Bern 6, Bratislava 3

For weeks, fans had anxiously awaited the first meeting of the year between the teams that have been 1 and 2 most of the season. Bern blitzed the Bratislava Eagles early in the game and now the Bears will have to pick on a new number 2 team. Bratislava’s hot streak has come to an end. They have been passed in the Southern Conference by Prague and Geneva, and they have three other teams honking their horns, waiting to pass them in the overall standings. Bern simply outplayed the Eagles on Thursday, getting a pair of goals from veteran Ray Whitney and goals by four other players. Bratislava focused on the league’s leading scorer, Jason Spezza, holding him to no shots on goal and 1 assist, but the Bears have too many weapons. With the score 6-0, three Bratislava right wings were able to score on Mike Smith, but it was way too little too late. Bern got 3-point nights from Whitney and Andy McDonald.

Munich 5, Helsinki 4

Helsinki scored two goals in the first period on Scott Clemmensen, getting a rare start to replace Jonathan Quick, but Munich had an answer both times and his name was Dan Boyle. The smooth skating defenseman scored a shorthanded goal after Helsinki went up 1-0, and then he scored again when the Jokerit were up 2-1. After a scoreless second period, the game came down to one period, which Munich won. Joe Thornton assisted on three Dun goals and is creeping up on Jason Spezza of Bern for the overall scoring lead. Thornton is now three points behind Spezza. Anton Volchenko led Helsinki with 2 assists, 3 hits and 2 blocked shots.

Oslo 6, Minsk 4

Oslo had a monster first period and went into a defensive shell to get the win in a game that featured two fights. Mikhail Grabovski scored twice in the first period when his team outshot the Hussars 19-6. Oslo was outshot 20-5 over the last two periods but were able to protect their 6-goal cushion just enough. Grabovski also had an assist and joined teammate Max Talbot in the three-point club for the game. Ryan McDonagh played well for Minsk, getting a goal and an assist while putting five shots on Oslo’s Jimmy Howard. He was also credited with 2 hits and a blocked shot. Kyle Clifford of Minsk was in a foul mood, as he scrapped with Travis Moen in the first period and Jason Chimera in the third.

Zurich 4, Milan 3

Zurich put together a nice road game and the Lions were able to come back from a 3-1 deficit to win in Italy. With Milan up by two late in the second period, Drew Stafford scored in the final half-minute and that seemed to deflate the Guerrerio. In the final period, Patrice Bergeron shoveled in a rebound to tie the game and the winner came with 1:07 left when Francis Bouillon, already with a goal in the game for Zurich, faked a shot and passed to Michal Frolik, who was left unguarded off the far side of the net. Milan goalie  Antti Niemi didn’t really have a chance on the play. Brooks Orpik, Antoine Vermette and Matt Moulson scored for the Guerriero.

London 5, Madrid 2

Jake Gardiner, the Knight defenseman who came into the game with 1 goal, scored two to help London keep up with the fast-moving pack in the Northern Conference. Devin Setoguchi and Gardiner scored in the first period and then Gardiner and Jeff Skinner added powerplay goals to help London to a 4-0 lead after two periods. The line of Joe Pavelski, Brian Gionta and Alex Tanguay connected for two Madrid goals to make it interesting in the third period, but Scott Gomez scored his 3rd of the year to put it out of reach.

Edinburgh 4, Gothenburg 0

Henrik Lundquist seemed to be in a groove and looked comfortable while making 23 saves for his third shutout. Lundquist is now second in the EURO League in save percentage and fourth in goals against. Lauri Korpikoski scored his 15th of the season in the first period and that was the only goal of the game for more than 39 minutes. As it turned out, that was the only goal the Capitals would need to win, but the outcome was questionable until Edinburgh scored two quick goals in the final minute of the second period, courtesy of Daniel Winnick and Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Winnick assisted on the Ekman-Larsson goal and then late in the third period, he scored his third point of the game by earning as assist on David Steckel’s 7th goal of the year.