Saturday, August 20, 2016

Asplund, Olofsson produce as Champions League gets underway

Champions Hockey League action kicked off this week with a pair of Sabres prospects each lighting the lamp to help their teams to wins in their opening games.

In Friday Group O action, 2016 second-round pick Rasmus Asplund scored an insurance marker as Farjestad BK cruised to a 5-1 victory over Comarch Cracovia. Asplund made his presence felt in the middle frame when he glided into scoring position with his stick down and buried a nice feed from beneath the goal line to give FBK the 3-1 lead.



Elsewhere in Group A, Victor Olofsson scored the game winning goal to thrust defending champion Frolunda HC to a 2-1 win over Grizzlys Wolfsburg. With 10:27 remaining in regulation, Olofsson went to a soft spot between the hash marks, and just like Asplund, placed his stick down to redirect a swift Matt Donovan pass for the key tally.



The Champions Hockey League consists of 48 teams from 13 different countries. The clubs are split into 16 three-team groups. Two teams from each group advance to a playoff round of 32, with home and away knock-out games then being played leading up to a one-game final.