Start of the season in the Women’s League – After the march through, only the present counts for the EVZ women – Sport

The EVZ women reached the top league in women’s ice hockey with a flawless record in their first season. Now the challenges are growing, with a possible stumbling block right at the start.

Flashback: When the Zug team entered the championship, they dominated the second highest league, the SWHL B, in the 2023/24 season. 54 points from 18 games, not a single defeat, and only 7 goals conceded (out of 317 goals scored) illustrate the overwhelming dominance of the new force in Swiss women’s ice hockey.

Immediate promotion in the first year after the club was founded was the reward for overcoming the competition. One step up, the Central Swiss women are now taking on the Women’s League on Friday evening in their home arena with similarly lofty ambitions.

The anticipation is much greater than the respect for the difference in level. “Because the nature of sport means that everyone wants to compete with the best,” says coach Daniela Diaz. There is also a hunger for the increased challenge. “That’s exactly why we worked so hard last year and in preparation.”

A caliber to start with

With the championship, the Swiss Cup and the Euro Cup, where EVZ is already in the final tournament (19/20 October on home ice), three titles are up for grabs. Her team would of course take their lead from that. “But we don’t want to think too far ahead, we want to stay in the moment,” says Diaz. Nor can her team buy anything from the glory of the past season.

The first task against SC Bern has its pitfalls. The Zug team will be hosting the spring playoff finalists, against whom they have suffered their only defeat so far. At the beginning of February, they were defeated by SCB in the cup final on penalties. And with a 9:0 win in the regional derby against Langenthal, the capital city team started the season with a bang.

The talent factory is growing steadily

According to Diaz, the EVZ squad is made up of a lot of quality and a good spirit. They can also build on the experience of the first season. The heavyweight has other arguments on its side:

• A stable basis: With the founding of the Girls Hockey School, the EVZ has also created a first in training in Switzerland. It started with 50 girls. This autumn, the offer was expanded to include a U9 and U11 team. And by 2030, every level should have its own girls’ team in the club – similar to the juniors. The flagship team serves as a beacon. “We want to use it to inspire and also reach out to schools to those who have no connection to ice hockey,” says Diaz.
• Great financial opportunities: Again View Recently made public, the sponsorship volume for the women’s team to join the top league is said to have been increased by a remarkable 45 percent. It is estimated at 1.1 million francs.