Direct playoff qualification and a place in the top six are only of secondary interest to the EVZ. Home advantage in the first playoff round comes first. Last year, it was decisive: after three defeats in the PostFinance Arena, Zug won the seventh game in the quarter-final against SCB 3-0 thanks to home advantage and qualified for the last four. There, as in the previous year, they were defeated 4-0 by the eventual champions, the ZSC Lions.
Let no one say the National League isn’t balanced! Every year, the 14 teams get even closer together. After a poor start to the season, only Ajoie finished last, as they did last year, but there are no easy games in Pruntrut either. The EVZ lost there 1:2 on February 1st.
All the other teams are fighting doggedly for the play-offs or the play-ins. Geneva-Servette, their opponents next Tuesday, February 23, champions and 2024 Champions Hockey League winners, are one game and one point behind Lugano in 11th place – that says it all! There’s something at stake in every game, and Geneva can’t afford to lose to EVZ.
Zug’s goal is to finish in the top four and thus gain home ice advantage in the playoffs. It’s a three-way battle between EVZ, Bern and Davos. Bern and Zug have the same number of points (82), but Bern has one game more. Davos has three points, but also one game less and two of the five remaining games against the ZSC Lions. With the exception of the direct duel against the record champions, SCB only has opponents with a significantly lower ranking.
EVZ, who still have to face the two leading teams, are confident that they can successfully complete the qualification process. Last year, Zug finished two points ahead of SCB and Davos. These are the same teams in the battle for the places with home advantage as today. Who will keep a cool head and the upper hand this time?
