Pardubice and ZSC continue to win

Växjö Lakers – Sheffield Steelers 2 - 3 OT

In a dramatic showdown at Vida Arena, the Sheffield Steelers pulled off one of their biggest victories in club history, defeating the Växjö Lakers 3-2 in overtime during Champions Hockey League action. The win, secured by Marc-Olivier Vallerand’s power-play goal in the dying moments of OT, marked the Steelers' second-ever triumph in the prestigious tournament.

Sheffield came out strong, taking the lead just over a minute into the game. Daniel Leavens found the net with a quick deflection off a Mitchell Balmas pass, catching Växjö off-guard. The Steelers continued to pressure, and despite a late double penalty call, Sheffield held their 1-0 lead after the first 20 minutes, outshooting Växjö 11-8.

The second period saw Växjö respond on the power play. At 30:44, Dennis Rasmussen redirected a shot from Joel Persson to tie the game at 1-1. However, just two minutes later, Sheffield regained the lead with Daniel Ciampini's top-shelf wrist shot after an assist from Joel Janatuinen. Despite a late penalty from Colton Saucerman, Sheffield’s penalty kill kept the Lakers at bay, maintaining their 2-1 lead going into the third.

Växjö didn’t waste time in the third period, leveling the game at 2-2 within 19 seconds of the restart. Filip Eriksson tipped in a point shot, keeping the pressure on Sheffield. The goal stood after a review for offsides, but despite sustained pressure, neither team could find a winner in regulation.

In a tense 3-on-3 overtime, penalties proved decisive. A tripping call on Brian Cooper gave Växjö a power play, but the Steelers held firm. With just 17 seconds left in overtime, Sheffield captain Robert Dowd set up Vallerand, who fired home the game-winner, silencing the Swedish crowd and sending Steelers fans into celebration.

Ilves Tampere – ZSC Lions Zurich 1 - 4

ZSC Lions Zurich secured a commanding 4-1 win over Ilves Tampere at Hakametsä, continuing their perfect start to the season. The Swiss side relied on a standout performance from goaltender Šimon Hrubec and a disciplined penalty kill to overcome a determined Ilves squad.

The game began with both teams trading minor penalties, but it was Zurich who struck first. At 11:56, captain Patrick Geering opened the scoring with a powerful slapshot, assisted by Mikko Lehtonen and Vinzenz Rohrer. Despite some pressure from Ilves, Hrubec stood strong, and Zurich headed into the first intermission with a 1-0 lead.

Zurich doubled their advantage early in the second period, taking advantage of a power play opportunity. Rudolfs Balcers netted a goal at 25:48, following a pass from Santtu Kinnunen, to make it 2-0. However, Ilves responded strongly, and after sustained pressure, they were rewarded with a power-play goal of their own. Daniel Gazda fired home a shot at 38:04, cutting the deficit to 2-1 before the end of the second period.

Ilves came out aggressively in the third, but Zurich weathered the storm. Dean Kukan restored the two-goal cushion at 46:32 with a wrist shot, assisted by Kinnunen and Denis Malgin. Despite Ilves’ best efforts, the Finnish side struggled to break through Hrubec, who was solid throughout the game. Zurich sealed the victory with a power-play goal from Vinzenz Rohrer at 56:06, assisted by Chris Baltisberger and Kukan.

Storhamar Hamar – Fribourg-Gottéron 1 - 0 SO

Storhamar Hamar edged Fribourg-Gottéron 1-0 after a shootout on Gameday 2 of the Champions Hockey League season. The Norwegian side relied heavily on an incredible performance from goaltender Markus Stensrud, who stopped all 31 shots in regulation and overtime before shutting down Fribourg's shooters in the shootout.

The game began with a physical, back-and-forth first period where neither team could break through. Both sides had opportunities, but Storhamar's Stensrud and Fribourg’s Bryan Rüegger were solid between the pipes. Fribourg's best chance came late in the period when they had a 5-on-3 power play, but Storhamar’s penalty kill and Stensrud held strong, keeping the game scoreless after 20 minutes.

The second period followed a similar pattern, with both teams struggling to generate clear scoring opportunities. Storhamar came close just 44 seconds in when Austin Cangelosi was denied on a breakaway. Despite a few more chances, including a power-play opportunity for each side, the period ended with the score still tied at 0-0. Storhamar’s fourth line of Bryhnisveen, Sandnes, and Morken was especially dangerous, creating offensive pressure but unable to convert.

Fribourg increased their intensity in the third period, dominating possession and firing 11 shots on goal. However, Stensrud was a wall in net, making save after save, including during another 5-on-3 disadvantage for Storhamar. Fribourg’s top scorer Marcus Sörensen had multiple chances but couldn’t beat Stensrud, who kept his team alive and ensured the game remained scoreless through 60 minutes.

The game moved to overtime, where Fribourg once again applied pressure, but Stensrud made key saves to force a shootout. In the shootout, he continued his stellar play, stopping Sörensen, Wallmark, and DiDomenico. On the other end, Storhamar’s Samuel Solem and Jacob Berglund both converted their attempts, sealing a memorable 1-0 victory for Storhamar.

Dynamo Pardubice – Tappara Tampere 5 - 1

Dynamo Pardubice delivered a commanding performance in front of 5,769 fans at Enteria Arena, defeating reigning Finnish champions Tappara Tampere 5-1 on Gameday 2. The Czech side showcased their offensive power and strong defense, led by goaltender Roman Will and key contributions from their star players.

The game started cautiously, with both teams feeling each other out. Pardubice broke the deadlock at 10:30 when Martin Kaut capitalized on a pass from Roman Červenka to give Dynamo a 1-0 lead. Despite some pressure from Tappara, Pardubice controlled much of the play, limiting the Finnish side to just three shots on goal in the opening period.

The second period saw Pardubice extend their lead. In a key moment, just 1:16 into Tappara's power play, Tomáš Zohorna scored a shorthanded goal after a mistake by Tappara’s defense, making it 2-0. Pardubice continued their dominance and netted a power-play goal at 28:34 when Lukáš Radil finished a slick passing play, increasing the lead to 3-0.

Dynamo’s relentless pressure led to a fourth goal at 31:17. Lukáš Sedlák, assisted by Roman Červenka, found the back of the net, giving the home team a commanding 4-0 advantage. Červenka's assist made him the most productive Czech player in Champions Hockey League history with 36 points.

Early in the third period, Robert Kousal added another goal for Pardubice at 46:23, pushing the score to 5-0. Despite Tappara's efforts, they struggled to break through Pardubice’s defense until Julius Mattila scored a power-play goal at 53:23, cutting the deficit to 5-1. However, it was too little too late as Pardubice closed out the game comfortably.

Unia Oświęcim – Eisbären Berlin 1 - 4

Eisbären Berlin earned a solid 4-1 victory over Unia Oświęcim in their Champions Hockey League clash at Hala Lodowa MOSiR. The German side, led by head coach Serge Aubin, secured their first win of the tournament, overcoming the Polish team in front of 3,000 fans.

The game began with both teams creating opportunities, but it was Eisbären Berlin who struck first. At 11:01, Blaine Byron found the back of the net with assists from Mitchell Reinke and Olivier Galipeau, putting Berlin ahead 1-0. However, Unia Oświęcim responded late in the period when Hampus Olsson capitalized on a power play at 18:55, tying the game 1-1. The first period ended with momentum evenly split between the two sides.

Eisbären Berlin upped the pressure in the second period, dominating puck possession and outshooting Unia 24-5. Despite multiple chances, it took until 22:58 for Berlin to regain the lead. Lean Bergmann scored off a pass from Frederik Tiffels to make it 2-1 for the visitors. Unia's goaltender Linus Lundin made several key saves to keep his team within reach, but the hosts struggled to generate offense.

The third period saw Eisbären Berlin put the game beyond doubt. Marcel Noebels extended the lead to 3-1 at 47:27, finishing a well-executed play assisted by Zachary Boychuk and Leonhard Pföderl. As Unia tried to mount a comeback, Jonas Müller added a fourth goal at 56:09, sealing the 4-1 victory for Berlin. Despite Unia getting two late power plays, they were unable to break through the Berlin defense, which remained strong until the final whistle.

Sparta Prague – Fehérvár AV19 5 - 2

Sparta Prague overcame an early deficit to claim a 5-2 victory over Fehérvár AV19. The game was tight through two periods, but Sparta dominated the third with four unanswered goals to secure their first win of the tournament.

Fehérvár started the game strong, taking the lead at 15:33 through Anže Kuralt, who scored off a pass from Josh Atkinson. Sparta had several chances in the opening period, including a power play, but Fehérvár’s goaltender Rasmus Reijola made key saves to keep the home team off the scoreboard. The first period ended with Fehérvár leading 1-0.

Sparta came out with more intensity in the second period, pushing for the equalizer. Their persistence paid off when Kryštof Hrabík scored a power-play goal at 31:06, tying the game 1-1. However, Fehérvár quickly regained the lead at 35:36 when Kuralt struck again, finishing a breakaway to make it 2-1. Despite Sparta's efforts, they entered the third period trailing by one goal.

Sparta seized control of the game early in the third period, taking advantage of a 5-on-3 power play. Filip Chlapík scored at 40:41 to even the score at 2-2, and just under a minute later, Tomáš Hyka netted another power-play goal to give Sparta a 3-2 lead.

Fehérvár’s attempt to pull their goalie for an extra attacker backfired, as Hyka scored his second goal into the empty net at 58:38. Michal Řepík added another empty-netter just before the final buzzer, sealing the 5-2 win for Sparta.

Tweets by @eurohockey