Kölner beat Tappara 4:5 in the Kontinental Cup of Champions on Friday evening. The away side claimed all three points despite playing away from home in Hämeenlinna. Both teams sit in the table with one win apiece and zero points so far — the group stage has barely begun.
We had backed the hosts with 81 per cent confidence, but the match unfolded differently. Tappara came off a 6:3 victory over Liberec two days earlier and looked sharp in the opening exchanges. Kölner had their own momentum from a 5:2 win against Salzburg. And here's the thing — neither side could hold on.
The game swung back and forth without the kind of control you'd expect from two teams on winning streaks. Tappara's recent record reads 6:3, 2:4, 5:1, 3:4, 0:2 — inconsistent even when they're scoring. Kölner's form was steadier on paper: 5:2, 5:1, 4:0, 3:1, 1:4. To be fair, the numbers don't tell you everything.
By then, the result was already clear. Five goals to four in favour of the visitors. Tappara pushed for more but couldn't find the equaliser. Kölner saw the game out with composure, something they showed against Frankfurt Löwen and Krefeld Pinguine earlier in the tournament.
The standings remain fluid. Both sides have one win, no draws, no defeats, and zero points — the table says nothing meaningful yet. What it does show is that the group is wide open, and neither team has established control.