In the first game after the national team break, the EVZ will face HC Lugano. For the first time in a long time, Head Coach Dan Tangnes will be able to call on the full squad – minus the U20 players who have traveled to Canada to prepare for the World Championship: With Nic Balestra, Ludvig Johnson and Leon Muggli as well as the forwards Robin Antenen and Loris Wey, five Zug players are in the line-up of national team coach Marcel Jenni.

So we will have to do without goals from Leon Muggli like in the last game against Langnau:

HC Lugano is currently in a slump. They have lost eight of their last ten games, with Luca Gianinazzi’s team only managing to pick up three points each against neighbors Rapperswil-Jona and in the derby against Ambrì. At the beginning of December, HC Lugano reacted to the poor season – after 28 games, the Ticino team is in 13th place – and hired Antti Törmänen as senior advisor to the 1st team’s coaching staff. In his new role, he will act as a mentor and advisor to the young Gianinazzi.

EVZ have won both of the duels so far this season: 3:2 at home in mid-September and 5:1 in Lugano around two months ago.