The Swiss are 1-1 following last week’s action, and after flying high with a convincing win against Fehérvár AV19 it would be an OT defeat at the hands of GKS Katowice that would bring them back down to Earth.

In their first contest against Katowice, ZSC Lions Zurich had chances early in each stanza but had a difficult time breaking through. The Poles did a great job frustrating the Swiss and John Murray was excellent in net, staving off an onslaught of shots. Eventually, Zurich cashed in midway through the game but Katowice managed to tie it up with less than ten minutes to go in regulation. The ensuing extra session wouldn’t go the Swiss side’s way as Grzegorz Pasiut played hero in front of his home crowd.

As they prepare for their rematch with the Polish side, Zurich will need to do a better job at converting on their opportunities. Their special teams will need to be a focal point as their first match saw them go 0-3 with the man-advantage.

Katowice continued to be a thorn in their opponents’ side. Even while Zurich were enjoying the lion’s share of the chances, Katowice continued to keep pace with the Swiss. This was in large part thanks to the phenomenal play of their veteran netminder who stood on his head the entire night.

With one win against their upcoming opponents, the Poles will have to start on time, especially with Zurich having the home ice advantage. Katowice will also need better support for their netminder; this means converting on their opportunities and maintaining pressure in the offensive zone.