In one of the more surprising upsets of the 2023/24 Champions Hockey League campaign, Swiss side Rapperswil-Jona Lakers bested top-ranked team Adler Mannheim in their Round of 16 series with a 7-2 aggregate-goal win and will now get set to face Vítkovice Ridera who bypassed the Lahti Pelicans with a 4-1 aggregate win to advance to the Quarter-Finals.
- Rapperswil set to experience Quarter-Finals debut
- Vítkovice among league leaders in defensive metrics
- Netminding was a strength for both clubs
A 3-0 win was awarded to the Czech side when there were complications with the ice surface in Lahti, giving Vítkovice a bit of a head start to begin their Return Game.
Greater deficits, however, had already been overcome this season, so while the club from Czechia were in prime position to advance, there were no guarantees – especially against a Finnish club that was posting an average of 3.00 goals per game and clicking on the PP at an impressive 23.33%.
Their contest was a game of centimeters as the Czechs and Finns battled from the get-go in what would eventually turn out to be a 1-1 decision. Vítkovice’s leading scorer Dominik Lakatos (5G+5A) secured the club’s only tally of the night while their defence in concert with stellar goaltending from Matěj Machovský did the rest.
Now, as they get ready to meet a Rapperswil team that has proven its competency in taking down strong challengers, the Czechs will look to cement themselves as the defensive force that is currently leading the league in goals against per game with only 1.88. Vitkovice’s top-notch PP unit – 31.03%, good enough for first in the league – should also help their chances of extending their season.
As far as underdogs go, the Swiss club was the definition entering their series against first-ranked Mannheim. But seven goals later, it was Rapperswil advancing while the Germans – who only managed two total tucks – failed to advance past the Round of 16 for a fourth consecutive time.
Manufacturing their wins took something the Swiss had had all season long even if their constitency wasn’t there: capable scorers, deft defencmen, and solid netminding.
Up front, it was Jordan Schroeder who was their anchor, notching two goals in the First Game and one more in the Return Game to help his club to a 4-1 and 3-1 win, respectively. At the other end of the ice, Melvin Nyffeler was a difference maker, as he stopped a combined 54 shots on 56 attempts.
If the Swiss hope to extend their season into January, repeating these performances will go a long way to helping their cause.
This is a very even match-up given how impressive Rapperswil were in the Round of 16 and how strong Vítkovice's PP unit has been this season!