On Wednesday, Swiss ice hockey history will be made at the OYM hall in Zug. Leonardo Genoni is set to become the first goalkeeper ever to join the National League’s 1,000-game club. Only 19 outfield players have achieved this feat before him.

The 39-year-old exceptional goalkeeper for EVZ will play his 325th National League match for the club on Wednesday. Prior to this, Genoni also played 491 National League matches for HC Davos (2007–2016) and 184 for SC Bern (2016–2019). In total, Genoni has celebrated seven Swiss championship titles (two of them in 2021 and 2022 with EVZ) and is regarded throughout the country as THE Swiss ice hockey ‘life insurance’ par excellence.

EVZ is proud of its goalkeeper’s achievements. And the saga is far from over. Genoni has recently signed a new contract and will remain with the Zug side until at least the 2029/30 season.

Leonardo Genoni will be honoured by the National League and the EVZ in a short ceremony before the puck drops at 7.45 pm. The EVZ asks all spectators to be in their seats in good time.

It will be a special evening for Lino Martschini too. The EVZ legend is finally back in his team’s line-up. Following the knee injury he sustained in Langnau on 30 October 2025, he is back and will make his debut in the EVZ kit for the 2026/27 season on Wednesday.

Lino Martschini: “After such a serious injury, I made sure to take the time I needed for my comeback. The last year hasn’t been easy, but now I feel ready and am incredibly happy to finally be back on the ice.”

Martschini’s return also threatens to break a long-standing EVZ record. Between 1973 and 1984, the inimitable Heinz Jenni scored 260 goals for EVZ in 245 matches, winning the hearts of Zug’s fans. It was a different era.

260 goals – Lino Martschini equalled this record shortly before his injury. So it’s clear: Martschini’s next – and first – goal of the 2026/27 season will go down in club history. By then, the winger will have 261 EVZ goals to his name and will thus hold the club record outright. Incidentally, Martschini has long since secured the EVZ points record: with 260 goals and 337 assists, he leads the statistics with 597 points, well ahead of Paul Di Pietro (486).

Alongside Genoni and Martschini, a third EVZ player – Raphael Diaz – could make the headlines on Wednesday. Diaz has scored 99 goals for EVZ so far in his long NL career. If the defender scores next time out, he will reach the special milestone of 100 goals. What’s more, Diaz will be playing his 987th National League match on Wednesday – the next Zug player to join the 1,000-game club is also just around the corner.

For now, however, the focus is on the match against Ambrì-Piotta. High emotions are guaranteed – a special EVZ evening lies ahead.

*Barring any unforeseen circumstances on match day, Leonardo Genoni, Lino Martschini and Raphael Diaz are all set to feature in the line-up for the match against Ambrì-Piotta on 11 November.

For the first time this season, EVZ and Ambrì-Piotta are set to go head-to-head. It is difficult to pick a favourite for this first Gotthard derby. Despite the adverse omens, Ambrì remain in a sensational second place in mid-November. They recently even snatched a point away from the undisputed leaders, the ZSC Lions, and celebrated a resounding victory in the Ticino derby against Lugano just 24 hours later.

EVZ, too, can look back on an extremely successful week ahead of the international break. They picked up the maximum number of points against Lugano, the SCL Tigers and SC Bern, scoring a staggering 18 goals in three matches. Despite having played an average of five fewer matches, Lauri Marjamäki’s team sit in fifth place.

Consequently, it will be interesting to see which team gets off to a better start on Wednesday following the international break. The Zug side, however, are likely to be particularly motivated thanks to Genoni, who is celebrating a milestone, and Lino Martschini, who is making his comeback…