Holding the Fort

First up was a match-up against Finnish side the Lahti Pelicans in which Färjestad put five tallies past Jasper Patrikainen while LGT MVP Award Nominee Maxime Lagacé posted his first shutout of the season, stopping all 13 shots from the Finnish side. Up front, Viktor Lodin generated several chances for the Swedes as he secured three points on the night.

Färjestad then returned to Löfbergs Arena for Game Day 2 where they dispatched KAC Klagenfurt to the tune of 6-2. The Swedes accompanied their defensive clinic with a healthy showing of their powerplay capabilities as they managed to convert on three opportunities with fellow LGT MVP Award Nominee Oskar Steen securing two of the three.

What a Pass, What a Play

Game Days 3 and 4 saw Färjestad back on the road as they went up against Hungarian challengers Fehérvár AV19 before travelling to Finland to take on 2023 CHL Champions Tappara Tampere.

Unlike their two previous challengers, Fehérvár managed to keep the game close with neither club securing the first tally until the third period when Stian Solberg glided around a defender before letting it fly past the glove of Dominik Horváth. Steen and Lodin would eventually pick up their second points of the night when they assisted on Marcus Westfält's marker three minutes later as they skated to a 3-1 win.

Then in Finland, it was Färjestad getting off to a great start before the Finns finally found their legs as Tappara, led by Kristian Tanus, engineered a comeback in the second period that almost cost the Swedes their perfect record. Despite the momentum, however, the Finns were unable to contain Färjestad's offence which produced three more tallies, including a dandy shorthander that saw Joakim Nygård dipsy doodle around a defenceman before dishing a behind-the-back feed to Joel Kellman for the game-winner. A goal so spectacular that is was shortlisted and nominated for Best Goal of 2024/25!

Late Game Heroics

One point that's often made about the pan-European competition is the quality of the competitors that have battled for the European Trophy for the past ten years, and this year was no exception. After staying undefeated through the first four contests, Färjestad's next two challengers would put that perfection to the test.

Czech side Oceláři Třinec nearly spoiled the Swedes' spotless season when Daniel Kurovský found the equaliser with less than three minutes to go. It would take OT and a David Tomášek powerplay goal to overcome the dragons and put another tick in the win column.

Storhamar Hamar didn't break easy either as they managed to stay neck-and-neck with the Swedes until midway through the second when Färjestad's offence netted two tucks five minutes apart. Shot totals for that contest were 21-19 in favour of the Swedes, as Storhamar stayed a constant threat, but Färjestad survived to claim their sixth victory and take the top spot in the Standings, securing 17 out of a possible 18 points.

Familiar Foes...

Following their Regular Season results, the Swedes were matched up against a Tappara team that barely squeaked into the Playoffs. Standings aside, though, the Finns pushed the top team to the brink, conceding defeat by a one-goal margin as Färjestad claimed the series 6-5 on aggregate.

Axel Bergkvist converted on the powerplay in the third period to make it 3-2 as Färjestad would eventually take the one-goal edge back home following the First Game. Tappara came prepared in their next meeting, however, as they put on a much better effort that nearly cost the Swedes their season. Tappara's Tanus found twine with just under two minutes to go to tie things at 5-5 on aggregate, but it was Lodin's goal three minutes into the extra session that helped propel Färjestad to the next leg.

...Unfamiliar Territory

Up until this point, the Swedish side had yet to leave a game on the losing side of things. But events changed in their Quarter-Finals match-up against Red Bull Salzburg as Färjestad found themselves with their first deficit of the season in a 3-1 loss to the Austrians in the First Game.

Salzburg's Peter Schneider led his team with three points on the night, including the primary assist on Nash Nienhuis' eventual game-winner in a game where the Swedes were unable to create any kind of offence as they fired just 19 shots on net.

No matter, a quick return to form was in order for Färjestad in the Return Game as they dominated the play from start to finish resulting in a 6-0 defeat that showcased their lethal mix of offence and defence and gave them a 7-3 aggregate victory. With his three-point night Steen, again, was the best player for his club.

Power Play Continues

The Swedes followed up one six-goal showing with another, claiming their First Game against Sparta Prague 6-2 as their solid play continued into the Semi-Finals. What was a close contest between the two clubs quickly changed in the third when Steen and company exploded to produce three goals and secure the aggregate advantage.

Events didn't go much better for the Czechs in the Return Game in Sweden as Färjestad's powerplay struck twice to secure the first two goals before the Swedes found the net two more times to make it 10-4 on aggregate. Lagacé continued to be a force between the pipes as he finished the series having stopped 47 of 51 shots over 120 minutes of hockey.

Not many weaknesses exist in Färjestad's game, but then again, not many exist in Zurich's either. How will the best offence in the CHL stack up against the best defence? Stick with us and we'll find out when puck drops on 18 February for the all-or-nothing CHL Final!