ZURICH – The Zurich Lions’ jersey for the 2009-10 season will carry a subtle tribute to the club’s and Swiss hockey’s biggest achievement in modern times; a silhouette of the Silver Stone trophy with the inscription 2009 Champions Hockey League.

The team accomplished the feat on two days in late January 2009. After disposing of strong competitors like Sweden’s Linkoping HC and Slavia Prague (Czech Republic) in the group stage, the Lions went on to defeat Finland’s Espoo Blues in the home-and-away semifinal to make it to the two-game final series against defending European champion, Russian powerhouse Metallurg Magnitogorsk.

Needless to say, ‘Magnitka’ was the big favorite. Four months earlier, Metallurg played the New York Rangers in the Victoria Cup losing on a goal 20 seconds before the end of regulation after blowing a 3-0 lead.

That the Zurich Lions were ripe for an upset became obvious in the first leg of the final (January 21) in Magnitogorsk where the Swiss team held the Russians to a 2-2 tie.

But the final game in Rapperswil one week later found its way to Swiss sports history. When the game was over, the scoreboard in Rapperswil read the unbelievable numbers:

ZSC Lions – Metallurg 5-0

The marketing department for Zurich came up with the ideal to include a tribute to the victory on the 2009-2010 jersey, both home and away.

“We thought it was an excellent idea to integrate the Silver Stone trophy on our jerseys. The reason is quite simple we are very proud as a Swiss hockey team to have won this title,” says the club’s CEO Peter Zahner.

The ZSC Lions are thus emulating many of Europe’s top football clubs which traditionally add a star to the club logo to commemorate a significant European victory.

The club would like to add another silhouette to their jerseys soon. On September 29, they face the Chicago Blackhawks for the Victoria Cup at the Hallenstadion.

Chicago will play Swiss champion HC Davos in an exhibition game (also at Hallenstadion) the day before, on September 28.

Click here for Victoria Cup ticket information.

By IIHF.com staff