CHL gameday liveblog 20.08. (end) | CHL gameday liveblog 21.08. (end)
event end
CHL gameday liveblog 21.08.

Friday 21.08.2015, 11:00Champions Hockey League gameday liveblog
     
    Welcome. The live blog begins at 12:00 CET.
     
    Coming up for you today, we've got:

    17:30 IFK Helsinki – SC Bern
    18:00 Neman Grodno – Adler Mannheim
    18:30 HK Nitra – Skelleftea AIK
    19:30 Grenoble – HC Litvinov
     
    Just like yesterday, we'll keep you updated across all the games right here!
     
    Ahoy again hockey fans, and welcome to another day of CHL action! The countdown is on... 5hrs27 to go!
     
    There are a couple of interesting things to look out for tonight, namely that no side from France has ever registered a point in the CHL. Can Grenoble break that duck?

    Obviously no side from Belarus has done that either, but then they won't have played any games before tonight. Should Grodno get something against Mannheim though, that'll of course all change.
    How good is your hockey eye?

    Do you have an eye for hockey? Tell us which one of these three pucks is the real one!

    Posted by Champions Hockey League on Friday, 21 August 2015
    In case you were wondering exactly where Grodno is, check out the map helpfully provided by Mannheim!

    Salzburg are off now to Sweden in preparation of gameday two

     
    Lauri Tukonen scored the CHL's first hat-trick of the season yesterday in the opening game, as his TPS side defeated Linz 6-1.

    Check out what he had to say after the game!

    http://www.championshockeyleague.net/news/kallio-feed-tukonen-for-season-opening-natural-hat-trick/1137/
     
    Yesterday was a pretty emotional one for the team in Vojens, Denmark. Find out why: http://www.championshockeyleague.net/news/emotional-victory-for-s-nderjyske/1134/
    Preparations are underway in Grodno...

    Don't forget that last night the official CHL who was launched – you can get your hands on some of the awesome jerseys and more!

    Preparations are also underway in Pardubice ahead of the visit of Davos tomorrow... or is that their new D-tactic?

     
    Only an hour and a bit to go until we face off again! Who's excited?
    The teams are arriving in Grodno!

    SC Bern will be hitting the ice in Helsinki for warm-up in just over half an hour too!

    Do get in touch with us during the games today... it's really very simple!

    As we get ever closer to face-off in Helsinki, in Grodno there is currently a special CHL/Grodno/Belarus Ice Hockey Federation press conference taking place.

    We're now on the ice in Finland for Helsinki vs. Bern!

     
    As we get closer to the game starting in Finland, what do we know about these two teams?

    IFK Helsinki vs. SC Bern
    Group A; Barona Areena, 17:30
    IFK Helsinki go into this year's Champions League knowing that they could go far, having reached the quarter-finals last season and going out to an eventual finalist in Frolunda. However, facing off against them today is an SC Bern club desperate to eradicate the memories of finishing last in their group last year, winning only one game and taking an OT win from six ganes. Co-incidentally, those five points that Bern registered last year came against a team from the Liiga. “We have good memories of Finland, as we played in Tampere last year and won,” says head coach Guy Boucher, “but that was last year. It doesn't mean anything now, especially as almost half of our team is new.”

    “We're looking forward to it, seeing the different styles, it'll be fun,” says HIFK defencemen Matt Generous. “I've never played a Swiss team before, but they'll be strong skaters and I know some of their players too, so they'll be good.”
    This is brilliant... Mannheim have just seen the team sheets in Grodno, in cyrillic!

     
    So the reason that HIFK are playing tonight's game in Espoo? A Chinese circus in their regular arena!
     
    And we're underway with HIFK vs. SC Bern!
    Yes, it is!

     
    Zaborsky with a couple of early chances for the hosts, but it remains goalless.
     
    GOOOOAL! First one of the day, Corey Elkins puts HIFK ahead!
     
    First power break in Finland then, with HIFK still up 1-0. 15 minutes until we're live in Grodno!
     
    A bit of handbags going on at the HIFK game after a scramble around the crease... keeps things interesting
     
    Taipalus with an absolute rocker of a snapshot puts HIFK 2-0 up!
    With not long to go before we start in Grodno, the fans are ready!

    Grenoble's players are doing their off-ice warm-up

    Grenoble team warming up and Looking good ;-) #icehockey #CHL

    A photo posted by Katy Dartford (@cayteye) on


     
    The game about to start now in Grodno in front of what looks like a packed house!
    Skelleftea fans have arrived in Nitra for tonight's game , which starts in 28 minutes

    AIK fans finns överallt. Även i Slovakien. #skeaik #chl #norranblogg

    A photo posted by Adam Savonen (@adamsavo) on

     
    A confident start from Grodno on home ice, being roared on by a great crowd it must be said!
     
    Five minutes down in Grodno, no score yet to report. In Finland HIFK take a 2-0 lead into the first intermission against SC Bern.
     
    Grodno get their first CHL Powerplay, and a decent chance to put some pressure on the Mannheim net.
     
    What a noise errupts in Grodno, as the home side take the lead on the PP! The fans are jumping around, waiving their scarves. Milan MIKULIK is the scorer at the back post!
     
    Jamie TARDIF of Mannheim has been given a 2+10 penalty for Checking to the Head/Neck Area, again putting the visitors on the backlit in Belarus. Initially the scoreboard operator was having a couple of issues though, putting up a 12 minute penalty on the TV graphics!
    Teams have returned to the ice in the HIFK-SC Bern game, while in Nitra the hosts and Skelleftea are almost ready to start!

    The late game today is in Grenoble, with the Wolves entertaining Litvinov.

    How cool is that logo, though?!

    A fantastic atmosphere in Slovakia as Nitra make their CHL debuts against Skelleftea AIK!


     
    Early chance for Skelleftea in Nitra coming back off the bar! In Belarus, hats off to Neman Grodno who take a 1-0 lead into the break against Mannheim after 20 minutes!
     
    Approaching the mid-point of the game between HIFK and SC Bern, the hosts still lead 2-0.
     
    Both Nitra and Skelleftea and proving very effective in the neutral zone, halting a lot of the attacking play.
     
    What an opening 13 minutes this has been in Nitra. No goals yet but my word, there's barely been time to breathe!
     
    Back under way in Grodno, where the hosts lead Mannheim 1-0. In the early start, Bern are still yet to find a breakthrough against HIFK and continue to trail 2-0.
    Warm-up has started in Grenoble



     
    Goal in Grodno, and the home crowd goes wild again as Neman double their lead on the power play... Chovan the scorer with his side playing 5-on-3.
     
    Michael Novak with a chance for Nitra, but it's wide!
     
    *Somehow* the opening period in Nitra ended scoreless, although Skelleftea will be grateful to netminder HANSES for a couple of big saves.
     
    36 penalty minutes handed out in the HIFK-Bern game so far, with the home side still leading 2-0 after 40 minutes. Bern will be ruing that opening eight minutes in which they conceded both goals.
    We're also getting closer to the start of our last game of the day in Grenoble, where Litvinov are the visitors.

     
    Mannheim putting Grodno under a fair amount of pressure now, however the Adler haven't found a way through yet and still trail 2-0.
     
    Back on the ice in Nitra for period two vs. Skelleftea.
     
    Grodno have been taking a couple of minors and had been under pressure, but held out for now. Up the other end, Mannheim have a guy off in the box now, so the home side have a chance to get back on the attack.
     
    Erik FORSSELL opens the scoring for Skelleftea early in period two, 1-0 they lead in Nitra.
     
    Oh how Nitra may come to regret those missed chances in the first period. They now trail 2-0, Tim Heed doubling Skelleftea's account.
     
    A massive cheer in Grenoble as the home players make their way onto the ice for the club's CHL debut!
     
    Two periods down in Grodno, where Neman still lead Mannheim 2-0. In Finland, Bern are on the board vs. HIFK, halving the deficit to 2-1 with just under 13 minutes to play.
    We're ready in Grenoble!


     
    It's not often you see a 7 minute powerplay, but HIFK are on one at the moment. Bern's Timo HELBLING the naught boy, taking a two minute minor, a five minute major, and being ejected from the game all on the same play!
    This fan in Grodno is enjoying the game so far – we agree, the atmosphere is fantastic!

     
    Nitra were momentarily back in the game against Skelleftea, Tibor KUTALEK getting them back to within one. Marcus PETTERSSON spoilt the party for the hosts though, re-establishing the visitors' two-goal advantage just over two minutes later. 3-1 Skelleftea lead.
     
    We're also back underway in Grodno – Mannheim trail 2-0.
     
    Two minutes for Bern to save themselves a point in Finland, they trail HIFK 2-1.
     
    Oh dear HIFK! Two chances for an ENG, and they've not scored... Zaborsky somehow missed from the blue-line, then the next play is whistled for offside as the shot comes in!
     
    At the third time of asking, Zaborsky gets HIFK's ENG to make it 3-1, and win the game for the home side.
     
    Peter KONIG gets Nitra back into their game against Skelleftea with 30s left in period two. 2-3 they now trail at the break.
     
    12 minutes to go in Grodno, Mannheim on the PP – this could be a big moment...
     
    Nope, Mannheim can't score – they've got 8 minutes to get at least two goals now.
     
    Neman on the PP now – a third goal would wrap it up for them, you feel...
     
    Time is running out for Mannheim in Belarus... final two minutes, Grodno still lead 2-0.
     
    38s left in Grodno, Mannheim have the goalie out but they still trial by two. Is this THE shock of the opening CHL round?
     
    WHAT. A. PERFORMANCE! Neman Grodno of Belarus shut out the German Champions Mannheim on their CHL debuts!
     
    Big chance now for Nita as they go on the PP at 2-3 down.
     
    Nitra can't find the tying goal, and now they're about to go on the PK. In Grenoble, the sides are back on the ice for period two.
     
    PPG goal for Skelleftea, and they're back two ahead of Nitra in the third.
     
    7:10 to go in Nitra, and the hosts are back on the PP- they need a goal here, basically.
     
    Travnicek opens the scoring in Grenoble for Litvinov in period two.
     
    No joy for Nitra there, and with five minutes or so left they're still a pair of goals behind.
     
    A great game in Nitra, and good effort for the home side, but they've fallen just short... Skelleftea take a 4-2 win!
     
    So the only game currently running is in Frnace, where Petr CHALOUPKA has just doubled Litvinov's lead over Grenoble – 2-0 they lead in period two.
     
    Filip PAVLIK makes it 3-0 to Litvinov in France with just over 36 minutes played, and that could be curtains for Grenoble.
     
    Tonight's story so far...

    HIFK 3-1 SC Bern
    Neman Grodno 2-0 Adler Mannheim
    HK Nitra 2-4 Skelleftea AIK
    Grenoble 0-3 Litvinov End 2
     
    Back in play in Grenoble for the final period, Litvinov still leading 3-0.
     
    ET LE BUT! Grenoble are on the board, pulling the score back to 3-1... the joy doesn't last very long though, Gerhat re-establishes Litvinov's three-goal cushion.
     
    If you haven't seen Gerhat's goal yet for Litvinov, make sure you check out the highlight reel later, some finish on the breakaway!
     
    And that is your lot... Litvinov take a 4-1 win in Grenoble to complete today's games.
     
    Tonight's results

    HIFK 3-1 SC Bern
    Neman Grodno 2-0 Adler Mannheim
    HK Nitra 2-4 Skelleftea AIK
    Grenoble 1-4 Litvinov (21:48:17)
    Thank you for being with us again, and we'll be back tomorrow to do it all again with 11 more games.

    For now, we'll leave you with some more images from Belarus, where Neman Grodno produced what just might be the shock of the round against the DEL Champions. Goodnight!

    Luke Fisher