Lugano

Sandro Bertaggia spent his career in front of the same crowd at Cornèr Arena, and by the time he was done his name sat atop the club's list for games played. Lugano gave him the number 2 to keep, retiring it in 2004 alongside Alfio Molina's number 1, the goaltender who reached the club's Hall of Fame.

The club itself dates to 1941, and for its first years it played on natural ice, waiting until 1957 for a proper rink to open. That last one carries its own story — a quarter-final against HC Ambrì-Piotta in which Lugano came back from 0-3 down in the series to win it, a result still mentioned whenever the two sides meet.

Petteri Nummelin left his own mark from the blue line, setting the franchise record for assists before his number 33 went up alongside the others.

None of that carries the weight of the fixture against Ambrì-Piotta.