The Champions Hockey League’s playoff picture is coming into focus as the quarterfinal matchups begin to take shape. Swiss club EV Zug punched its ticket to the next round despite a road loss to Sparta Prague, while fellow Swiss team CP Berne saw their tournament run end in dramatic fashion. The quarterfinals, set for December, will feature a strong contingent from Scandinavia and Finland alongside the remaining Swiss and swedish teams. This competition, now in its eighth season, showcases Europe’s best club hockey talent[[[[
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At least one Swiss team will advance to the Champions Hockey League quarterfinals, as EV Zug secured its spot in the next round. Unfortunately for Swiss hockey fans, CP Berne was eliminated from contention.
EV Zug overcame a 3-2 defeat on the road against Sparta Prague to advance, building on a commanding 6-0 victory in the first leg played in front of their home crowd six days prior. Zug will face Lukko Rauma of Finland in the quarterfinals in December.
Berne Falls Short
CP Berne, after winning 2-1 in Sweden against Brynäs IF in the first leg, fell in overtime to their opponents 5-3 on home ice. The Bears raced to a 3-1 lead by the 30th minute, scoring three goals in just over three minutes, but conceded the equalizer with only 56 seconds remaining in regulation. Johan Larsson then scored the decisive overtime goal after 2:41 to secure Brynäs IF’s advancement.
Brynäs IF could potentially face another Swiss team in the quarterfinals, as they will take on either the Zurich Lions or KalPa Kuopio of Finland. The first leg between Zurich and KalPa ended in a 4-4 draw on Finnish ice, with the return leg scheduled for Wednesday.
ats/tzing
