After the Champions Hockey League’s 10th season kicked off on Thursday with six games, the other 12 teams made their season debuts on Friday:
Lahti Pelicans (FIN) 0 – Färjestad Karlstad (SWE) 5
Thanks to a dominant second period in which all five goals were scored – including three in a span of 4:01 – Färjestad opened the season with a 5-0 road win in Finland. Maxime Lagacé made 13 saves for the shutout, Viktor Lodin had three points and Anaheim Ducks prospect Stian Solberg was a +3.
Lausanne HC (SUI) 1 – Oceláři Třinec (CZE) 2 [OT]
Daniel Kurovský’s power-play goal 44 seconds into overtime gave the five-time defending Czech champs the victory over the runners-up from Switzerland. Třinec outshot Lausanne 39-19 but Kevin Pasche had a big night in goal.
Straubing Tigers (GER) 3 – SønderjyskE Vojens (DEN) 0
The Straubing Tigers got a goal in each period – twice on the power play – in their CHL debut to defeat the Danish champs. Marcel Brandt scored once on seven shots, while Zane McIntytre made 22 saves for the shutout.
Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven (GER) 3 – Genève-Servette (SUI) 2
The defending CHL champs from Switzerland led 2-0 after eight minutes and 2-1 after two periods, but the finalists from Germany struck twice in the first two minutes of the third to take the lead. Jan Urbas and Matthew Abt figured in on each of the third-period goals.
Rouen Dragons (FRA) 2 – KAC Klagenfurt (AUT) 4
Matthew Fraser, Nicholas Petersen and Clemens Unterweger had two points each as Klagenfurt opened its CHL season on the road over the French champions. The key period of the game was a 1:05 span in the second period when three goals were scored.
Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) 3 – Skellefteå AIK (SWE) 4
In a matchup of two league champions, Skellefteå blew a 3-1 lead but recovered to win on a late goal by Andreas Johnson, his second of the game. Skellefteå’s Oscar Nilsson and Salzburg’s Ryan Murphy also each had two points, with Murphy logging a game-high 24:10 of ice time.
Saturday’s schedule:
Växjö Lakers (SWE) – Sheffield Steelers (GBR)
Storhamar Dragons (NOR) – Fribourg-Gottéron (SUI)
Ilves Tampere (FIN) – ZSC Lions Zurich (SUI)
Dynamo Pardubice (CZE) – Tappara Tampere (FIN)
Unia Oświęcim (POL) – Eisbären Berlin (GER)
Sparta Prague (CZE) – Fehérvár AV19 (HUN)
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