Zug – Bern 5: 2
Stand in the series: 3: 2 for train.
The game: Beat Gerber (38) hardly imagined his anniversary this way. The man they call “Warrior” in Bern, but who is also afraid of mice, is playing his 1000th match for the SCB. In his honor, his teammates play with “Merci-Bidu” stickers on their helmets. If the Bernese make it to the semi-finals, Gerber would even break Mathias Seger’s record (1,167 appearances in the top league). But the SCB is currently far from that.
The EVZ also wins its third home game, strikes a first time after just 95 seconds. Grégory Hofmann can prevail against Gerber of all people, using Livio Stadler, who meets for the first time since January.
The Bernese are only spectators in the first ten minutes. For the first time in this series, something like a class difference can be seen. No wonder, the second hit from Zug falls just in this phase. After an unsuccessful attack trigger – Hofmann missed the target, but followed it up and won it back – Dario Simion scored the fifth goal in the fifth game.
But with the 2-0 lead behind them, the Zugers take their foot off the gas and act too passively. When Claudio Cadonau then takes a penalty for hooking, Bern finally finds its way into the game. Moser hits with his foot.
As a result, the SCB missed the compensation several times. Dustin Jeffrey gives the best chance at half of the game. Leonardo Genoni, who hit the void with the second goal conceded 2: 6 on Monday, responded with a big save. Bitter for Bern: The goal then falls after Colin Gerber lost a disc – he is not related to Beat – on the other side.
Thanks to a stroke of genius by Beat Gerber, Bern comes close again. Instead of aiming at goal, the defender misses. The disc lands on the gang with Thierry Bader, who can shorten it to 2: 3. But the Bernese couldn’t find an answer to Martschini’s hit 16 seconds later. And face the end.
The best: Leonardo Genoni (train). Perfect answer to the 2-6 on Monday. Sparkling clean performance.
The plum: Calle Andersson (Bern). Sleeps at 0: 2 and gives away a top chance before the 1: 3.
Gates 2. Stadler (Hofmann) 1-0. 7. Simion (Hofmann, Kovar) 2-0. 15. Moser (Conacher, Jeffrey / PP) 2: 1. 33. Klingberg (Zehnder) 3: 1. 39.Bader (B. Gerber) 3: 2. 40. Martschini (Shore) 4: 2. 60. Geisser 5: 2 (into the empty gate).
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Lugano – Rapperswil-Jona Lakers 3: 3 *
Stand in the series before the game: The Lakers lead 3-1.
The game is in overtime: Click here for the live ticker!
Lausanne – ZSC Lions 5: 2
Status in the series: 3: 2 for the ZSC.
The game: After three games of bandit hockey and now without the suspended Captain Mark Barberio, Lausanne is back to decency. The team of Craig MacTavish, with which Denis Malgin is making his comeback, is reflecting on their playful qualities. This creates a fast, classy and very fluid game.
However, the Zurich team has better chances and will soon also take the lead thanks to Raphael Prassl, who meets after a single action by Sven Andrighetto. In any case, the Zurich top scorer initially shows nothing of having to pay tribute to the many fouls committed by Lausanne. The tough Andrighetto is agile, clever and often one step ahead of his opponents.
Even if the Vaudois are not going to hunt down Zurich this time, it will be painful again for the long-time NHL striker when Cody Almond tries to prevent a goal with a blow of the stick. Andrighetto then screams pain and anger on the bench. And five minutes later, the Zurich team took the lead a second time.
Although the hosts are not playing with foam at the mouth this time, they are getting too many penalties again. But in contrast to the last games, the Lions cannot use them.
The Lausanne people are different. With the second ZSC penalty they score 1: 1 when a pass from Charles Hudon is deflected into their own goal by Phil Baltisberger, with the third the 2: 2. The returnee Malgin is successful.
Inspired by the equalization, the hosts even took the lead shortly after the second break thanks to Christoph Bertschy, who had barely been shown to advantage in these playoffs and remained without a scorer point.
In the final phase, Andrighetto loses control. The man from Zurich goes into the duel overheated and puts Hudon, with whom he once played in Hamilton (AHL), a cross check in the neck area. A bad scene that brings Andrighetto a residual exclusion and Lausanne the third power play goal. And it should result in a ban. Lausanne shortened to 2: 3. The series is exciting again.
The best: Tobias Stephan (Lausanne). On Monday he had to leave Boltshauser the preference in goal. Now he is returning and is strong as a bear.
The plum: Sven Andrighetto (ZSC Lions). He plays well for a long time, but in the end affords a momentous residual exclusion.
Gates: 4. Prassl (Andrighetto) 0: 1. 16. Hudon (own goal P. Baltisberger / PP) 1: 1. 33. Andrighetto (Noreau, Prassl) 1: 2. 40. Malgin (Emmerton / PP) 2: 2. 41.Bertschy (Kenins, Heldner) 3: 2. 58. Frick (Emmerton / PP) 4: 2. 60. Emmerton 5: 2 (into the empty goal).
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Friborg-Gottéron – Genève-Servette 0: 5
Servette wins the series 4-1 and is in the semi-finals.
The game: 10 seconds before the end of the second section, Gottéron runs into a counterattack. The Servettiens complete this like in a textbook, Vouillamoz can finally utilize a magistral pass Omark – almost a shot in the empty box.
So the season for Friborg is effectively over. One of the league’s best offensive teams only manages six goals in five playoff games, one of them in power play (the meaningless 3-8 in the third game).
For Friborg it would have been the chance to set an example against an unloved and uncomfortable opponent. This opportunity was sometimes negligently missed. Against the structured style of play of the opponent, coach Dubé apparently had no arrow in the quiver – it stayed with constantly changing storm formations.
Servette goalie Manzato (came in the fourth game for the injured Descloux) ultimately remained without a goal for over 100 minutes.
Andrei Bykow (33) was absent from the last game of the season for personal reasons: He and his partner Maude became parents on match day. Bykows Götti is by the way the Gottéron legend Andrei Chomutow. He celebrated his 60th birthday on the same day. Félicitations!
The best: Omark (servette). An artist. Provides passes that only have to be pushed into the goal.
The plum: Gunderson (Friborg). Comes off the ice with a minus 2 balance.
Gates: 3. Rod (Vermin, Richard) 0-1. 40. Vouillamoz (Omark, Richard) 0-2. 50.Winnik (Tömmernes, Fehr / PP2) 0: 3. 54. Rod (Richard) 0-4. 55. Vouillamoz (Omark) 0-5.
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