Game Day 5 opened with three teams in contention in Group C but now there are two. Frolunda Gothenburg and Geneve-Servette enter the last round of the group stage tied atop the group, although it's highly probable that both teams will advance to the next round.
by Derek O'Brien
Entering Game Day 5, Group C was a three-horse race. Frolunda Gothenburg and Geneve-Servette were tied with nine points, while Villach SV were three back with six, and in a position to pull even with Geneve with a home-ice victory.
That didn't happen, however, as visiting Geneve were utterly dominant, firing 54 shots on goal and running roughshod over their Austrian hosts by a 5–0 score. Kevin Romy scored twice and Matt D'Agostini contributed three assists, while Christophe Bays recorded the 28-save shutout. The win temporarily moved Geneve three points up on Frolunda, who faced Briancon the following day.
Frolunda had no difficulty matching Geneve's victory with a dominant win of their own, out-shooting the Briancon Diables Rouges 55–13 and out-scoring the French squad 6–2. Andreas Johnsson scored four goals and added one assist and Cramo Top Scorer Mathis Olimb added a goal and three assists. With another offensive surge, Olimb and Johnsson remain first and second in CHL scoring with 17 and 16 points, respectively. Ian McDonald scored Briancon's first goal and assisted on the second.
After Game Day 5's results, three horses have been reduced to two, as Geneve and Frolunda are neck-and-neck with 12 points each. On 7 October, Frolunda play in Villach, while Geneve host Briancon. By virtue of a better goal difference in their two head-to-head encounters, Frolunda hold the tie-breaker against Geneve, which means if the teams earn an equal number of points on Game Day 6, the Swedish squad will finish first place.
It is highly probable that Frolunda and Geneve will both advance to the final 16, but it's not guaranteed. They both need at least one point to punch their tickets to the next round – that would mean that, even if they finish second, 13 points would be enough to definitely be one of the top five second-place teams. Even with a regulation loss, 12 points will probably be enough, but it's not a guarantee at this point. The possibilities are explained in detail below.
Group C standings
| Team | GP | W | OTW | OTL | L | GF:GA | GDF | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frolunda Gothenburg | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 28:12 | +16 | 12 |
| Geneve-Servette | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 23:14 | +9 | 12 |
| Villach SV | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10:16 | -6 | 6 |
| Briancon Diables Rouges | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 7:26 | -19 | 0 |
Schedule and results
| Date | Time | Group | Home | Away | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21.08.2014 | 19:45 | Group C | Briancon Diables Rouges | Villach SV | 1:2 (1:0, 0:0, 0:2) |
| 21.08.2014 | 19:45 | Group C | Geneve-Servette | Frolunda Gothenburg | 4:3 (1:0, 2:0, 1:3) |
| 23.08.2014 | 19:45 | Group C | Briancon Diables Rouges | Frolunda Gothenburg | 1:7 (0:0, 1:4, 0:3) |
| 23.08.2014 | 19:45 | Group C | Geneve-Servette | Villach SV | 4:2 (0:2, 2:0, 2:0) |
| 04.09.2014 | 19:30 | Group C | Villach SV | Briancon Diables Rouges | 4:1 (2:0, 2:1, 0:0) |
| 04.09.2014 | 20:05 | Group C | Frolunda Gothenburg | Geneve-Servette | 7:3 (3:0, 3:3, 1:0) |
| 06.09.2014 | 19:45 | Group C | Briancon Diables Rouges | Geneve-Servette | 2:7 (1:0, 1:4, 0:3) |
| 07.09.2014 | 14:35 | Group C | Frolunda Gothenburg | Villach SV | 5:2 (1:1, 2:0, 2:1) |
| 23.09.2014 | 19:30 | Group C | Villach SV | Geneve-Servette | 0:5 (0:0, 0:2, 0:3) |
| 24.09.2014 | 20:05 | Group C | Frolunda Gothenburg | Briancon Diables Rouges | 6:2 (2:0, 1:1, 3:1) |
| 07.10.2014 | 19:30 | Group C | Villach SV | Frolunda Gothenburg | |
| 07.10.2014 | 19:45 | Group C | Geneve-Servette | Briancon Diables Rouges |
Game Day 6 possibilities
For an explanation of how the final 16 teams are determined, click here.
Frolunda Gothenburg: away vs Villach. Clinch 1st place with 3 points, or with equal or greater points than Geneve earn. At minimum, 2nd place wild-card guaranteed with 1 point. 2nd place wild-card probable, but not guaranteed, with 0 points. Hold tie-beaker vs Geneve.
Geneve-Servette: home vs Briancon. Clinch 1st place with greater points than Frolunda earn. At minimum, 2nd place wild-card guaranteed with 1 point. 2nd place wild-card probable, but not guaranteed, with 0 points. Lose tie-breaker vs Frolunda.