Read below for information on the Round of 32 series between ZSC Lions Zurich and Grizzlys Wolfsburg. Zurich won 9-3 to advance to the Round of 16.
Preview
The regular-season winners from Switzerland face the finalists from Germany in this match-up between ZSC Lions Zurich and Grizzlys Wolfsburg. Zurich, the original CHL champs, are well-versed in international hockey, while this is all new to Wolfsburg, but they showed in the group stage that you can go far on hard work. If both teams stick to their game plans, this will be a low-scoring series. While both teams can score, the Wolfsburg lineup is more top-heavy, whereas Zurich's attack is a lot more balanced, making it harder to stop. Zurich go in as the clear favourites, but after their group-stage, Wolfsburg will certainly have it in mind to slay another giant.
Closer look: ZSC Lions Zurich
(3-1-0-0, 8 points, 11:3, 1st in Group D)
Cohesive team play, stingy defence, great goaltending and timely scoring were the reasons that the ZSC Lions dominated Group D. Their sweep of the home-and-away with ERC Ingolstad by scores of 2-0 and 4-1 didn't shock anybody, but taking five of six points from Lukko Rauma was impressive. First in Finland they built up a 2-0 lead in the first period, then let it get away in the third before winning in a shootout. To prove that was no fluke, they shut out last year's CHL semi-finalists 2-0 back in Switzerland. There's no doubt that they're the favourites against Wolfsburg, but the German club has pulled off a couple of upsets already, so the Lions will have to make sure they stay on their A-game.
Chris
Baltisberger
3+1, +3
Top Forward & CRAMO Top Scorer: Chris Baltisberger had a great start to this year's CHL season – twice he scored the game-winning goal and he has improved overall compared to last season. Playing on the same line with Robert Nilsson has helped both players with Nilsson the set-up man and Baltisberger the goal-scorer. Nilsson was the Lions' top scorer last season, and both have 3 points after four games this year, as does Roman Wick. The Lions benefited from balanced scoring during the group stage, which makes them hard to stop.
Severin
Blindenbacher
1+1, +2
Top Defenceman: 33-year-old Severin Blindenbacher has been a solid defender for the Lions over the last decade with three NLA titles, a CHL title in 2008-09 and a World Championship silver medal in 2013. He also played a season each with Farjestad Karlstad in Sweden and the Texas Stars in the USA during that time. Next to captain Mathias Seger, he's the most experienced defenceman on a team that has many young d-men that need the guidance and experience he provides.
Lukas
Flueler
98.33 %
Top Goaltender: Lukas Flueler has been the Lions' starting goalie since 2010-11, but the past year has been an up and down for 27-year-old goaltender. After a great start in the NLA last season, an injury kept him away from the game for eight weeks. His comeback didn't last very long – 25 minutes into the game, he had to leave the ice once again and didn't return until the first round of the playoffs, where the Lions lost to SC Bern in four straight games. This year, he seems stronger than ever and the injury shouldn't be a problem, he has assured multiple times. He was nearly unbeatable in the CHL group stage, allowing just one goal against in three games.
Click here for team statistics.
Closer look: Grizzlys Wolfsburg
(2-0-0-2, 6 points, 11:10, 2nd in Group A)
Grizzlys Wolfsburg defied the odds by making it to the CHL, much less making the Round of 32. In their first game against defending champions Frolunda Gothenburg, they served notice that they were no pushovers with a surprisingly close 2-1 loss. Next came a bigger surprise with a dominant performance over Dynamo Pardubice and a 6-0 win. They followed that up, however, with a dismal showing in the return encounter in Pardubice, losing 6-1. That set up a situation where they needed a win in their last game in Gothenburg. They got an early 2-0 lead, Frolunda came back to tie it, but Wolfsburg won it on Brent Aubin's late goal. Having beaten a the Swedish and CHL champs, the Grizzlys will be confident against Zurich, but it's going to take a maximum effort, and they can't afford any let-downs like they had in Pardubice.
Brent
Aubin
2+4, +1
Top Forward & CRAMO Top Scorer: With 6 points in the group stage, Brent Aubin recorded two more points than anyone else on Grizzlys Wolfsburg. The 30-year-old Canadian is entering his fourth year in Wolfsburg and eighth year in Europe. In his first two seasons with the Grizzlys he put up big numbers – 40 and 35 points, respectively. Last year that dropped to 17, but his production picked up in the playoffs with 10 points, helping the Grizz reach the DEL Finals. His pace so far this season seems to show a return to form. Aubin has a good shot, and is primarily a goal-scoring winger. So far in the CHL, though, Sebatian Furchner leads the team with 3 goals.
Jeff
Likens
0+3, +3
Top Defenceman: Like Aubin, American defenceman Jeff Likens is in his fourth season in Wolfsburg, and ninth season in Germany. At 31 years of age, the 2004 World Junior Champion (USA) and 2006 NCAA champion (Wisconsin) plays a well-rounded game and can be physical, responsible in his own end, blocks shots and is a great passer. He plays on the power play and kills penalties. Last year he contributed 7 points (4+3) in the Grizzlys' 15-game run to the DEL Finals, and had 3 assists in the group stage of the CHL. Overall, though, the Grizzlys don't get a lot of offence from their defence, with only 1 goal during the group stage.
Felix
Brueckmann
80.65%
Top Goaltender: Felix Brueckmann and Sebastian Vogl each played twice during the group stage and Vogl's numbers were far superior, twice limiting a dangerous Frolunda squad to 2 goals, while Brueckmann shut out Pardubice once and got lit up in the other game. Vogl, 30, is entering his fifth season in Wolfsburg and was the team's starting goaltender in 2013-14, but has seen his workload decrease two straight seasons with the emergence of Brueckmann. It was Brueckmann who led the team all the way to the DEL Finals last spring and was Germany's third-string goalie at the World Championship in Russia, not playing any games. It could go either way, and we'll possibly see both in the series, but despite the numbers from the group stage, Brueckmann seems to be the No. 1.