Dramatic wins and stellar performances: Highlights from today’s CHL games

Straubing Tigers - Skellefteå AIK 3-2 SO

Both teams entered the match in strong form. The Straubing Tigers had blanked Danish champions Sønderjysk Elitesport 3-0 in their first CHL game, while Skellefteå AIK, the reigning Swedish champions and CHL finalists from the previous season, claimed a 4-3 victory against Austria's Red Bull Salzburg with a late winner.

Straubing head coach Tom Pokel had nearly his full roster available, although he opted to rest Marcel Müller as he continues to recover from a long-term injury. The lineup also excluded youngsters Linus Brandl, Tobias Schwarz, and Simon Seidl. Meanwhile, Skellefteå's lineup was missing key players such as Linus Söderström, Rickard Hugg, and Oscar Lindberg, with Alexander Hellnemo starting in goal.

The game began at a blistering pace, with Straubing generating early offensive pressure. Mike Connolly and JC Lipon orchestrated a dangerous 2-on-1 break, but Lipon narrowly missed the net. Skellefteå, always dangerous on the counterattack, capitalized on Straubing's defensive error behind the net. Rasmus Bergqvist's shot was deflected into the net by Zeb Forsfjäll, who used his skate to guide the puck in at 8:12. After a video review, the goal stood, giving Skellefteå a 1-0 lead.

Straubing had several power-play opportunities in the first period but struggled to convert, with Skellefteå's penalty kill and Hellnemo keeping them at bay. The period ended with the Tigers trailing 0-1, despite several close chances, including a breakaway opportunity for Justin Scott and a brilliant save by Tigers goalie Florian Bugl to keep the deficit manageable.

The second period saw Straubing press harder for an equalizer. Stephan Daschner fired a shot into the side of the net, but it was Skellefteå who doubled their lead. Andreas Johnson, fresh out of the penalty box, broke free and beat Bugl on the glove side at 29:18, making it 2-0.

However, the Tigers refused to back down. They found a lifeline when Adrian Klein finished off a beautiful play on the power play, tipping in a perfect pass from Marcel Brandt at 32:33. Straubing had several chances to tie the game before the period ended, but Hellnemo stood strong, preserving Skellefteå's 2-1 lead heading into the third.

The third period opened with Straubing on the attack, desperately searching for the tying goal. Their best early chance came when Cole Fonstad's shot rang off the inside of the post, barely missing the equalizer.

Midway through the period, Skellefteå’s Lukas Vesterlund was handed a five-minute major and a game misconduct for a dangerous elbowing penalty. This opened the door for the Tigers to apply sustained pressure, and they took full advantage. Cole Fonstad scored his second goal of the CHL season at 52:58, finishing off a quick pass from Justin Scott to level the game at 2-2.

Despite further power-play chances for Straubing, including a rocket shot from Mike Connolly that was saved by Hellnemo, neither team could break the deadlock in regulation, sending the game to overtime.

The overtime period was fast-paced, with both teams exchanging end-to-end chances. Cole Fonstad nearly won it for Straubing with a solo effort, but Hellnemo denied him. The Tigers also had a late power play when Skellefteå’s Max Lindholm was sent off for tripping, but despite a flurry of shots from Travis St. Denis and Marcel Brandt, they couldn’t find the winner.

With the game still tied, it went to a shootout. Both teams traded goals in the first round, with Zeb Forsfjäll and JC Lipon finding the net. In the second round, Forsfjäll’s second attempt was saved by Bugl, while Lipon coolly slid the puck between Hellnemo’s pads to secure a 3-2 victory for Straubing.

Pelicans Lahti - Genève-Servette HC 5-4 SO

Lahti Pelicans triumphed over reigning champions Genève-Servette with a 5-4 victory in a thrilling shootout at Isku Areena. The game was a rollercoaster of momentum swings, featuring excellent goaltending, special teams efforts, and late-game drama. The crowd of 1,524 was treated to a fast-paced and fiercely competitive match.

The game started with Genève-Servette applying pressure, but Pelicans' goalie Olof Lindbom stood firm. The Pelicans struck first at 11:43 when Leevi Tukiainen, assisted by Antti Tyrväinen and Michal Jordán, fired a sharp shot that beat Genève-Servette's Gauthier Descloux. The Swiss side responded late in the period with a tying goal at 18:49 by Markus Granlund, set up by his fellow Finns, Sakari Manninen and Teemu Hartikainen, leaving the teams tied 1-1 after the first.

Lahti Pelicans regained the lead early in the second period, as Luboš Horký scored at 24:07 with assists from Miro Väänänen and Iikka Kangasniemi. However, the Pelicans then found themselves in penalty trouble, facing four consecutive minor penalties. Despite being short-handed, the Pelicans displayed incredible resilience, not only killing the penalties but also extending their lead to 3-1 with a brilliant short-handed goal by Libor Zábranský at 37:14. Genève-Servette cut the deficit just a minute later with another goal from Granlund, bringing the score to 3-2 going into the final period.

The third period was a battle as Genève-Servette came out determined to tie the game. Luca Hischier capitalized on a defensive lapse by the Pelicans, tying the game 3-3 at 43:38. The tension mounted as both teams fought for control. With less than two minutes left, Pelicans' Michal Jordán found the back of the net at 57:58, putting his team ahead 4-3. However, Genève-Servette pulled their goalie and equalized with just 31 seconds left in regulation through Hartikainen on the power play, assisted by Manninen and Tanner Richard, sending the game into overtime.

Neither team could find a winner in the overtime period, despite some promising chances. The game was finally decided in a shootout, where Pelicans’ Tukiainen and Wyatt Kalynuk scored. Olof Lindbom stood tall, stopping all four Genève-Servette shootout attempts, securing the Pelicans' 5-4 victory.

With this win, Lahti Pelicans bounced back from their opening CHL loss and earned a crucial victory. Their next CHL challenge will be away against Skellefteå AIK, while the Finnish Liiga kicks off on Tuesday against JYP.

Färjestad Karlstad - KAC Klagenfurt 6-2

In their second game of the CHL season, Färjestad Karlstad delivered a commanding performance, defeating KAC Klagenfurt 6-2 at Löfbergs Arena in front of 3,498 fans. The Swedish side secured their second consecutive CHL win, taking full control early in the game and never relinquishing it.

Färjestad came out strong, taking the initiative from the start. After several early chances, Emil Alba opened the scoring at 6:16 by deflecting a shot from Jack Berglund to make it 1-0. Färjestad continued to press and capitalized on Klagenfurt's penalty troubles. Oskar Steen scored twice on the power play within two minutes. His first goal came at 12:45 from a beautiful feed by Michael Lindqvist, leaving Steen with an open net. Just over a minute later, Steen added his second, tipping in another shot from Lindqvist to extend the lead to 3-0.

Klagenfurt managed to pull one back on a power play of their own, as Thomas Hundertpfund found the net at 15:52, reducing the deficit to 3-1 heading into the first intermission.

The second period was evenly contested, with both teams trading chances. However, the goaltenders, particularly Färjestad's Damian Clara, stood tall. Clara made several key saves, including blocking a dangerous chance during a goalmouth scramble.

Despite the tight play, Färjestad broke through again on the power play late in the period. Axel Bergkvist's shot at 37:03, helped by a perfect screen from Henrik Björklund, made it 4-1, giving Färjestad a comfortable cushion heading into the third.

With a three-goal lead, Färjestad played smart, disciplined hockey in the final period. They controlled the game with solid defense and quick counter-attacks. Six minutes into the period, Björklund and Alba combined for a beautiful passing play that ended with Björklund scoring to make it 5-1.

Just three minutes later, Färjestad added another, as Jack Berglund pounced on a rebound from Alba's shot, pushing the lead to 6-1 at 49:04. Klagenfurt managed a consolation goal at 51:40, when Senna Peeters scored with a quick backhand shot over Clara, but it was too little, too late.

Färjestad's dominant performance saw them win 6-2, a result that keeps them undefeated in the CHL with six points from two games. 

EC Red Bull Salzburg - SønderjyskE 6-2

EC Red Bull Salzburg defeated SønderjyskE Vojens 6-2 in their second CHL game of the season at Eisarena Salzburg. This victory marked Salzburg's first win of the CHL campaign, with a commanding performance from start to finish.

The game began with high intensity, and Red Bull Salzburg struck early. Just 58 seconds into the match, Andrew Rowe scored the opening goal, giving Salzburg a 1-0 lead. Salzburg continued to control the play, generating numerous chances, but were unable to beat SønderjyskE's goaltender, Mattias Pettersson, again in the first period. Despite a strong effort from Mario Huber during a shorthanded situation, Salzburg went into the first intermission with a slim 1-0 lead. SønderjyskE struggled to generate significant offensive pressure, and Salzburg’s David Kickert made key saves to maintain the lead.

Salzburg's power play came alive in the second period, as they capitalized on their opportunities with three power-play goals in quick succession. Dennis Robertson scored at 20:23, followed by Rowe's second goal at 21:42, and Peter Schneider added another at 22:37. This flurry of goals put Salzburg ahead 4-0. The visitors tried to respond but were repeatedly thwarted by Kickert, who was excellent in goal. Salzburg continued to press, and Mario Huber scored at 34:32, converting a pass from Nash Nienhuis to extend the lead to 5-0.

SønderjyskE managed to get on the scoreboard early in the third period with a goal from Nikolaj Krag Christensen at 41:48, making it 5-1. However, Salzburg responded swiftly, with Lucas Thaler scoring a stunning goal from distance at 45:50 to restore the five-goal lead. The game remained fast-paced, and both teams had their chances, but Salzburg maintained their advantage. SønderjyskE did add a late power-play goal by Alexander Wiklund at 59:16, but it was not enough to change the outcome. Salzburg secured a clear 6-2 victory.

Red Bull Salzburg’s strong performance was highlighted by efficient power play execution and solid goaltending from David Kickert, who made 23 saves. Andrew Rowe's two goals and a total of six different scorers demonstrated Salzburg's offensive depth. With this win, Salzburg looks forward to their upcoming CHL matches, continuing their campaign against Unia Oświęcim and the ZSC Lions.

Rouen Dragons - HC Ocelari Trinec 3-5

The game began cautiously, with both teams testing each other. The first real scoring opportunity fell to Oceláři Třinec’s Kurovský, who was denied by a quick reaction save from Rouen’s Oskari Setänen. The visitors managed to score the first goal of the game in the 11th minute when Marko Daňo’s attempt, initially intended as a dump-in, deflected off the linesman and past Setänen. Rouen responded in the 15th minute with a goal from Marc-Olivier Duquette, who fired a powerful shot into the top corner after a pass from Sebastian Bengtsson and Jared Dmytriw.

Rouen Dragons took control early in the second period, with Tomas Simonsen scoring a power-play goal in the 31st minute, following a penalty for delay of game by Ondřej Kacetl. The Dragons extended their lead when Anthony Rech scored from the top of the left circle, shooting through Kacetl’s legs. Despite a strong attempt by David Cienciala, Setänen kept the Dragons ahead with key saves. The period ended with Rouen holding a 3-1 lead.

The third period saw a dramatic turnaround. Oceláři Třinec mounted a comeback with Martin Marinčin scoring in the 44th minute, and Petr Vrána leveling the score just a minute later. Marko Daňo then added his second goal of the game in the 51st minute, followed by Libor Hudáček’s strike in the 54th minute, sealing the win for Třinec. Rouen pushed hard for an equalizer, with several shots on goal, but Třinec’s defense and Kacetl’s goaltending held firm. In the final minute, Alexander Wiklund scored a power-play goal for Rouen, but it was too late to alter the outcome.

Pinguins Bremerhaven - Lausanne HC 1-2

The first period was a tightly contested affair, with Pinguins Bremerhaven and Lausanne HC trading chances but failing to find the back of the net. Bremerhaven outshot Lausanne 15-5, but Lausanne’s goalkeeper Kevin Pasche was sharp, stopping all shots faced. Both teams had opportunities on the power play, but neither could capitalize. Bremerhaven's Kristers Gudlevskis was equally solid, keeping the game scoreless after the first 20 minutes.

The only goal of the second period came from Lausanne HC in the 21st minute. Janne Kuokkanen found the net with a surprising shot that eluded Gudlevskis. Théo Rochette picked up the assist. Lausanne had a chance to extend their lead with a power play after Kuokkanen’s own slashing penalty, but they couldn’t convert. Bremerhaven continued to press but was unable to beat Pasche, who remained a formidable presence in goal.

The third period saw a dramatic shift. Pinguins Bremerhaven tied the game 1-1 at 53:41 when Markus Vikingstad scored from a pass by Phillip Bruggisser and Nicolas Appendino. Vikingstad’s shot found its way through a crowded crease to beat Pasche.

However, Lausanne HC regained the lead just minutes later. A critical error by Bremerhaven’s Max Görtz allowed Jason Fuchs to steal the puck and set up Makai Holdener for the go-ahead goal at 56:19. Holdener’s shot beat Gudlevskis, giving Lausanne a 2-1 lead.

Bremerhaven pulled Gudlevskis for an extra attacker in the final minutes, but despite their efforts, they were unable to score. Lausanne held on for the 2-1 victory.

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