Sheffield stuns Växjö in Champions Hockey League Saturday

With all 24 teams having played their first games on Thursday or Friday, 12 teams are slated to play their second Champions Hockey League games of the season on Saturday. The day began with a stunner.

Växjö Lakers (SWE) 2 – Sheffield Steelers (GBR) 3 [OT]

Marc-Olivier Vallerand’s power-play goal with 17 seconds remaining in overtime capped the Steelers’ improbable win in Sweden. In fact, Sheffield outshot Växjö 27-23 in the game and never trailed, leading 1-0 and 2-1. Filip Eriksson had two points in a losing cause for the Lakers.

Storhamar Dragons (NOR) 1 – Fribourg-Gottéron (SUI) 0 [SO]

After 65 minutes of scoreless hockey, Samuel Solem and Jacob Berglund each scored in the shootout to give Storhamar the extra point over visiting Fribourg. Markus Røhnebæk Stensrud stopped 31 shots during the game and denied all four shooters he faced in the shootout, while Bryan Rüegger turned away all 19 Dragons shots he faced before the shootout. 

Ilves Tampere (FIN) 1 – ZSC Lions Zurich (SUI) 4

Dean Kukan, Vinzenz Rohrer and Denis Malgin each had two points in Zurich’s second straight 4-1 win on the road. For the second-straight game, Ilves outshot its opponent but ran into a hot goaltender, this time Šimon Hrubec. 

Dynamo Pardubice (CZE) 5 – Tappara Tampere (FIN) 1

Pardubice has dominated its first two CHL games this season, outscoring opponents 12-1 – this time over the reigning European champion. It took 113:23 before Pardibice was scored on. Tomáš Zohorna and Roman Červenka had two points each in this one. 

Unia Oświęcim (POL) 1 – Eisbären Berlin (GER) 4

It was a dominant road performance by the Polar Bears, outshooting Oświęcim 49-17, but it wasn't until the third period that they pulled away with two goals. Olivier Galipeau had two assists.

Sparta Prague (CZE) 5 – Fehérvár AV19 (HUN) 2

The Hungarian squad had leads of 1-0 and 2-1 thanks to a pair of goals by Anže Kuralt, but Sparta put this one away with four third-period goals. Sparta scored three power-play goals, including two 5-on-3 goals 54 seconds apart, and scored two late empty-netters. Michal Řepík had three points.

Sunday schedule:

Straubing Tigers (GER) – Skellefteå AIK (SWE)
Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) – SønderjyskE Vojens (DEN)
Färjestad Karlstad (SWE) – KAC Klagenfurt (AUT)
Lahti Pelicans (FIN) – Genève-Servette (SUI)
Rouen Dragons (FRA) – Oceláři Třinec (CZE)
Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven (GER) – Lausanne HC (SUI) 

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