Swedish teams Frolunda Gothenburg and Lulea Hockey secure crucial away wins over Brynas Gavle and EV Zug, respectively, setting the stage for a potential rematch of the 2014-15 final.
Swedish clubs Frölunda Gothenburg and Luleå Hockey went on the road and won the first games of their two-game, total-goal semifinals in Champions Hockey League action on Tuesday.
If both teams manage to wrap up their series next week on home ice, it would create a rematch of the 2014-15 CHL final.
Brynäs Gävle (SWE) 0 – Frölunda Gothenburg (SWE) 2
These two teams have already met three times in the Swedish League this season, and first-place Frölunda has won all three by a combined score of 9-2.
Frölunda’s defense continued to be the story in this game. Visiting Frölunda outshot Brynäs 28-17, and Brynäs has now scored just two goals in four games against Frölunda this season despite a lineup that includes Nicklas Bäckström, Jakub Silfverberg, Kieffer Bellows, Oskar Lindblom, Mattias Norlinder, Robert Hägg and Olympic-bound Michal Kempný.
Frölunda did its offensive damage on the power play, going 2-for-3.
Ivar Stenberg, the potential first-overall pick in this year's NHL draft, opened the scoring midway through the first period, unleashing a deadly wrist shot that beat Brynäs goaltender Erik Källgren high to the blocker side. Veteran Max Friberg scored the second goal midway through the third, putting in a rebound following Jere Innala's initial shot.
Brynäs finally showed some signs of life on a couple of late power plays but Lars Johansson stopped all 17 shots he faced for the shutout, meaning Frölunda will start next week’s game with a two-goal lead on aggregate. In it, Brynäs will try to channel the energy from its comeback quarterfinal comeback win in Bern.
EV Zug (SUI) 2 – Luleå Hockey (SWE) 3
The other semifinal is a bit closer thanks to some resilience from the Swiss club. Luleå led by two goals but, playing on home ice, Zug cut the deficit late, making their task next week a little more reasonable. Luleå outshot Zug 35-18, but Olympic-bound Swiss goaltender Leonardo Genoni was spectacular.
It was Zug’s Czecho-Slovak contingent that scored the game’s last goal, too. On the power play with 12:52 to play, Tomáš Tatar scored on the rebound following Dominik Kubalík’s initial shot.
Zug is attempting to keep the Champions Hockey League title in Switzerland for a third straight season, following victories by Geneve-Servette two years ago and Zurich’s ZSC Lions last year.
Next Tuesday's return games both start at 19:00 CET, 1 p.m. ET.
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