The Southern Conference quarter-finals concluded this Wednesday and Thursday, with the semi-finalists now officially confirmed. Below, you can find a recap of all the action from these decisive matches.
HC Rychenberg Winterthur vs Tatran Střešovice
The second quarter-final proved to be a nail-biting affair, with HC Rychenberg Winterthur hosting Tatran Střešovice. Entering the match with a slender 5-4 lead from the first leg, the Czech side knew that a draw would be sufficient to secure their place in the semi-finals. Winterthur, conversely, faced a must-win scenario, needing a victory to force the tie into overtime and keep their tournament ambitions alive.
The opening exchanges were tight, with Adam Bureš putting the visitors ahead early on. Although Marco Eyer levelled the scores for the hosts midway through the first period, Tatran regained control in the second, with Marek Beneš and Filip Langer extending their lead to 3-1. Just as the momentum seemed to be shifting decisively toward the Czechs, Kimo Oesch struck back for Winterthur in the final period to narrow the deficit, setting the stage for a frantic finale.
As the clock ticked down, the pressure intensified. A late tripping penalty for Loic Ammann threatened to derail Winterthur’s comeback, but the hosts showed immense character. Julian Egli found the net with just over two minutes remaining to level the score at 3-3. Despite a desperate final push from the Swiss side, Tatran Střešovice held firm under immense pressure to see out the draw, successfully navigating the final minutes to secure their progression to the semi-finals on aggregate.
Florbal MB vs Floorball Thurgau
The second Champions Cup quarter-final between Florbal MB and Floorball Thurgau reached a dramatic conclusion, as the Swiss debutants secured a historic semi-final berth. Entering the second leg trailing by a win from the first match, Florbal MB knew they needed a victory in regular time to force the tie into overtime. The Czech side delivered a spirited performance on home soil, but Thurgau’s resilience ultimately proved the difference in a high-stakes encounter.
The match began with high intensity, as Simon Stransky opened the scoring for the hosts early in the first period. Thurgau responded quickly through Pablo Mariotti, ensuring the sides went into the first break level at 1-1. As the game progressed, Florbal MB began to assert their dominance; Vojtech Wiener restored their lead in the second period, and Stransky added his second of the night shortly after to extend the advantage to 3-1.
With the aggregate scores level, the final period became a tactical battle. As the clock wound down, Florbal MB pushed hard for the goal that would decide the tie in regular time. Their persistence paid off in the closing stages when Dominik Benes capitalised on an empty net to seal a 4-1 victory for the hosts. With both teams having secured a win in regular time, the tie moved to a sudden-death overtime period. In the decisive moments, it was Pablo Mariotti who stepped up to score the golden goal, silencing the home crowd and propelling the debutants into the semi-finals.
Bulldogs Brno vs Zug United
The Champions Cup quarter-final clash between Bulldogs Brno and Zug United delivered a thrilling spectacle, as the Czech debutants pushed the experienced Swiss side to the absolute limit. Having suffered a defeat in the first leg, Brno entered the return fixture knowing they needed a victory in regular time to keep their semi-final dreams alive.
The hosts started with incredible intensity, catching Zug off guard with two goals in the opening three minutes from Lota Najsrova and Barbora Janosova. Brno continued their momentum into the second period, with Janosova netting her second of the match to extend the lead to 3-0. Although Isabelle Gerig pulled one back for the visitors, Brno’s Pavlina Bacova responded almost immediately to restore the three-goal cushion. The hosts remained relentless, with Bacova adding another to make it 5-1; however, Zug United showed their class when Martina Repkova struck to narrow the deficit to 5-2. Despite a late goal from Laila Ediz for the visitors, Brno successfully forced the tie into overtime with a 5-3 victory.
In the sudden-death period, the pressure reached a fever pitch. Zug United’s experience eventually shone through in the decisive moments; capitalising on a powerplay opportunity, a clinical attacking sequence involving Celine Stettler and Laila Ediz set the stage for Denisa Ratajova, who fired home the golden goal. The strike secured the win for Zug United, ending the brave run of the Brno debutants and confirming the Swiss side’s place in the semi-finals.
Wizards Bern Burgdorf vs Tatran Střešovice
The final Champions Cup quarter-final saw Wizards Bern Burgdorf host Tatran Střešovice in front of a fantastic crowd of 675 spectators at the UNIHOC Arena in Biglen. Trailing 5-4 from the first leg, the Wizards knew that only a victory in regular time would suffice to force the tie into overtime. Despite the fervent backing of their home supporters, the Swiss side was unable to overcome the resilient Czech visitors, with the match ending in a 2-2 draw that saw Tatran progress on aggregate.
The hosts made a memorable start, breaking the deadlock midway through the first period with a highly unusual goal; the ball took a strange trajectory off Nadia Cattaneo’s stick/foot, looping high into the air before dropping behind the goalkeeper to give the Wizards an early lead. Tatran responded before the interval, however, as Linda Fuchsova levelled the scores at 1-1. The second period was a tense, tactical affair, with both sides trading physical challenges but failing to find the back of the net, leaving the score level heading into the final frame.
The third period saw the intensity reach its peak as the Wizards searched for the goal that would keep their tournament hopes alive. Dana Misteli restored the home side’s lead with a powerplay strike in the 42nd minute, but the advantage was short-lived, as Michaela Mechlova found the equaliser shortly after. Despite the electric atmosphere created by the home fans and a desperate push in the closing stages, neither side could find a winner, and the match concluded in a 2-2 stalemate. With the final whistle confirming the result, Tatran Střešovice successfully defended their aggregate lead to secure their place in the semi-finals, ending the Wizards’ campaign in a hard-fought contest.
