State of play in Group C: JYP & Zug in best shape, but all teams still alive
JYP & Zug are both in control of their own destiny (Photo: Jiri Halttunen)
Group C is one of three groups where no teams have qualified for the next round yet, but a couple are close. JYP Jyväskylä and EV Zug can both clinch if they win on Gameday 5 – in fact, JYP need just a point. Neman Grodno and the Vienna Capitals both still have a chance, but they'll have to win both remaining games.
| Group C | Pts | GP | W | OW | L | OL | GF | GA | Dif |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 10 | + 3 | |
2. EV Zug | 8 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 10 | + 4 |
3. Neman Grodno | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 15 | – 2 |
| 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 16 | – 5 |
What's at stake:
JYP
- need only 1 point from their final two games against Neman Grodno to secure a spot in the Round of 16.
- If they fail to get that point at home on Tuesday, they'll get another chance on Gameday 6 in Belarus.
- could potentially secure top spot in the group on Tuesday with a regulation win combined with an EV Zug loss.
Zug
- have 1 fewer point than JYP, so they need 2 points to secure advancement.
- If they don't get them in Vienna on Tuesday, they'll have another chance at home on Gameday 6.
Neman
- will advance if they win both games against JYP in regulation time.
- If they drop one point along the way, they could still potentially get in depending how the two Vienna–Zug games go. If they drop two, they can forget it.
- must win in Jyväskylä on Tuesday. If they win in regulation time, they will go into Gameday 6 with a chance.
- If they need overtime or a shootout, then they would no longer be able to catch JYP, and therefore would have to hope that Zug lose in regulation to stay at 8 points, as Zug hold the head-to-head tiebreaker with Neman – Neman would win the head-to-head tiebreaker with Vienna on the basis of winning in overtime in their meeting in Grodno as opposed the Capitals' shootout win in Vienna – both games were 5-4.
Vienna
- must win both games against Zug in regulation time AND hope that JYP get at least 2 points against Neman.
- If they win in regulation time at home to Zug on Tuesday, they will go into Gameday 6 with a chance.
- Anything less than a regulation win will end their chances of advancing.
Gameday 5:
JYP Jyväskylä vs Neman Grodno, Tuesday 3 October, 18:00 CET/19:00 EET, LähiTapiola Areena.
Vienna Capitals vs EV Zug, Tuesday 3 October, 19:30 CET, Albert Schultz Eishalle.