HC Lugano is back in the fight for a Play-In spot. Since mid-January, Uwe Krupp has been the head coach of the team from Ticino. Since then, they have won four out of six games. One of their two losses came last Tuesday when Lugano lost the derby against HC Ambrì-Piotta 1-2 in a shootout.
This has a statistical impact on EV Zug: They are the only team in the National League that has not yet played a shootout this season. However, the chances of that changing in Friday’s game seem low. The last shootout between Zug and Lugano took place more than five years ago. In their first meeting this season at the BOSSARD Arena, EV Zug won 3-2 in regulation time. Of the two matchups in Ticino, each team won one. The overall goal tally across the three encounters stands at 10-8 in favor of Zug. Notably, nine different players scored those 10 goals, with only Andreas Wingerli finding the net twice. The Swede, thanks to his relentless effort and scoring ability (21 points), has played a key role in Zug’s recent success. His reward is a contract extension until 2027.
Friday’s game will also highlight the EVZ Women’s Team, which won the National Cup last Sunday. The cup winners will present their trophy to the audience at the BOSSARD Arena during the second intermission.