Men's Ice Hockey IIHF European Champions Hockey League 2024 - 2025

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Best of the Best Ready to Battle in Zurich: CHL Final 2025 Preview

 

Switzerland's ZSC Lions Zurich will suit up against Sweden's Färjestad Karlstad as the two clubs battle it out on the Champions Hockey League's biggest stage for the European Trophy.

 

Zurich advanced after taking down fellow Swiss challenger Genève-Servette in the Semi-Finals with a 9-4 aggregate win while Färjestad overcame Czech side Sparta Prague with a 10-4 aggregate victory.

 

• Färjestad have been excellent on the road
• Zurich continue to find ways to win
• Star players could be the deciding factor for both clubs

 

A commanding First Game performance against the reigning CHL Champions helped secure Zurich's trip to the Final as they engineered a five-goal aggregate advantage that saw several of their top players continue to be effective in all situations.

 

The Swiss netted six goals, including two on the powerplay, before Genève were able to light the lamp in the third period as Sven Andrighetto and company were able to slice through Genève's defence with ease.

 

The Return Game was a much tamer affair, with both clubs securing three goals.

 

But thanks to solid netminding from Robin Zumbühl who stopped 24 of 27 on the night, Zurich were able to close out the series and secure a much-deserved trip to the Final.

 

Looking ahead, the Swiss will have the home-ice advantage and while they've been better on the road, their numbers at the Swiss Life Arena have been strong.

 

Stats-wise, they're currently tied with the Swedes in most areas: goals for per game with 4.08 while their defence sits slightly behind Färjestad's with 2.00 goals against per game compared to their opponents' 1.83. 

 

 

 

 

While neither club sports an advantage in any one category, Zurich's roster has some heavy hitters that could sway the game in their favour.

 

The aforementioned Andrighetto sits atop the league in points with eight goals and 12 assists for 20 points, while teammate Denis Malgin is in third place with six goals and 11 helpers for 17 points through ten games played.

 

Having the likes of the league's Top Scorers on your side will certainly be a comfort for a Swiss side that's about to face the league's best defence in Färjestad.

 

Much like the Swiss, Färjestad's First Game against Sparta gave them a multi-goal cushion that helped propel them past the Semi-Finals.

 

The Czechs kept it close through the first 20 minutes, but then in the middle frame, the Swedes extended their lead as Oskar Steen secured his club's second as Färjestad went on to net four more and to take it to 6-2.

 

Then on home ice, the home team picked up where they left off, netting their first of two powerplay goals as they smothered Sparta's offence all the while exposing the Czechs' defence for four more tallies en route to their tenth win of the season.

 

Who to look out for?

 

Sven Andrighetto, ZSC Lions Zurich

 

31-year-old Swiss international Sven Andrighetto and the CHL's Top Scorer heading into the Final has been a menace on Europe's biggest club ice hockey stage, racking up a whopping 20 points (8G, 12A) in 11 games played.

 

After almost bowing out to former CHL Champions Tappara Tampere in their Round of 16 series, Färjestad have now gone on to register multiple convincing wins starting with a 6-0 slashing of Red Bull Salzburg in the Quarter-Finals Return Game.

 

A big reason for this has been consistent play at both 5-on-5 as well as their lethal special teams play.

 

The Swedes showcased their third-ranked powerplay against Sparta to great success, securing a pair of powerplay tallies against the Czechs' fifth-ranked PK.

 

With so much talent up and down the roster for Färjestad, Zurich will need to be at the top of their game.

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Referees and Linesmen assigned for CHL Final

 

Top game officials from the German DEL, the Finnish Liiga and the ICE Hockey League will take charge of this season's Champions Hockey League Final.

 

The head referees for the CHL Final, which will be played on 18 February in Zurich (SUI), will be André Schrader (GER) and Riku Brander (FIN) – two of the very best referees in the German DEL and the Finnish Liiga respectively with many officiated games on an international level under their belt.

 

Schrader has been a pro head referee in the German DEL since 2017 and has officiated in five playoff finals since then.

 

On an international level, he was selected for the 2014 and the 2022 Olympic Games as well as for games at the IIHF World Ice Hockey Championship, the IIHF World Junior Championship and the IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship.

 

Furthermore, the German officiated the 2023 CHL Final as a head referee and the 2015 CHL Final as a linesman.

 

Brander has been a head referee in the Finnish Liiga since 2019 and turned into a pro in 2022.

 

He has officiated over 350 games including playoffs and the bronze medal game in 2024.

 

On an international level, Brander was selected for the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship 2024 in Czechia, as well as for two Olympic Qualification Final Tournaments and multiple IIHF Ice Hockey U20 and U18 World Championships.

 

Running the lines at the CHL Final in Zurich will be Oto Durmis (SVK) and Simon Rieken (AUT), both working for the ICE Hockey League.

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Don't miss! 

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Knockout Stage

 

The Final, Single Leg

Tuesday 18.02.2025 - Result

 

 

Lions Zürich (SUI) - Färjestad Karlstad (SWE)  2-1 (1-0, 1-0, 0-1)

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Knockout Stage

 

The Final, Single Leg

Tuesday 18.02.2025 - Highlights

 

Lions Zürich (SUI) - Färjestad Karlstad (SWE)

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NudsN3UZFpM

 

Edited February 19 by phelps

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Zurich fend off Färjestad to claim European Club Champions title

 

 

• Zurich defeat Färjestad to become CHL Champions
• Färjestad's inability to convert on special teams was costly
• Sven Andrighetto scored both goals for the Swiss

 

 

Sven Andrighetto scored twice, including the game-winner at 32:33, and Šimon Hrubec made 31 of 32 saves as ZSC Lions Zurich kept the European Trophy in Switzerland with a nail-biting 2-1 victory over Färjestad Karlstad.

 

The Swedes scored late to bring the game to within one, but a dominant defensive effort from the Swiss side helped secure their well-deserved win in the 2024/25 Champions Hockey League Final.

 

Both netminders were excellent through the first 20 minutes, but an opportune moment near the end of the frame enabled the Swiss to break the deadlock when Andrighetto slid a loose puck between the pads of Maxime Lagacé to open the scoring at 17:48. 

 

Dario Trutmann threw the initial shot on net as the puck ricocheted off several players before finding its way to the top of the blue paint where Andrighetto deposited the loose change to secure his ninth of the year.

 

Then in the second, it was Andrighetto again as the 31-year-old extended his club's lead with seven and a half to go in the middle frame.

 

Play developed as Denis Malgin skated the puck through neutral ice before dropping it off for Rudolfs Balcers who quickly dished it to Andrighetto in the near circle where he one-timed it past the Färjestad netminder to make it 2-0 in favour of the hosts.

 

The Swiss continued to put on a defensive clinic in the second, mitigating the Swedes' offensive pressure and minimising their high-danger chances.

 

Hrubec managed to turn aside all 20 Färjestad shots through the first two periods to keep his club's advantage heading into the third.

 

Still trailing by two, the Swedes were awarded their fourth powerplay of the night when Zurich's Malgin was called for Boarding at 50:59 and would make good on the ensuing man-advantage thanks to Per Åslund's second of the season and first since his goal on Game Day 1.

 

Off the face-off win, the puck found its way to David Tomášek who slid it towards the stick of Åslund who was parked at the top of the crease where he redirected it past Hrubec with less than ten minutes to play in regulation.

 

Desperate to find the equaliser, Färjestad pulled their netminder in the closing moments but Zurich's defence, spearheaded by Hrubec, pulled through as the Swiss fought off the Swedes' last-ditch effort to claim victory and be crowned European Club Champions.

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 Zürich's Sven Andrighetto won both the Top Scorer and MVP awards of the 2024/2025 CHL