Djurgården – Davos 6:0 (end) | Skellefteå – Kuopio 4:0 (end) | Frölunda – Pardubice 5:2 (end)
Nitra – HC Pilsen 2:1 (end) | Tappara – Lugano 1:3 (end) | Sheffield – HV71 2:5 (end)
final
Tappara Tampere
1:3 (1:2, 0:1, 0:0)
HC Lugano
Saturday 27.08.2016, 18:00 • Hakametsä • Champions League • Group C
     
    Welcome. Game starts at 18:00.
     
    After two games each, Group C is completely knotted up at thre points each, with all three teams beating each other in regulation time. On Saturday night, Tappara Tampere play their first home game of the competition against HC Lugano, and the two teams will begin the process of untying the knot – or not.
     
    Teams warming up. Half an hour till the puck drops in game between Tappara and Lugano.
     
    Starting lineups:

    Tappara Tampere: Lassila (Hrachovina) – Rouhiainen, Saravo, Salonen, Kemiläinen, Elorinne, Rantakari, Sammalkangas – Honkanen, Nurmi, Savinainen, Ilomäki, Lajunen, Haapala, Karjalainen, Roymark, Rauhala, Järvinen, Jasu, Peltola, Peltonen

    HC Lugano: Merzlikins (Manzato) – Vauclair, Ronchetti, Hirschi, Ulmer, Chiesa, Sartori, Sondell – Mårtensson, Bertaggia, Hofmann, Fazzini, Zackrisson, Morini, Reuille, Sannitz, Gardner, Klasen, Buergler, Walker, Brunner

    Referees: Kaukokari (FIN), Oskirko (RUS) – Heinonen, Neva (both FIN).
     
    00:01
    Game started.
     
    1:49
    Tappara with a good start. Merzlikins starts with a few good saves.
     
    01:58
    Goal for Lugano!
    Scorer is ALESSIO BERTAGGIA. Assisted by Ryan Gardner.
    01:58 BERTAGGIA - 0:1
     
    02:37
    Tappara controls the puck, but Lugano got a goal from their first attack.
     
    03:54
    Goal for Lugano!
    Scorer is DAMIEN BRUNNER. Assisted by Alessandro Chiesa.
    03:54 BRUNNER - 0:2
     
    05:11
    Lugano has now had two opportunities to score and they have 2-0 lead now.
     
    08:30
    Goal for Tappara!
    Scorer is VALTTERI KEMILÄINEN. Assisted by Pekka Saravo, Jan-Mikael Järvinen. Defenceman Kemiläinen gets the puck in the middle, takes a few steps towards the goal and shoots a wrister in the net.
    08:30 KEMILÄINEN - 1:2
     
    09:07
    Penalty for HC Lugano (Morini – 2 min., tripping).
     
    11:07
    Visiting team at full strength.
     
    16:39
    Morini uses too much stick against Rantakari, who falls down.
     
    18:18
    Gardner checks too aggressively from behind and gets to go to the penalty box.
     
    19:20
    Tappara had a chance with 5 against 3 for a while, but could not come up with a goal.
     
    20:00
    1st period finished.Tappara controlled the game and the puck, but Lugano capitalised their chances better than the home team.
     
    20:01
    Start of 2nd period.
     
    20:21
    Lugano comes to Tappara´s zone. After a sloppy shot Lassila catches the puck.
     
    20:55
    Another nice save with the glove by Lassila. Brunner shot from the point.
     
    22:38
    Elorinne with a huge opportunity to score, but Merzlikins handles the puck even without his stick.
     
    22:41
    Another penalty for tripping for Lugano. Careless stick using tonight from the away team.
     
    26:22
    Rouhiainen gets to the point and shoots, but Merzlikins takes a firm save.
     
    27:03
    Bertaggia gets away from Tappara¨s defence, but misses the net widely.
     
    29:31
    Game chances all the time from end of the ice to another. Fast game, but not that much intensity.
     
    31:25
    Both goalies have had a pretty easy period this far. Shots coming far and without visual barriers.
     
    34:35
    Goal for Lugano!
    Lugano gets two goals ahead as defenseman JULIEN VAUCLAIR scores just after a confusing phase in the game. Assisted by: Patrik Zackrisson, Gregory Hofmann.
     
    34:45
    Neither of the teams have managed to take control in the second half of the second period. Puck bounces a lot and organized plays are far apart.
     
    36:51
    Tappara is leading the shots quite a much, but still it doesn't affect to the game. Home team does not get in the first class scoring positions.
     
    39:05
    Lugano stays on the game well. Tappara does not get to rumble on the offencive zone as much as they probably wanted.
     
    40:00
    2nd period finished.
     
    40:01
    Start of 3rd period.
     
    40:42
    Haapala falls on Merzlikins. For a while seems like the latvian hurts himself, but gets up healthy.
     
    42:42
    Merzlikins struggles to handle the puck as Roymark comes after it when it bounced to the goal.
     
    43:08
    Merzlikins has been in a good shape in tonights match. Just a few pucks have dropped in front of him. Good goaltender also need a bit of luck.
     
    46:52
    Tappara pressures hard. Even defencemen drive deep into Lugano´s zone.
     
    48:02
    Lugano has put a total defending mode on. They only try to create counter attacks at this point.
     
    49:57
    Savinainen with a slapshot, but straight to Merzlikins´jersey.
     
    52:31
    Honkanen breaks through, but puts the puck over the net.
     
    54:36
    Tappara has difficulties to get control of the puck. Lugano is all right now.
     
    56:43
    Few minutes to go: Lugano moves the puck around and Tappara chases as well as they can.
     
    59:30
    Tappara takes a time out.
     
    59:59
    Points go to Switzerland with goals 1-3.
     
    Game over.
     
    Tappara and Lugano gave to the audience a fast-skating game. Both teams capitalised their scoring chances especially in the first period. Through the game there was not too many huge opportunities for goals, also because both teams played strong defensively.

    Coach comments
    Tappara´s head coach Jussi Tapola: "It always feels bad to lose. We have now played three games and won only one, so the results have not been such as we wanted. Although, in this phase of season we try to develop our game every night.

    Tapola thinks that some things have developed in their gameplay, but some downfalls too.

    "We have a new team and we have good vibes in our locker room. I am very satisfied with our new players coming in to the team."

    Lugano's head coach Doug Shedden was happy for the victory in the match.

    "We were not happy about losing to Tappara in our home ice. Tonight the players paid a little extra on the ice for our victory."

    "We changed a few things for tonights game – for example our forechecking. Those changes seemed to work tonight."

    The opinions about the CHL variate a lot between different teams. Shedden says Lugano players really enjoy the opportunity of international games.

    "Maybe the games are played a little early. I do not want to play hockey in August. Fans are still at their cottages and vacation trips."

    "I am a huge fan of CHL. I love to see it work. It probably won´t grow as big as soccer, but still it is awesome. Not just another exhibition tournament."

    "These games mean something to us and we are excited about our success. This team is very motivated for playing in CHL."

    CHL is also often seen as a preparation for national leagues. Shedden admits the claim.

    "The preparation is better, when you have these games where you have to get motivated and you want to do your best. It gets you ready for the season faster." (20:50:10)
    Recommend
    Commentary by

    Lassi Seppä

    CZ@@lassiseppa

    Goals & lineups Match log
    Goals and assists: 9. Kemiläinen (Saravo, Järvinen) – 2. Bertaggia (Gardner), 4. Brunner (Chiesa), 35. Vauclair (Zackrisson, Hofmann)

    Tappara Tampere: Lassila (Hrachovina) – Rouhiainen, Saravo, Salonen, Kemiläinen, Elorinne, Rantakari, Sammalkangas – Honkanen, Nurmi, Savinainen, Ilomäki, Lajunen, Haapala, Karjalainen, Roymark, Rauhala, Järvinen, Jasu, Peltola, Peltonen
    HC Lugano: Merzlikins (Manzato) – Vauclair, Ronchetti, Hirschi, Ulmer, Chiesa, Sartori, Sondell – Mårtensson, Bertaggia, Hofmann, Fazzini, Zackrisson, Morini, Reuille, Sannitz, Gardner, Klasen, Buergler, Walker, Brunner
    Referees: Kaukokari, Oskirko – Heinonen, Neva
    Attendance: 3441