Three home games to start the season – that’s never happened before for EVZ! The first Gotthard derby of this season brings back memories of 2018-19, when the EVZ unfortunately lost the final against Bern 1:4. Ambrì finished 5th in the regular season, tied on points with fourth-placed Biel, their best ranking of the modern era – thanks above all to an irresistible forward line on the power play: Marco Müller in the middle, Dominik Kubalik and Dominic Zwerger on the wings. The Czech Kubalik was the league’s top scorer with 57 points, while the Austrian Zwerger (42 points) and the Bernese Müller (35) were also among the top 20 scorers in the NL.

Now Dominik Kubalik has surprisingly returned to the Leventina. With a one-year contract and a clause for the NHL, where he wants to return as soon as possible. Anyone who has played there regularly in the last five years (2019-2024), scoring 184 times in 366 games for Chicago, Detroit and Ottawa, should also receive the contract they are hoping for. Dominic Zwerger is in his eighth season in Ambrì, Marco Müller, champion with the EVZ in 2022, plays in Lugano and will move to SC Bern at the end of this season on a two-year contract.

The familiar foreigners for Tuesday night’s opponents are Finnish goaltender Janne Juvonen (29), Swedish defenseman Tim Heed (33) and his compatriot Jakob Lilja (31) at forward. The new faces in the import positions are three Canadians: defenseman Kodie Curran (34) from Dinamo Minsk and forwards Philippe Maillet (31) from Laval Rocket/AHL and Jonathan Ang (26) from Kloten.

EVZ won last season’s match-up with Ambrì 3:1 after victories. In preparation for this season, the two teams met in Ticino on September 6. EVZ won 4:3, Mike Künzle scored two goals, Tim Wolf was already in the Zug goal at the time.