U21 in the playoffs against the champions

EVZ has secured a playoff spot thanks to a strong performance this year. They have won 10 of their 16 games since the start of the year and are in seventh place in the final standings and will face the champions GCK Lions in the quarter-finals (best of 5) on Wednesday. The first home game will take place on Friday. The home advantage for the Zurich team could turn out to be a home disadvantage in this series: The visiting team won each of the four matches in the regular season.

“A great rivalry has developed against Zurich in recent years – the games against them are my favourite,” says Matia Birchler. The 19-year-old goalie is in the final year of his commercial apprenticeship as part of EVZ’s The Hockey Academy programme. He recently signed a professional contract for two years and will be the third goalie in the NL team in the 2026/27 season. “The professional contract has made my biggest dream come true.” Nevertheless, his focus is entirely on the U21 Elite team and the upcoming playoffs. “If possible, I would of course like to leave the boys with the championship title,” says Matia Birchler.

He sees the fact that the very young Zug team has had to play at the top level all season to make the playoffs as an advantage in the series against the GCK Lions. “We have the youngest team in the league, but that was never an excuse for us. Thanks to the experience of the last few months, we’re ready for crunch time.” Head coach Reto Suri has also instilled this attitude in them, explains Matia Birchler: “He already had a great passion for the sport as a player and has retained it to this day. Reto motivates us and always reminds us that we can overcome any difficulty.” EVZ has internalised this conviction.

” We are ready for crunch time”

Matia Birchler, Goalie U21-Elit Team

Meanwhile, the U18 Elite Team finished the regular season in 12th place. Starting next Friday, they will face SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers, LHC Academy, HCAP Giovani and HC Lugano in the five-game ranking round.