This is how the play-ins work: The tie climbs out of the hockey grave

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A new era in Swiss ice hockey begins on Thursday. After three seasons, the pre-playoffs were thrown in the trash. Now 7th place (Lugano) will play against 8th place (Ambri) in the play-ins, with the winner qualifying for the quarterfinals and the loser getting a second chance: he will then fight the 9th place winner (Biel vs. the 10th (Servette) for the final play-off spot.

For the play-ins, the winner will be determined in a return match. The draw – which was buried in 2006 with the introduction of penalties – is celebrating its resurrection.

Extra time, which is played until the next goal (sudden death), only takes place in the second game if the teams have the same number of points (3 for a win, 1 for a draw) – the goal difference does not matter.

Kloten and Ajoie have to wait

After the play-ins, the team that scores the best in the regular competition (Lugano or Ambri) will face the number two (Fribourg), while the other team will face qualifier ZSC Lions.

In the meantime, the 13th (Kloten) and 14th (Ajoie) have to wait and see whether they will have to compete against each other in the play-out at all. This only needs to be played if at least one of the two Swiss League teams eligible for promotion, Olten and Visp, reaches the final.

Source : Blick