- Third period goal by Toni Rajala secures victory for EHC Biel-Bienne
- Nicolay Andresen scores lone goal for Frisk Asker
- Perfect start for Biel in their CHL debut
With 10 new teams entering the Champions Hockey League, it was only a matter of time between two debut sides faced each other, and that’s exactly what happened as action in Group A got underway between EHC Biel-Bienne and Frisk Asker of Norway.
The two sides swapped chances early in the opening frame, but neither could find a way to put the puck into the back of the net early on. A penalty against Asker put the hosts Biel on the man advantage, and they used the opportunity well. Some nice passing around the zone set up Yannick Rathgeb for a one-timer, firing his shot past Nicklas Dalhberg for the games opening score late in the first period.
It took until midway in the second period for Asker to issue their response, a move by Anders Bastiansen saw the Norwegian sides captain lose his man, before playing the puck into the slot for Nicolay Andresen who buried his chance to tie the game at one, with the score remaining 1 – 1 heading into the final 20 minutes. Early in the final period, Biel looked to be in control but couldn’t find the go-ahead goal they needed, that was until just after the midway mark, a two on one developed and with Anton Gustafsson sliding the puck across to Toni Rajala, the Finn blasted his effort into the back of the net to make it 2 – 1, and with no further goals, it was three points to the hosts in their first ever outing in the Champions Hockey League.