing the dominant victory at 7-0.

Despite facing some pressure in the final period, Pardubice’s defense remained solid, preventing Fehérvár from finding any rhythm. Vomáčka, who made his debut as the starting goaltender for Pardubice, earned a well-deserved shutout, stopping all 30 shots fired by the Hungarian side. His performance was a highlight of the match, showcasing his ability to stand tall under pressure.

Pardubice’s new signings, including Smejkal, Červenka, and Šustr, had an immediate impact, contributing goals and assists in their first CHL game with the team. Smejkal, in particular, was a standout performer with one goal and two assists, while Sedlák and Kaut both had two-goal nights.

Fehérvár, on the other hand, struggled throughout the contest, both offensively and defensively. Their powerplay unit was ineffective, and they were unable to contain Pardubice’s fast-paced attack, especially in special teams play. Goaltender Dominik Horváth faced a barrage of 38 shots, stopping 31 but was ultimately overwhelmed by Pardubice's precision and pace.

The victory was a statement of intent from Pardubice, who are looking to make a deep run in this year's Champions Hockey League. Their dominant performance on opening day sets a high bar for the rest of the tournament, and they will be eager to carry this momentum into their next fixtures.

For Fehérvár, the loss serves as a tough lesson in the intensity of CHL competition, and they will need to regroup quickly if they hope to challenge in the remaining group stage matches.

Ilves Tampere – Re-Plast Unia Osviěcim 4-3 OT

Ilves Tampere secured a hard-fought 4-3 victory in overtime against Poland’s Unia Oświęcim in their opening game of the 2024/25 Champions Hockey League season at Hakametsä. The game was a tight affair, with Ilves needing a late powerplay goal to force overtime and eventually winning it just 23 seconds into the extra period.

Ilves dominated the game in terms of shots, outshooting Unia 42-14, but Unia’s Swedish goaltender, Linus Lundin, delivered a stellar performance, keeping his team in the game until the very end. The first period saw Ilves take control early, but Unia Oświęcim gave them a strong challenge. Ilves struck first on a powerplay at 17:06, when Daniel Gazda set up Kasper Björkqvist, who buried a shot past Lundin.

However, Unia responded quickly. Less than a minute later, Krystian Dziubiński tied the game with a goal assisted by Henry Karjalainen, as he found space in front and slipped the puck through traffic past Ilves' goalie Dominik Pavlát.

The second period continued with Ilves controlling play, but it was Unia who took the lead for the first time. On their first powerplay of the game, Dziubiński netted his second of the night with a well-placed shot, assisted by Kamil Sadłocha and Jere Vertanen, making it 2-1 for the Polish side.

Ilves responded with increased pressure, but Lundin was remarkable between the pipes, making several key saves. It wasn’t until the 36:46 mark that Ilves finally broke through again, with Otto Latvala receiving a pass from Ville Meskanen and scoring to level the game at 2-2.

In the third period, Ilves had several chances to take the lead but couldn’t find a way past Lundin. Then, with just over five minutes remaining, Unia capitalized on another powerplay opportunity. Jere Vertanen blasted a shot from the point to give Unia a 3-2 lead, and they looked poised to pull off a stunning upset.

With time running out, Ilves went on the powerplay and pulled their goaltender to create a 6-on-4 advantage. The pressure paid off as Arttu Pelli scored with just under two minutes left to tie the game at 3-3, sending the contest into overtime.

In overtime, Ilves wasted no time securing the win. Just 23 seconds in, Eemeli Suomi made a brilliant individual play, receiving a pass from Adam Najman, deking past a defender, and beating Lundin on a forehand move to secure a 4-3 victory for Ilves.

While Ilves dominated possession and chances, credit must be given to Unia Oświęcim for their resilience and Lundin’s superb goaltending. Despite the loss, Unia put up a strong fight against a favored Ilves team, making it a thrilling contest for the 3,681 fans in attendance.

Växjö Lakers – Eisbären Berlín 3-1

The Växjö Lakers kicked off their 2024/25 Champions Hockey League campaign with a solid 3-1 win over Eisbären Berlin at Vida Arena. Special teams played a crucial role as Växjö converted two powerplay goals to secure the victory in front of 3,854 fans.

The game started with a fast pace, and Berlin struck first. At 6:57 into the first period, Gabriel Fontaine opened the scoring for the visitors. After receiving a drop pass from Eric Hördler, Fontaine skated down the right wing, beat his defender, and sent a forehand shot over the shoulder of Växjö’s goalie, Adam Åhman, to give Eisbären a 1-0 lead. The Lakers, though dominant in possession, struggled to break through Berlin’s defense for the remainder of the period, which ended with the Germans ahead.

The second period saw Växjö take control, thanks to a powerplay opportunity early in the frame. At 22:22, Dennis Rasmussen set up Filip Eriksson, who rifled a one-timer from close range to tie the game at 1-1. The momentum quickly shifted further in Växjö’s favor, and just over a minute later, they struck again. Emil Sylvegård capitalized on another powerplay, scoring off his own rebound near the crease to give Växjö a 2-1 lead at 23:30.

Despite some penalty trouble for both teams, the second period ended without further scoring, though Växjö had edged ahead in shots and tempo.

The third period began much like the second, with Växjö extending their lead just 51 seconds in. A well-timed pass from Joachim Blichfeld found Dennis Rasmussen, who tipped the puck into the net to bring the score to 3-1. Rasmussen, who had already assisted on the first goal, proved pivotal for the Lakers’ offense.

Eisbären Berlin tried to mount a comeback, pulling goalie Jake Hildebrand with just over a minute left, but Växjö’s defense held strong. Åhman stood tall in goal, stopping 27 of 28 shots and anchoring his team’s victory with a stellar 94.74% save percentage.

Although Berlin won the shot count 28-25, Växjö’s effective special teams and strong goaltending carried them to a well-earned victory. They’ll look to build on this performance as they continue their CHL campaign with upcoming games against Sheffield and Trinec.

Storhamar Hockey Hamar – ZSC Lions 1-4

The ZSC Lions Zurich secured a 4-1 victory against Storhamar Hamar in their opening Champions Hockey League match at CC Amfi, thanks to a dominant final period. Despite the final score, the Norwegian side put up a strong fight in front of 3,240 fans, keeping the game close until the third period when Zurich pulled away.

ZSC got off to a quick start, with Nicolas Baechler opening the scoring just 2:30 into the first period after capitalizing on a mistake by Storhamar’s defense. The Lions controlled much of the play early on but faced a resilient Storhamar team that worked hard to limit further damage. Storhamar goaltender Markus Røhnebæk Stensrud made key saves to keep his team in the game, and the first period ended with Zurich up 1-0.

In the second period, Storhamar found their footing and tied the game at 27:54 when captain Jacob Berglund finished off a pass from Mathias Papuga to bring the home crowd to life. However, Zurich quickly regained the lead while shorthanded. Just five minutes later, Denis Malgin scored a crucial goal at 32:20 to make it 2-1 for ZSC, delivering a blow to Storhamar’s momentum.

The third period saw Zurich’s experience and skill take over. Chris Baltisberger scored at 46:28 to extend the lead to 3-1, following up on a rebound that Stensrud could not control. Storhamar had few offensive opportunities in the final frame, managing only four shots on goal as ZSC’s defense tightened up.

With time winding down, Storhamar pulled their goaltender in a last-ditch effort to get back into the game, but it was Zurich’s Sven Andrighetto who sealed the win with an empty-net goal at 58:15, bringing the final score to 4-1.

ZSC outshot Storhamar 38-20, and goaltender Šimon Hrubec was solid in net, stopping 19 of 20 shots. Storhamar fought hard but couldn’t keep up with Zurich’s pace in the later stages of the game.

HC Sparta Praha – Tappara Tampere 1-2 SO

Tappara Tampere began their 2024/25 Champions Hockey League campaign with a 2-1 shootout victory against Sparta Prague at the O2 Arena. The game, marked by tight defense and exceptional goaltending, was ultimately decided in the 10th round of the shootout by Tappara’s Kristian Tanus.

The first period was evenly matched, with both teams generating a few scoring chances but failing to capitalize. Tappara had an early opportunity when Sparta’s Jakub Krejčík hooked Veli-Matti Savinainen on a breakaway, resulting in a penalty shot. However, Tanus’s attempt was stopped by Sparta’s goaltender, Josef Kořenář. Sparta responded with two powerplay opportunities but was unable to beat Tappara's goaltender, Juha Metsola. The teams remained locked in a scoreless tie after 20 minutes, each registering eight shots on goal.

The second period followed a similar pattern, with both teams playing disciplined hockey. Tappara finally broke the deadlock at 29:24 on a powerplay goal by Aleksi Mustonen, assisted by Otto Leskinen and Petteri Puhakka. Mustonen fired a wrist shot past Kořenář to give Tappara a 1-0 lead. However, Sparta responded five minutes later when Filip Chlapík capitalized on a defensive miscue and beat Metsola to tie the game at 1-1.

In the third period, Sparta came out strong, applying heavy pressure on Tappara’s defense. Tappara managed to weather the storm, thanks to Metsola’s sharp goaltending. Tappara also had a powerplay opportunity early in the period, but Kořenář kept the score tied with key saves. As regulation time expired, the game remained 1-1, sending it to overtime.

During the overtime period, Tappara controlled possession and dominated the play, but neither team could find the back of the net, forcing a shootout. Both goalies were stellar in the shootout, with the first 16 shooters failing to score. Finally, in the ninth round, Tanus beat Kořenář with a slick move, but Sparta’s Roman Horák answered right away to keep the game alive.

In the 10th round, Tanus scored again, and when Metsola stopped Horák’s second attempt, Tappara claimed the 2-1 victory.

Tappara will continue their Czech tour on Saturday when they face HC Dynamo Pardubice, looking to build on their opening win.

Fribourg-Gottéron – Sheffield Steelers 4-3

Fribourg-Gottéron secured a hard-fought 4-3 victory against the Sheffield Steelers in their opening Champions Hockey League match at BCF Arena. The game was an intense back-and-forth contest, with both teams showing flashes of brilliance, especially in a high-scoring first period.

Sheffield got off to a flying start, with Patrick Watling scoring just 1:16 into the game, capitalizing on a 3-on-2 rush. Moments later, Daniel Ciampini extended the Steelers’ lead to 2-0, scoring off a rebound from Mark Simpson’s wrap-around attempt. However, Fribourg responded quickly. Lucas Wallmark struck at 5:49 to pull one back, followed by a goal from Killian Mottet at 7:23 to level the game. By 12:52, Marcus Sörensen gave Fribourg their first lead of the night, but Sheffield’s Mikko Juusola tied it again at 17:52, ending the period 3-3.

The second period saw no goals, despite several powerplay opportunities for both teams. Fribourg’s Marcus Sörensen and Sheffield’s Daniel Leavens received roughing penalties, but neither team could break the deadlock as both goalies made crucial saves.

In the third period, Fribourg took the lead once more just 55 seconds in, with Mottet scoring his second of the night. Despite Sheffield’s efforts to come back, penalties hindered their momentum. Fribourg held strong defensively, and the game ended 4-3 in favor of the home team. Reto Berra stopped 16 of 19 shots for Fribourg, while Sheffield’s Matthew Greenfield made 31 saves in a valiant effort.

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