“It was great—a really good start!” says EVZ captain Lara Stalder, looking back on the first two games in the PostFinance Women’s League. The Zug team won 7-1 in Neuchâtel before defeating HC Fribourg-Gottéron 5-2 the following day in the OYM hall. “It was fantastic that over 1,200 fans came and cheered us on to victory. I’m already looking forward to the next game in front of our home crowd on Sunday.” Then the champions SC Bern come to Zug (puck drop at 2:30 p.m.).

It is a repeat of last spring’s playoff final series, which Bern won 3-0. The two teams already met in preparation for the current season, with EVZ winning 6-1. Lara Stalder does not want to overestimate this result: “Bern was missing a few players at the time. On Sunday, I expect an opponent who will demand everything from us.” The SCB women have only played one championship game so far, which they won 1-0 against the ZSC Lions.

Lara Stalder forms a forward line with her regular partner from Zug and national team player Rahel Enzler, as well as newcomer Alina Marti. The three harmonized beautifully and collected a total of 14 points. Lara Stalder is full of praise for Alina Marti, who previously played for the ZSC Lions for a long time: “It’s great fun to play with her and get to know her off the ice as well. She is so mature and composed that you sometimes forget she is only 21.”

At 31, Stalder is the team’s senior player – and more than twice the age of her youngest teammate, Sarah Mettler. The 15-year-old is also new to Zug and already made it onto the scoreboard with an assist on the opening weekend. Perhaps she will do the same this coming weekend. Before the final rematch against SC Bern, EVZ will face the pointless SC Langenthal women on Saturday (5:30 p.m., Campus Huttwil).