After a few days off, half of the Champions Hockey League teams were back in action on Thursday, with the rest playing on Friday. Among the six games on Thursday, Nordic teams Frölunda Gothenburg, KalPa Kuopio and Ilves Tampere all won for the third time, and Nicklas Bäckström made his CHL debut.
GKS Tychy (POL) 1 – Frölunda Gothenburg 3
Frölunda earned its third straight win and Tychy was handed its third straight loss, although the Polish champs did open the scoring courtesy Hannu Kuru. Max Friberg tied it on the power play late in the second and then Noah Hasa scored the eventual winner early in the third.
KalPa Kuopio (FIN) 6 – Storhamar Dragons (NOR) 1
Ex-NHLer Teemu Hartikainen scored twice on six shots as KalPa comfortably won its third in a row. The Finnish champs took control of the game early, scoring twice in the first eight minutes, and eventually outshot Storhamar 30-14.
Ilves Tampere (FIN) 2 – Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) 1
In a matchup between two teams that entered the game with perfect records, Ilves won a tight defensive game 2-1 with Samuli Ratinen scoring the winning goal midway through the third period.
Sparta Prague (CZE) 2 – Luleå Hockey (SWE) 1 [SO]
In another defensive battle, Sparta and Luleå scored once each through 65 minutes of hockey, and then Filip Chlapík scored the only shootout goal to give the home team the extra point. With that result, both teams now have seven points.
Brynäs Gävle (SWE) 4 – KAC Klagenfurt (AUT) 2
In another fine showing for their Anaheim Ducks prospects, Lucas Pettersson had two points and Damian Clara made 20 saves to help Brynäs to another victory. Jakob Silfverberg also scored a power-play goal that was assisted by Nicklas Bäckström – who played 17:43, recorded two shots on goal and was 8-for-12 on faceoffs in his CHL debut.
Odense Bulldogs (DEN) 2 – ZSC Lions Zurich (SUI) 4
Despite Zurich outshooting Odense 47-15, the game was tied 2-2 late in the third period before Thierry Bader scored the winner and Rudolfs Balcers added an empty-netter. Joakim Thelin scored both Odense goals and the goaltending was split between Niklas Lindström – who left midway through with an injury – and Frederik Søgaard.
Friday’s schedule:
Lausanne HC (SUI) – Belfast Giants (EIHL)
Eisbären
Berlin (GER) – Lukko Rauma (FIN)
Pinguins Bremerhaven (GER – Grenoble (FRA)
HC Bolzano (ITA) –
Kometa Brno (CZE)
SC Bern (SUI) – Mountfield Hradec Králové
(CZE)
EV Zug (SUI) – ERC Ingolstadt (GER)
4 Teams Perfect After Sunday; Ducks Prospects Help Gävle Win
All 24 teams have now played two games after four days of action.
Everybody will play their third and fourth games next Thursday
through Sunday.
CONFIRMED: Nicklas Bäckström Is Back In Sweden
Swedish
center Nicklas Bäckström,
37,
has signed a contract to play for Brynäs,
the
SHL club announced at a press conference on Monday morning. The
contract is for one year plus an option.