Two experienced Champions Hockey League teams will face each other on Game Day 5 and four games in, they find themselves in very similar situations in the Race for the Playoffs. What better way to see who has what it takes than face to face?
- Just one point separates the two clubs in the Regular Season Standings
- First-ever meeting between the two
- Zug have won three, Lukko two games so far this season
Lukko Rauma started the season well with a home-ice win over a strong Lausanne HC side. A surprise loss to HC Bolzano followed, though it was a very close game that was decided with a last-minute goal, before the Finns recorded a win and a loss on Game Days 3 and 4.
Their last game against Pinguins Bremerhaven really saw them overstretch themselves as the Germans overcame a two-goal deficit to engineer a 3-2 win in the shootout.
What Lukko witnessed firsthand in that match-up was just how fragile a lead could be. After taking a 2-0 lead courtesy of Jami Krannila's powerplay marker, the Finns let their foot off the gas a bit and allowed Bremerhaven to claw their way back into the contest in the dying minutes. It would be sufficient to say a full 60-minute effort is the remedy here, but that's not the case.
As of now, the Finns are scoring 3.75 goals a game and only allowing 2.50. They're also in the top 10 among powerplay conversion. The real issue lies in their PK, which sits at 78.95%, leaving them in the seven lowest-performing teams. Tidying up their strategy when down a man would certainly help against a healthy Zug powerplay, that's currently tied for sixth place league-wide.
“Lukko Rauma features many young, up-and-coming players who bring a lot of energy and strong skating skills. They rely on a well-balanced team effort, with scoring spread across multiple lines. After a highly successful regular season, finishing in first place, they’ve proven to be a strong collective. Their game is structured, fast-paced, and played with plenty of power.”Michael Liniger, EV Zug Head Coach
EV Zug sank six past the Belfast Giants as they cruised to their third win of the campaign. Zug's offensive outburst that began with three tucks through the first 20 minutes against Belfast was the product of competent play that we've seen all season from the Swiss. Having scored three or more goals in each game has certainly helped their numbers as they currently sit atop the CHL in Goals For with 4.25.
Former NHLer Dominik Kubalík is currently leading the fray with five points (3G, 2A) through four contests. He was instrumental in their win over the Giants, netting two tallies, and has been a workhorse for his side with a TOI/GP of 16:52, behind fellow forwards Andreas Wingerli and Tomáš Tatar.
As they prepare for their upcoming contest against a tough Finnish squad, sustaining their productivity should be their top priority as they look to seal the deal on Playoffs qualification.
“A very high-quality team from the Swiss league. They have several top names from European leagues. A very tough test for us and a great benchmark of the top level in Europe.”Tomi Lämsä, Lukko Rauma Head Coach
With Playoffs qualification up for grabs, you don't want to miss this heated duel on Tuesday, 7 October at 17:30 CEST!