In a dramatic final night of the Swiss National League's regular season, two teams qualified for the Champions Hockey League for the first time in their respective histories.
Lausanne were tied in Langnau going late into the game, but a point was likely to be enough to put them through. Cory Emmerton's goal at 58:33, however, not only ensured they would finish third and qualify for the 2019/20 CHL season, but they also brought EHC Biel-Bienne into Europe's top competition with them as well – denying the Langnau Tigers a shot at their own CHL debut.
Who are the latest teams to earn their places?
Lausanne Hockey Club
Lausanne HC were founded in 1922 and are currently playing their home matches at a temporary arena, as their new home is being constructed. Vaudoise Arena, as it will be named, will have a capacity of 9,600 and should be ready in time for the start of the 2019/20 season.
This season has been one to remember for fans and players alike, as the club jumped from a 10th place finish in the 2017/18 regular season to a third-place finish this year. One of the keys to this sudden change in form has been new signing Robin Leone, who transferred from Kloten at the beginning of the season and has settled into the team perfectly. Alongside NHL veteran Dustin Jeffrey, who is playing his third season for Lausanne and Joel Vermin, the club's top goal-scorer this season, Lausanne will hope to continue their success in the CHL.
EHC Biel-Bienne
Given the town’s location on the border between Germanophone and Francophone Switzerland, the club that uses both its names in both languages is set to make its CHL debut in 2019/20. The club was established in 1939 and plays out of the Tissot Arena, a nod to the city’s long tradition of being a centre of Swiss watchmaking.
After winning three National League titles in six years between 1978 and 1983, EHC Biel-Bienne spent a significant number of years in the Swiss second tier. Three straight championships between 2006 and 2008 saw the team return to the top level of Swiss hockey for the 2008/09 season.
Recent times have been kinder to the club, and a breakout season in 2017/18 saw the team finish third in the regular season and reach the semi-finals. Swiss goaltending legend Jonas Hiller has played a major role in the team’s current success, while other national team stalwarts such as Damien Brunner have joined a strong core of veteran imports and up-and-coming Swiss talent. The club has not rested on its laurels, and a fourth-place finish in the 2018/19 regular season has seen the club qualify for the Champions Hockey League for the first time in their history.
Who gets the fifth place?
As Switzerland has five places in next season's competition, we now look to the national champions to be determined via the playoffs for the last CHL place. Should any of EV Zug, SC Bern, Lausanne HC or EHC Biel-Bienne win the national championship too, then the place will revert back to the fifth-placed team from the regular season: HC Ambrì Piotta.