While the Champions Hockey League is approaching the final rounds of its group stage, last weekend saw the majority of European leagues take to the ice across the continent. Each week we’ll keep you updated as to how they’re going and, specifically, how the teams taking part in this year’s CHL are getting on in their own domestic competitions.
by Luke Fisher
Here’s how things have started so far for the 44 CHL clubs in their 10 respective leagues.
Austria
Tradition in the EBEL is that the playoff finalists from the previous season meet to open the season – cue the visit of HC Bolzano to Red Bull Salzburg on opening night. The win for Salzburg won’t avenge last year’s playoff heartbreak, but coupled with a win at Orli Znojmo of the Czech Republic, Red Bull took the maximum six points on their opening weekend. Bolzano meanwhile returned to home ice for their next game, only to be blanked 3–0 by Villach SV, making a disappointing start to the season for the Italian side. Villach played both of their opening games on the road, at opposite ends of the league’s geography – their trip to Bolzano was preceded with a visit to Alba Volan Szekesfehervar in Hungary, where they lost 4–3. The Vienna Capitals made a perfect start to the season, with a 3–2 win in Znojmo followed by a home win against the league's Hungarian club 6–3.
Denmark
SonderjyskE Vojens’s first and only league game of the season saw them get off to a flying start, taking apart the Herlev Eagles 7–0. They face Odense this weekend, before CHL Game Day 5 begins.
France
Just one game so far as well for Briancon Diables Rouges of the Ligue Magnus in France, where the Red Devils lost narrowly at home to Amiens. After two scoreless periods, the home team tied the game at one with under 10 minutes left, only for Amiens to score the game-winner with just over five minutes to play.
Germany
In the DEL, Adler Mannheim and ERC Ingolstadt, who have both already been in CHL action, met in Mannheim for both teams’ first game of the season. Adler ran away 5–2 winners, but were in the receiving end of the same score to another CHL team, Krefeld Pinguine, on Sunday night. Krefeld were happy to get back to winning ways after an opening-day loss to the Iserlohn Roosters 4–2. The Hamburg Freezers had a disappointing start to their campaign, losing at home to Munich 6–3 and then away to Düsseldorf 6–3. It wasn’t much better for Kolner Haie either, losing in Straubing 3–2 and then at home to Wolfsburg 4–1. The only consolation for Koln was that their loss in Straubing was in overtime, and thus got them a point. A loss in Augsburg for Eisbären Berlin was quickly corrected with a home win against the Straubing Tigers 5–1, while ERC Ingolstadt’s miserable weekend was completed when they lost 4–2 at home to Augsburg.
Czech Republic
The opening weekend of the Czech Extraliga also saw two CHL sides meet, with Ocelari Trinec needing two third period goals to beat Pardubice 2–1. Trinec followed this up with a 6–1 win over Olomouc in their second game, while Pardibuce bounced back with a 4–3 win over BK Mlada Boleslav. PSG Zlin’s opening day saw them lose at home to Mlada Boleslav, while elsewhere Bili Tygri Liberec and Vitkovice Ostrava both suffered 5–3 home losses. Sparta Prague bucked the trend with a 3–1 home win over Plzen, but went down to Mountfield HK 3–1 in round two, which also saw Liberec lose to Slavia Prague 3–2. Ostrava got their first points on the board with a 4–3 win against Karlovy Vary.
Round three in the Czech Republic saw wins for Ostrava (3–1 over Brno) and Pardubice (4–2 over Slavia Prague). Liberec got themselves on the board with a 2–1 win over Mountfield HK. Sparta Prague suffered a 4–3 loss at home to Mlada Boleslav, while Zlin went down 3–2 in Olomouc.
Finland
The 40th season of Finland’s Liiga is already well underway, with teams having played between three and five games since the league started a few weeks ago. IFK Helsinki lead the way, having won all of their games so far, with Lukko Rauma, already so dominant in the CHL, winless after three. JYP Jyvaskyla and SaiPa Kuopio are tied for third with two wins and a loss each from their opening games, while Tappara Tampere currently occupy ninth in the table following a win, a draw, and two losses from their four games so far. TPS Turku sit third-last for now, having just one win on the board.
Great Britain
With arguably the best preparation for an Elite League season by any team ever, the Nottingham Panthers’ CHL adventure helped them get off to a winning start last weekend over the Cardiff Devils. This weekend they face the Sheffield Steelers in one of the biggest derby games in UK hockey.
Norway
The two GET Ligaen sides entered in the CHL both had indifferent starts to the campaign, with a win and a loss each. The Stavanger Oilers opened their regular season with a 4–2 win over Frisk Asker, but lost on the road 6–3 to Sparta Sarpsborg in round two. Valerenga Oslo lost 4–2 at home to the Storhamar Dragons, but then recorded a road win at Lorenskog IK by the same score. Lillehammer IK are the only team with a perfect record after two games.
Slovakia
The sole Slovak representatives in this year’s CHL, HC Kosice have had a good start to the season – going unbeaten in three games so far. Wins over HK Dukla Trencin and HK Dukla Trencin in regulation time, and MHC Martin in a shootout, see them tied for second so far.
Switzerland
The NLA kicked off on 10 September, with ZSC Lions Zurich’s 4–1 win over the Rapperswil-Jona Lakers. The Lions are now the early pace-setters, with three wins out of four so far – their only loss coming away to fellow CHL entrants Fribourg-Gotteron, 4–3. That win was one of few highlights in the season so far for Fribourg, who have only managed a draw and an overtime loss in their other two games. EV Zug sit nicely in mid-table with two wins (over Rapperswil-Jona, and Davis on penalty shots) so far, their only loss coming against ZSC earlier this week. Two other CHL teams met in their opening game – Geneve-Servette skating to a 3–2 win in Kloten over the Flyers. Geneve lost their next game at home to Lugano on penalty shots, but followed it up with a shootout win over Biel. Kloten, meanwhile, have suffered three straight losses – going down 4–0 in Lausanne, and then suffering an 8–3 thumping in Davos. SC Bern, famed for a big road loss in the CHL, have gone about their business quietly so far, picking up two home wins (one after OT) and a loss on penalty shots in their opening games.
Sweden
Sweden’s SHL is another league that got going several weeks ago, and so far the league table makes good reading for Lulea as they sit top of the pile with eight points from three games – a shootout win over Skelleftea, the only blot of their book, was followed by wins away to Farjestad Karlstad and Orebro. Fellow CHL entrants, the Vaxjo Lakers, have also had an impressive start, and have six points following a win over HV71 Jonkoping, however their next two games went to penalty shots resulting in a loss to Djurgarden Stockholm but a win over Brynas Gavle. Frolunda Gothenburg occupy third place, with five points despite only having played two games, while Djurgarden’s 4–1 win over Leksands IF put them in fourth. The only defeat for the Stockholm side came in Linkoping which, in turn, was the host's only victory so far and sees them in 10th place. Skelleftea AIK have a win and a penalty shot loss from their opening pair of games, while HV71 and Farjestad trail them by a point with a win and a loss.