- Fribourg-Gottéron wins game 7 against Lugano at home 4-2 and thus the quarter-final series 4-3.
- The guests from Ticino can reduce a two-goal deficit twice, but that’s not enough.
- In the semi-finals (from Easter Monday) the second place in the qualification will face either Lausanne, Zug or Bern.
With a 2-0 lead and a penalty against the opponent, Gottéron had all the trump cards at the start of the second third. But a little carelessness in the build-up game and a remarkable backhand finish from Lugano’s top scorer Daniel Carr later, despite the numerical advantage, it was suddenly only 2-1 from the host’s point of view.
Shortly after half the game, Freiburg did better in the next power play: Canadian bundle of energy Chris DiDomenico stopped from the blue line and scored with his direct shot against the “shifting direction” of Lugano goalie Niklas Schlegel. This restored the 2-goal lead.
Goalscorer Thürkauf in luck
But true to their motto “non mollare mai” (“never give up”), the Luganesi came back once again, Captain Calvin Thürkauf was lucky to hit the ball with his shoelace (40th). In particular: Minutes earlier, Thürkauf actually had to go into the shower because of a “slew footing” offense (putting your leg from behind with your skate).
Even though the Ticino team insisted on an equalizer in the final third, it wasn’t to come. The guests even missed a 4-minute penalty against Benoît Jecker. The extremely strong Gottéron goalie Reto Berra, who was ultimately voted player of the game, let one wave of attacks after the other bounce off him. In the final seconds, Christoph Bertschy scored into the empty goal to make the final score 4-2. This means that 21 of the previous 23 quarter-final games have gone to the team that managed to score 1-0.
Mottet is artistic, Bertschy is clever
Cheered on by the well-filled BCF Arena, Freiburg was already on the road to victory in the first third. Killian Mottet caught Schlegel with a “Buebetrickli” after Santeri Alatalo carelessly missed a target behind the goal. Bertschy made it 2-0 shortly after the first break, coming straight from the penalty box.
Legend:
Fresh from the penalty box
Christoph Bertschy celebrates his goal to make it 2-0.
Freshfocus/Urs Lindt
This is how it continues
After a “playoff rest day” on Good Friday, the last two quarter-final series will end on Saturday: there is also a 7th game at Lausanne – Davos and Zug – Bern.
Freiburg’s semi-final series starts on Easter Monday, the opponent would be the LHC if Lausanne progresses and otherwise the winner of the duel between Zug and Bern.