HC Lausanne has caught up with EVZ and is only behind Zug after Saturday’s round because it lost 1:3 at the leaders in Zurich and has played one game more. Zug’s 4-1 defeat against Bern on Friday and the ranking of the last ten games provide the explanation. At the BOSSARD Arena, the EVZ have looked completely unsettled of late, picking up just five of a possible 24 points in their last eight home games. In the last 10 games, Lausanne has won 6 points more than EVZ (11) – only EHC Biel (10) and bottom team Ajoie (9) are worse in this ranking. In the 52. 
The Vaud team will host EVZ in the Vaudoise Arena in the 52nd qlifying round.

Dan Tangnes’ team still has a six-point lead over fifth-placed Lugano and a seven-point lead over sixth-placed SC Bern four games before the end of the qualifying round – even after six defeats in a row and with one game less to play. At least they don’t want to give up their place in the top four and home advantage in the first playoff round despite the slump in results!
 
ZSC Lions 10 games/24 points, 2nd SCL Tigers 10/20 – the ranking of the last 10 games also shows how difficult it will be tonight. Thierry Paterlini’s team, which has come into form late, could make it into the play-ins (places 7-10) with a win at the expense of EHC Biel! The team is currently two points behind the Seelanders in 11th place, and in Saturday’s round (Lugano-SCL Tig

Auch Their next opponents in the BOSSARD Arena, SC Bern, like Davos and Lugano, who are tied on points, still have a mathematical chance of overtaking the EVZ and ousting them from the top four. The 16-time champions are currently in 6th place and are dependent on every point in the battle for direct play-off qualification. Fortunately, the Bernese have picked up just one point more in their last ten games (10/12) than the 2021 and 2022 champions (10/11), who have only managed to leave HC Ajoie (10/5) behind in this standings. High time for the EVZ to end their streak of five consecutive defeats!