Tuesday’s results have seen the number of teams qualified for the 2019/20 Champions Hockey League season rise to 24. Grenoble Brûleurs de Loups emerged victorious from a fantastic French Ligue Magnus finals, whilst other semi-final results saw Augsburger Panther secure CHL qualification for the first time in their history.
The French finals were a seven-game thriller between Grenoble and Rouen Dragons. Les Brûleurs de Loups went into the title decider not having lost a game in their previous two series but faced a stern test against perennial contenders – Rouen. A back and forth series ensued, with Grenoble emerging victorious in stunning style in a game seven for the ages. Grenoble trailed 1-0 going into the final period, before Christophe Tartari and Damien Fleury scored to give Grenoble their seventh Ligue Magnus title in the team’s history. Consequently, Grenoble qualify for the CHL in 2019/20 as the French Champions.
Grenoble made their only previous Champions Hockey League appearance in 2015/16, where they were eliminated at the Group Stage. Drawn in a group with Finland’s Espoo Blues and the Czech Republic’s HC Litvínov, they began their campaign with three consecutive losses, before recording a historic victory over Espoo on Gameday 4.
The third and final German qualifier for the 2019/20 CHL season comes from Bavaria. Augsburger Panther are one of the oldest clubs in European hockey, founded in 1878. After missing the playoffs four of the last five seasons, the Bavarians turned their fortunes around in 2018/19. Der Panther finished third in the DEL regular season, and currently hold a 2-1 series lead over their state rivals Red Bull Munich in the semi-finals. However, their CHL qualification was secured today, following Kölner Haie’s elimination at the hands of Adler Mannheim. With Mannheim and Munich already qualified for the 2019/20 CHL campaign, Augsburger Panther have secured their place in Europe’s premier ice hockey competition due to finishing above Kölner Haie in the regular season.
The Champions Hockey League is looking forward to returning to the French Alps and welcoming a new team to the fold! The Race to Qualify for the 2019/20 season continues to heat up and up to six more qualifiers are possible in the coming days.