Club Friendly· Season 2026
EHC Olten beat GCK Lions 7-2 in a pre-season friendly in Küsnacht, with Fadri Riatsch contributing one goal and two assists. Dominic Weder scored twice as Olten won for the fourth time in five warm-up matches.
Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow It Unfolded
The opening period was evenly contested. GCK Lions struck first when Julian Mettler converted at 07:11 with an even-strength finish, assisted by Kirill Tyutyayev. Olten responded inside five minutes: Mattheo Reinhard levelled at 11:53 with help from Daniels Serkins and Leo Braillard, sending the teams to the break at 1-1.
Olten seized control in the second period with two powerplay goals in just 65 seconds. After Villiam Haag sat for slashing at 29:13, Manuel von Rohr fired home on the man advantage at 31:13 — his fourth goal of the pre-season — with Levin Moser providing the assist. Before GCK could reset, Dominic Weder made it 3-1 at 32:16, also on the powerplay, with Riatsch and Jayce Hawryluk setting it up.
GCK Lions briefly rallied: Fabrice Bouvard pulled one back just 12 seconds later at 32:28, redirecting a Yannik Ponzetto feed to make it 3-2. But that was as close as they got.
The third period was a one-sided affair. Weder struck again at 40:47 with his second of the night (Riatsch and von Rohr assisting) to restore the two-goal cushion. Riatsch then got his goal at 43:56, unassisted. Jayce Hawryluk added a sixth at 49:50 (Moser again the provider), and 18-year-old Janosch Grossen — on a temporary loan from SC Bern — capped the scoring at 58:07 to round out a 7-2 rout.
The Turning Point
The game turned decisively in the span of 65 seconds midway through the second period. After a measured first period, Olten's powerplay clicked twice in quick succession. Von Rohr's one-timer at 31:13 broke the deadlock, and before GCK's penalty killers had reset, Weder made it 3-1 at 32:16. Bouvard's immediate response made it 3-2, but Olten had seized control and never let go. GCK went 0-for-3 on their own powerplay opportunities while Olten converted 2 of 3.
Player of the Match: Fadri Riatsch (EHC Olten)
Riatsch delivered a goal (43:56) and two primary assists (on both Weder goals) in a dominant all-zone performance. The EHCO match report singled out his line with Dominic Weder and Manuel von Rohr as being "in flotter Torlaune" (in lively scoring form) — a unit that combined for five of Olten's seven goals.
Honourable mention to Dominic Weder (2 goals) and 18-year-old Janosch Grossen, who scored his first goal for Olten on his temporary loan from SC Bern.
Key Context
The result means Olten have won four of their five pre-season fixtures, following a prior 8-1 demolition of EHC Winterthur at the Chopfab Cup and a win over Bellinzona. Their only loss came against GCK Lions' parent club ZSC Lions earlier in the month.
GCK Lions, the Swiss League affiliate of ZSC Lions, were coming off a 0-9 defeat to their parent club on 14 August and have struggled for pre-season form, shipping 16 goals across those two friendlies.
In the all-time head-to-head between these sides, Olten now hold 27 wins from 50 meetings against GCK Lions' 23 (0 draws), with 314 total goals scored in the fixture. The teams meet again in Sky Swiss League regular-season action on 29 September 2026 at Eisbahn Kleinholz in Olten.
Olten's next pre-season test is at home against EHC Biel on Wednesday 26 August at 19:45 at the Kleinholz. GCK Lions face HC Thurgau next on 28 August.
Verdict
Olten's powerplay efficiency (2-for-3) and depth scoring told the story of a team further along in its pre-season preparations. The Riatsch-Weder-von Rohr line looks ready for the Swiss League season proper. GCK Lions, missing several regulars and still rebuilding rhythm, were outclassed once Olten raised the tempo in the middle frame.
GCK Lions and Olten have met 50 times — GCK Lions won 23, Olten won 27, with 0 draws. Their rivalry dates back to 2018. Olten leads the head-to-head with 27 victories from 50 meetings. A combined 314 goals have been scored across these fixtures, averaging 6.28 per match (138 for the home side, 176 for the visitors). Both teams scored in 42 matches (84%). Over 2.5 goals landed in 45 games (90%), making it a fixture that tends to produce goals. The highest-scoring encounter finished 5–6 in 2022.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 22 Aug 2026