- The ZSC Lions also win the 2nd game in the playoff final against EV Zug. In the Hallenstadion, Zurich wins 2-1.
- In the final series, the Lions lead 2-0.
- As in the first game, Zurich turn the game around after falling behind.
On Easter Monday, a Coach’s Challenge train had collapsed. Two days later, she kept the EVZ hope alive for a short time. The result was the same in the end: The ZSC Lions also won the 2nd game in the playoff final, confirming the break and leading the series 2-0.
It was the 8th success of the Lions in the playoffs in a row, after winning the last two duels with Biel, all games against Freiburg and now the start in the final.
Malgin the «Decider»
3 minutes before the end it looked like extra time in the Hallenstadion, which was sold out with 11,200 spectators. Both teams seemed content with the 1:1. But then Denis Hollenstein was launched, rounded Samuel Kreis and blindly put it back into the Zug slot. The only one who seemed to have reckoned with this action was namesake and line colleague Malgin. The 25-year-old supplied the puck to make it 2-1 on the net (see video above). For Malgin it was already the 4th game winner in this year’s playoffs.
Zug threw everything forward again in the final phase. But without a goalie, the champion conceded the supposed 1:3. In contrast to Easter Monday, Dan Tangnes’ Coach’s Challenge prevented the goal this time because there had been a narrow offside. Dario Simion, who had had a chance of winning in the first game, didn’t look out for more than one last big chance for the champions. The EVZ is 0:2 behind after 2 games.
Goalkeeper game of the extra class
The Central Swiss have little to blame for this. Also on Wednesday they were at least equal to the Lions. As in the first duel, they took the lead again – this time through Yannick Zehnder (23rd). In the power play, however, Sven Andrighetto equalized again 9 minutes later. After that, both offensive lines failed again and again due to the strong goalies Jakub Kovar (34 saves) and Leonardo Genoni (27).
The playoff final in Zug only continues on Saturday – and not in the “normal” two-day rhythm on Friday. Then the central Swiss not only have to be equal, but also finally get the first win, otherwise the playoffs could be over soon.