Maxim Noreau decides Game 4 in the quarterfinals with a power play hit 59 seconds from the end of the second period. EHC Biel has been waiting for a goal against the Lions for 148 minutes. Meanwhile, record champions HC Davos are threatened with the end of the season.
Marco Pedretti (right) and the ZSC Lions equalize the quarter-final series against EHC Biel.
Nine goals in game 1 (4:5), seven in game 2 (3:4) – but since then there seems to be sand in the gears of the spectacular series between the ZSC Lions and EHC Biel. Chris Baltisberger decided the third match on Sunday with the 1:0 in the 9th minute of the second overtime or after 88:27 minutes net playing time. On Tuesday it took 39:01 minutes before Maxim Noreau scored in the power play to give Zurich the lead. Marco Pedretti blocked the view of Biel goalkeeper Dmitri Schikin when the Canadian defender shot.
The goal was perhaps symbolic for this series of small differences. As on Sunday, the people of Biel had slight advantages and also a plus in chances. Jakub Kovar, ZSC’s Czech goalkeeper, prevented the Seeland opening goal, which would have made the Lions’ task very difficult.
Maxim Noreau will have to leave the Lions
The ZSC Lions failed to live up to their claim of being a title contender in the fourth match of the series. As a mitigating circumstance, they can claim that they had to do without their best individualist, Denis Malgin, in Biel. The center has been out since match 3 with an unspecified upper body injury.
In principle, however, the Zurich squad should have enough class to be able to compensate for such a prominent failure. But designated top performers like Sven Andrighetto or Denis Hollenstein have so far owed almost everything to their reputation.
Christian Marti celebrates his 29th birthday today and matches the series with his @zsclions the end. ?? pic.twitter.com/7LJl4SMd3w
— MySports (@MySports_CH) March 29, 2022
On Sunday, Baltisberger, who had practically not played before, broke the spell. On Tuesday it was Noreau who has been repeatedly scolded for his defensive mistakes and will not have a place in the Zurich squad next season. He moves to the upper end of Lake Zurich to the Rapperswil-Jona Lakers.
Damien Brunner dropped out again
Noreau can still hope to be able to leave Zurich as a champion. With Tuesday’s win, the Lions leveled the streak and regained home field advantage. Game number 5 takes place on Thursday in the Hallenstadion.
EHC Biel has now gone 148 minutes without a goal against the ZSC Lions. Although Luca Cunti and Tino Kessler returned to the team on Tuesday, Damien Brunner dropped out again. In the first third in particular, Biel still had clear advantages, but they were too careless with their chances. Last but not least, that was a compliment to the Lions, who have massively improved defensively in this series.
Biel – ZSC Lions 0:1 (0:0, 0:1, 0:0).
6162 spectators (sold out). – Goal: 40. (39:01) Noreau (Andrighetto, Azevedo / power play goal) 0:1.
Biel: shikin; Rathgeb, Lööv; Yakovenko, Grossman; Schneeberger, Forster; Delémont; Hischier, Sallines, Rajala; Hofer, Haas, Schläpfer; Huegli, Cunti, Künzle; Kohler, Froidevaux, Kessler; carafa.
ZSC Lions: Kovar; Noreau, Marti; Phil Baltisberger, Geering; Weber, Kivisto; Trutmann; Chris Baltisberger, Roe, Andrighetto; Bodenmann, Azevedo, Hollenstein; Sopa, Sigrist, Pedretti; Aeschlimann, Schäppi, Diem; Riedi.
Remarks: Biel without Brunner, Stampfli, Tanner, van Pottelberghe (all injured), Indrasis and Korpikoski (both extra foreigners), ZSC Lions without Malgin, Morant (both injured), Krüger and Quenneville (both extra foreigners). Biel from 59:00 without a goalkeeper.
Championship National League. Playoffs (best of 7). Quarterfinals. Tuesday’s games: Train (1st) – Lugano (9th) 6: 3 (0: 0, 2: 2, 4: 1); Score 3:0. Fribourg-Gottéron (2nd) – Lausanne (7th) 2: 1 (2: 0, 0: 1, 0: 1, 0: 0, 0: 0, 1: 0) aet; Score 2:1. Biel (6th) – ZSC Lions (3rd) 0: 1 (0: 0, 0: 1, 0: 0); Score 2:2. Rapperswil-Jona Lakers (4th) – Davos (5th) 4: 0 (0: 0, 3: 0, 1: 0); Score 3:0. – Next games on Thursday (8pm).
HC Davos is threatened with the end of the season – winning goal in Freiburg in the 105th minute
(sda) The record champion Davos is about to retire. The Grisons also lose the third game against the Rapperswil-Jona Lakers, this time away with 0:4. Thus, the St. Gallen still lacks a win for the second semi-final in a row. Nothing seems to be able to stop the Lakers at the moment. Although they didn’t achieve much in the first third, they came through unscathed. They took the lead in the 27th minute thanks to a shot from Nando Eggenberger, which was saved. They no longer gave them away.
Lugano is also in trouble. EV Zug plays too cleverly for the Ticino in the play-offs. And the goalie Leonardo Genoni drives Lugano to despair. After the 6:3 in Game 3, Zug leads with 3:0 victories. Lugano could have won every game in this series. The Ticino always shot more often on goal. On Tuesday they even led 2-0 in Zug up to the 30th minute. But Chris McSorley’s team will need to be more disciplined if they want to play a role in this series – and become more efficient at the end.
After 104:58 minutes – the witching hour had already begun – Fribourg-Gottéron won 3:2 against Lausanne in the third overtime. Philippe Furrer, the defender with immense play-off experience, decided the game. Furrer rushed forward on the left flank, let a defender run into space, moved to the middle and defeated goalie Luca Boltshauser. The two teams delivered the second longest overtime in Swiss ice hockey. Only three years ago the quarter final Servette – Bern (2:3 a.e.t.) lasted even longer: At that time Mark Arcobello scored the winning goal after 117:43 minutes.