Read below for more information about the Round of 32 series between ZSC Lions Zurich and Sparta Prague. Sparta won 6–2 on aggregate to advance to the Round of 16. 

Game 1

Sparta Prague had a huge first half of the game on home ice, scoring 3 times in the first 28 minutes to take a commanding 3–0 over visiting Zurich. However, the visiting ZSC Lions managed to claw back with a goal in each of the last two periods to make the final score 3–2, setting up a return leg back home where they begin trailing by only 1 goal. Jan Buchtele scored twice for Sparta, both assisted by Martin Reway – one of them a highlight-reel goal – while Auston Matthews had 1 assist for Zurich in his much-anticipated CHL debut. 

“We played a really hard game against a difficult opponent, so we are proud of the victory,” said Sparta coach Josef Jandac. “The score 3–0 looked much better, but then me made some individual mistakes on defence. I think our performance was solid and disciplined, so we’ll see whether it was enough for us to qualify for the next round. It's always better to go to the next game with a lead.”

“Only about a half of our team was playing well tonight,” said a somewhat disappointed Zurich coach Marc Crawford afterward. “The Czech team played at the level they needed to. Sparta have older players, smarter players. They have a good passion with the puck and they took the advantage of the people behind. We made a lot of mistakes, we can definitely play better. However, it was really good learning experience for the young guys.”  

GAME HIGHLIGHTS | LIVE BLOG & STATS

Preview

ZSC Lions Zurich versus Sparta Prague marks what will surely be one of the more visible series of the Round of 32, featuring well-known clubs from two of Central Europe's most prominent cities. What's more, it features two young players who who are two of the more prominent young prospects according to NHL scouts – Sparta's 20-year-old sniper Martin Reway and Zurich's just-turned-18 phenom Auston Matthews. But of course there's a lot more to these teams than that. Both teams are loaded with talent up front and are known for playing similar high-tempo styles, which should make this an exciting two-game set for the fans of both teams. 

Closer look: ZSC Lions Zurich

(4-0-0-0, 12 points, 20:10, 1st in Group P)

ZSC are eight-time Swiss champions and were the 2009 European champions after they won the original Champions League. That year, they played a memorable game at Sazka Arena (now O2 Arena) where they had to beat hosts Slavia Prague in regulation time to advance, and scored four goals in the third period to do so. Therefore, the club has happy memories of the arena they'll visit in game one. Although they didn't get out of their group in last year's CHL, they did finish first in the Swiss NLA regular season and made it to the national finals, so this is obvously a team to be reckoned with. This year, they escaped the CHL's group stage with a perfect record intact, taking the maximum 12 points available, and outscoring their opposition 20–10. They opened with a surprisingly narrow victory over Les Rapaces in Gap, thanks to a Thomas Foucault hat-trick. Their home victory over Gap was convincing, but both wins over Eisbaren Berlin were close in the third period. The Sparta team that they now have to face now might give them more resistance than either the Gap or Berlin in Group P did. 

Robert

Nilsson

0+7, +4

 

Top Forward & CRAMO Top Scorer: With Robert Nilsson, the ZSC Lions have found themselves a top scorer who has not scored a goal during this CHL season yet but has assisted on 7 occasions in 4 games. He’s already topped last season where he managed 2 goals and 4 points. So we should be watching out for the 30-year-old Swede, who found his place in the fourth line for further assists, who knows, maybe he can add a goal to that impressive collection.

 

Jonas

Siegenthaler

1+1, +3

 

Top Defenceman: Jonas Siegenthaler had a busy summer. Attending the NHL draft, taking part in the development camp of the Washington Capitals the young defenceman finds himself on the Lions' second defence pair and doing a great job. While his last game against Eisbaren Berlin wasn’t very spectacular, the fact that Coach Marc Crawford relied on him during last season’s playoffs speaks for the youngster's ability to handle the pressure of playing against grown men and defend his zone with his defence partner Severin Blindenbacher.

 

Lukas

Flueler

92.06%

 

Top Goaltender: Lukas Flueler has been the number-one goalie within the ZSC Lions organization, and it’s most likely to remain that way. He’s a product of the talent pool the Lions can recruit from every year. He’s ranked 18th out of all CHL goalies with an impressive save percentage of 92.06. The Lions will have to further rely on their goalie if they want to advance to the next round.

 

Click here for team statistics.

Closer look: Sparta Prague

(2-0-1-1, 7 points, 12:10, 2nd in Group M)

Sparta are also eight-time national champions and have finished as European runners-up twice – in 2000 and 2008. In last year's CHL they won their group before falling in the Round of 16 to Linkoping HC on a goal in the dying seconds. They advanced through Group M this year as expected, although how the group actually finished was far from anybody's expectations, with unheralded Storhamar Hamar finishing on top. After escaping with a narrow win in Norway to open the group, Sparta lost at home to Storhamar on a last-minute goal. They took four of six points from Geneve-Servette, losing in overtime in Switzerland and winning at home in a big game to qualify for the next round, thanks to a big two-goal performance from Reway. Now they face another Swiss club, although ZSC are generally a stronger club domestically in the Swiss NLA, so the challenge ahead of them is more difficult than what they've faced so far.

Martin

Reway

2+2, -2

 

Top Forward & CRAMO Top Scorer: Sparta did quite well on offence in Group M, but of course can do better. Expectations are definitely higher, especially on the power play. And as their attack is very balanced, it doesn’t matter who’s on the ice – whether the combination of Reway-Hlinka or Buchtele-Netik. Martin Reway with Jaroslav Hlinka dominated in the last game against Geneve, with Reway scoring twice and Hlinka, Sparta’s cult player, assisting once. Both duos are easily noticeable on the ice when in top form.

Adam

Polasek

1+1, -1

 

Top Defenceman: On this offensive-minded team, even the defence like to join the attack. Right now the team's biggest problem on defence is injuries. Sparta will play Game 1 without three of their regular d-men – Eminger, Piskacek and Svrcek are out – so they will have some young players on the back end. Adam Polasek and Michal Cajkovsky made a good impression during the group stage, and will be expected to carry the load.

 

Tomas

Popperle

91.38 %

 

Top Goaltender: It’s said that the most difficult job in the Czech Extraliga is to be a goalie in Sparta’s net. Sparta struggled in this position last season, but everyone hopes that after Tomas Popperle’s return this problem will be solved. Because of the offensive style of the Prague team, his job is never easy, but with a 91.38 save precentage  in the group stage, he's done a decent job so far.

 

Click here for team statistics.

Related Links

15.09.2015 – Interview: ZSC Lions rookie Auston Matthews on everyone's expectations: “I think mine will far exceed theirs”

06.09.2015 – Interview: Sparta's 2-goal scorer Reway: “I knew what to do” on penalty shot