HC Lugano
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Hockey Club Lugano, often abbreviated to HC Lugano or HCL, is a professional ice hockey club based in Lugano, Switzerland. The team competes in the National League (NL), the highest league in Switzerland. It has won seven Swiss championships.
History
The founding of HC Lugano took place on 11 February 1941, when they participated on Muzzano Lake their first games against Ambrì, Muzzano, Massagno and Paradiso. On 1 December 1957, the first artificial ice rink was opened, at the Pista La Resega. Among those present was also the man who, 30 years later, was to take HC Lugano to the top of Swiss and international hockey: Geo Mantegazza, an engineer by profession, who had done the static calculations of the Resega and thus the first contacts had with the family earning the club the nickname of the "Bianconeri" acknowledging their Italian speaking heritage.
In 1963–64, Lugano rose to the National League B, most notably through the contributions of defender Elwyn Friedrich and Forward Roland Bernasconi, both national players and Swiss champions with Villars. In the 1970–71 season, the Bianconeri's promotion to the tope flight National League A was realised for the first time in franchise history, playing two seasons before returning to the NLB.
In the 1981–82 season Lugano returned, together with Ambrì, back in the NLA. In the 1982–83 season, Mantegazza hired Swedish coach John Slettvoll, who won numerous championships in his tenure.
Venue
The Pista La Resega hockey arena in Lugano is primarily used for ice hockey and is the home arena of HC Lugano, HC Lugano-Ceresio and HC Porza. It was built in 1995, after the demolition of the previous one, and can hold 8,000 people.[citation needed]
Honors
Champions
- NL Championship (7): 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1999, 2003, 2006
- SL Championship (1): 1982
Runners-up
- NL Championship (8): 1985, 1989, 1991, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2016, 2018
- Spengler Cup (3): 1991, 2015, 2016
Season-by-season records
| Season | Result |
| 2014–15 | 3rd Place in Regular Season Quarterfinal playoff Eighth-finalist in Swiss Cup |
| 2015–16 | 5th Place in Regular Season Final playoff Finalist Spengler Cup Eighth-finalist in Swiss Cup |
| 2016–17 | 7th Place in Regular Season Semi-final playoff Finalist Spengler Cup Round of 16 Champions Hockey League Eighth-finalist in Swiss Cup |
| 2017–18 | 4th Place in Regular Season Final playoff |
| 2018–19 | 7th Place in Regular Season Quarterfinal playoff Quarterfinal Champions Hockey League |
Players
Current roster
Updated 5 July 2024.
Honored members
| No. | Player | Position | Career | No. retirement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alfio Molina | G | 1963–1983 | 22 February 2004 |
| 2 | Sandro Bertaggia | D | 1985–2003 | 22 February 2004 |
| 3 | Julien Vauclair | D | 1996–2020 | 16 September 2022 |
| 4 | Pat Schafhauser | D | 1994–1995 | 22 February 2004 |
| 33 | Petteri Nummelin | D | 2001–06, 2008–2013 | 31 August 2013 |
| 44 | Andy Näser | F | 1997–2010 | 28 August 2010 |
Franchise records and leaders
All-time scoring leaders
| Kind of record | Record holder | Record |
| Games played | Sandro Bertaggia | 806 |
| Most Goals | Jörg Eberle | 268 |
| Most Assists | Petteri Nummelin | 305 |
| Most Points | Andy Ton | 462 |
| Goals/Games | Mats Hallin | 1.25 |
| Points/Games | Kent Johansson | 2.17 |
| Goals (PP) | Jörg Eberle | 40 |
| Goals (SH) | Kent Johansson | 9 |
| Goals (OT) | Régis Fuchs | 5 |
| Goals (GW) | Jörg Eberle | 46 |
| Hattricks | Johansson Kent | 12 |
| Most Penalty Minutes | Sandro Bertaggia | 891 |
| Coach% games/victories | Harold Kreis | 80% |
Team records
HC Lugano records in the Swiss National League A.
| Category | Record | Season |
| Most points in Regular Season | 74 | 2003/04 |
| Most victories in Regular Season | 35 | 2003/04 |
| Most shutouts in Regular Season (home+away) | 10 | 1999/00 |
| Most shutouts in Regular Season (away) | 5 | 1999/00 |
| Consecutive wins on Regular Season start (home+away) | 10 | 2003/04 |
| Consecutive wins on Regular Season start (home) | 22 | 1999/00 |
| Consecutive games without losing points on Regular Season start (home) | 13 | 2004/05 |
| Consecutive games without losing points on Regular Season start (away) | 5 | 1985/86 and 2003/04 |
| Consecutive wins during Regular Season (home+away) | 27 | 1987/88 |
| Consecutive wins during Regular Season (home) | 22 | 1999/00 |
| Consecutive wins during Regular Season (away) | 15 | 1987/88 |
| Consecutive games without losing points during Regular Season (home+away) | 15 | 1988/89 |
| Consecutive games without losing points during Regular Season (home) | 17 | 1999/00 |
| Consecutive games without losing points during Regular Season (away) | 12 | 1987/88 and 2000/01 |
| Score 4 goals on less time | 1' 24" (HC Lugano - HC Davos 7:1) | 1985/86 |
| Most minutes without suffering goals during Regular Season | 248' 10" (Cristobal Huet) | 1999/00 |
HC Lugano Ladies Team
The HC Lugano Ladies Team was a semi-professional women's ice hockey team that competes in the Swiss Women's A League. The club was officially founded on May 22, 1990. They won the Swiss Championship on 2006, 2007, 2009 and 2010.
In 2007, the HC Lugano Ladies Team qualified for the final round of the IIHF European Women's Champions Cup and even won the bronze medal 2010.