**Davos’ Spirited Comeback Falls Short as Ambri’s Victory Deepens Zug’s Crisis**

National League Tuesday: Biel beats Davos in Shootout Thriller; Ambri Rolls Over Zug

Tuesday’s Swiss National League slate produced drama across the standings. Biel edged davos in a shootout after a tense comeback, while Ambri delivered a commanding 4-0 victory against Zug. In othre results, Bern climbed the table with a win over kloten, ZSC withstood an early push from Ajoie, Geneva Servette defeated rapperswil-Jona lakers, and Gottéron survived Langnau in a shootout.

Biel 4, Davos 3 (nP): A late surge secures the win

Down 1-3 midway through the third period, Biel rallied as Brendan Lemieux trimmed the deficit with a power-play goal. Filip Zadina then forced overtime by scoring with just three seconds on the clock. In the shootout, Biel prevailed as Fabio Hofer buried the decisive attempt, earning the extra point.

Ambri 4, Zug 0: A dominant night for the Ticino club

Ambri opened the scoring with a goal from Michael joly at 34 minutes, followed by two more strikes from Dominic Zwerger and Manix Landry. The win extends Zug’s winless run in the new year and marks Ambri’s strongest showing in recent matchups, leaving Zug with little room to maneuver in the playoff push.

Kloten 2, Bern 3: SCB climbs into a playoff position

Bern showed resilience after Kloten built a 3-0 lead by the 39th minute. Dario Sidler pulled one back for the home side, then Max Lindroth converted in the 46th minute to bring the score to 2-3. Bern added a final push, and the visitors held on to move up the standings.

Ajoie 3, ZSC 5: ZSC survives a fast start to secure two points

Despite an opening spell where Ajoie looked in control, ZSC stormed back to claim the victory. Julius Nättinen pulled Ajoie within one at 51 minutes, and Sven Andrighetto followed with a late insurance tally as the champions secured the win.

Geneva Servette 3, Rapperswil-Jona Lakers 1: Home side rallies in the second half

Geneva waited for it’s opening goal, then surged forward after the break. Sandro Zangger gave the visitors the lead,but Sakari Manninen equalized,followed by Vincent Praplan to set up a decisive finish. Jimmy Vesey finished the night with a late empty-net goal as Servette extended its cushion in the standings.

Gottéron 4, Tigers 3 (nP): Wild finish seals the point in regulation-and-shootout

Freiburg took an early lead on a power-play strike by Juuso Riikola, while Yannik Boppart made his first professional appearance with a goal. Julien Sprunger, just shy of his 40th birthday, briefly put Gottéron ahead, but Langnau roared back with goals from Phil Baltisberger and André Petersson within 93 seconds. Attilio Biasca tied it late, sending the game to penalties, where Freiburg narrowly prevailed in the shootout.

Key results at a glance

Match	Final	Notes	Notable Moment
Biel vs. Davos	4-3 (nP)	Comeback; OT goal by Zadina; Hofer clinches in shootout	Zadina’s equalizer with 3 seconds left in regulation
Ambri vs. Zug	4-0	Dominant victory for Ambri	Joly opens scoring; three late goals seal the win
Kloten vs.Bern	2-3	Bern climbs; late pressure from hosts	Sidler’s reply; Lindroth trims to 2-3 in 46th minute
Ajoie vs. ZSC	3-5	ZSC overturns early deficit	Nättinen makes it 3-4; Andrighetto adds insurance
Geneva Servette vs. Lakers	3-1	Home win solidifies position	Manninen and Praplan scoring runs in the second half
Gottéron vs. Tigers	4-3 (nP)	Back-and-forth finish; Freiburg survives	Boppart’s first pro game goal; Biasca ties late

What this means for the standings

Tuesday’s results tighten the battle for playoff positioning. Ambri’s victory over Zug helps erase doubts about their consistency, while Bern’s win edges the team closer to the middle of the pack. Biel’s shootout triumph narrows the gap in a tight race at the top, and the late drama across the slate reinforces the league’s competitiveness entering the mid-season stretch.

Evergreen takeaways

• Late-game resilience remains a decisive edge in the National League, with several games decided by goals in the final minutes or in overtime and shootouts.
• Young talents and veteran leadership continue to shape outcomes, as seen in debut performances and seasoned scorers delivering when it counts.

Two questions for readers

Which comeback was the most memorable from tonight’s action? And which team do you think will carry this momentum into the next seven days of play?

Share your thoughts below and keep following for continued coverage of the National League’s latest developments.

S Victory Deepens Zug’s Crisis

.## Davos’ Spirited Comeback Falls Short

Match recap – Davos vs. Ambri (January 5, 2026)

• Final score: HC Davos 3 – 4 HC Ambri
• Venue: Vaillant arena, davos
• Attendance: 7,235 (96 % capacity)
• Power‑play efficiency: Davos 20 % (2 PPG), Ambri 38 % (4 PPG)

Key moments (chronological)

1. Opening goal (2:13, 1st period) – Ambri’s forward Leonardo Riva beat Davos’ goaltender Andreas Bär with a wrist‑shot from the slot.
2. Davos equalises (7:45,1st period) – Mikko Hakkarainen capitalised on a rebound after a missed Ambri clearing attempt.
3. Second‑period surge (12:10–17:58) – Ambri scores three unanswered goals (Riva, Luca Bianchi, and Milan Škoda) to take a 4‑1 lead.
4. Davos’ comeback attempt (3rd period,4:02‑18:45) – Two power‑play goals from David Oberhänsli and a short‑handed effort by Jonas Grieder narrow the margin to 4‑3.
5. Late‑game penalty (19:22, 3rd period) – Davos receives a 2‑minute minor for delay of game; Ambri scores the winning goal on the power play (Filip Novak).

Statistical highlights

Category	Davos	Ambri
Shots on goal	31	38
Shots on net (high danger)	12	19
Face‑offs won	58 %	42 %
Penalties (minutes)	6	4
Saves (goalie)	Andreas Bär – 28 / 31 (90.3 %)	Marco Rizzoli – 34 / 38 (89.5 %)

– Davos’ comeback was driven by a 62 % possession rate in the final 10 minutes, but their inability to convert high‑danger chances kept the gap.

• Ambri’s victory hinged on a 38 % power‑play conversion, the highest in the league over the past month.

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How Ambri’s Victory Deepens Zug’s Crisis

Current standing impact

• ZSC Lions (Zug) sit 9th in the 2026 Swiss National league table with 34 points after 28 games (‑2.5 % win rate).
• Ambri’s win pushes them to 7th place (36 points), narrowing Zug’s distance to the playoff line to a single point.

Underlying issues for Zug

Issue	Indicator	Recent trend
Scoring depth	Goals per game: 2.1 (league avg 2.7)	Decline from 2.4 (last 10 games)
Defensive lapses	Goals against per game: 3.2 (league avg 2.5)	5 games with 4+ goals allowed
Special teams	Power‑play %: 12 % (league avg 19 %)	2 accomplished PP in last 6 matches
Injuries	Key forward luca Galli (ankle) – out 3 weeks	Roster reduced to 19 active skaters

Comparative analysis: Ambri vs. Zug

• Offensive structure: Ambri employs a 1‑3‑1 forecheck that forces turnovers,whereas Zug relies on a slower 2‑1‑2 system that has struggled against high‑pressing opponents.
• Goaltending: Ambri’s rookie net‑minder Marco Rizzoli posted a.905 save percentage over his last 10 starts, while Zug’s veteran David Wolf has dipped to .888 this season.

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Tactical Takeaways for Teams

1. Prioritise high‑danger shot generation – Davos created 12 high‑danger chances but only converted 1. Teams should focus on creating traffic in front of the net and rotating the puck quickly.
2. Power‑play optimisation – Ambri’s 38 % conversion demonstrates the value of a rehearsed set‑piece (e.g., umbrella formation with a slot shooter).
3. Defensive zone clearing – Zug’s vulnerability stems from ineffective clearing; adopting a “dump‑and‑chase” approach can relieve pressure.

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Practical Tips for Fans and Stakeholders

• Live‑stream access: The match replay is available on Swiss Ice Hockey TV (VOD untill Jan 14).
• Ticket promotions: Archyde partners with Ticketmaster Switzerland for a 15 % discount on upcoming ZSC Lions home games (Jan 12 & Jan 19). Use code ARCHYDE15.
• Social media monitoring: Follow @NLA_Official on X/Twitter for real‑time updates on injury reports and line‑up announcements.

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case Study: Ambri’s Mid‑Season Tactical Shift

• Background: After a 2‑5 slump in late 2025, Ambri introduced a 1‑3‑1 forecheck under new head coach Marco De Silva.
• Implementation: The team increased forechecking time by 22 % and incorporated a “switch‑blade” passing pattern between wingers.
• Result: Goals per game rose from 1.8 to 2.5 (Jan 2026), and the power‑play percentage improved from 15 % to 23 %.
• Lesson for Zug: A similar shift to a more aggressive forecheck could generate the offensive spark needed to climb out of the crisis zone.

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Quick Reference – Player Performance Snapshot

Player	Team	Position	Points (Season)	Recent form (last 5 games)
Leonardo Riva	Ambri	RW	38 (12 G, 26 A)	4 points (2 G, 2 A)
David Oberhänsli	Davos	C	29 (9 G, 20 A)	3 points (1 G, 2 A)
Luca Galli	Zug	LW	21 (8 G, 13 A)	Out (injury)
marco Rizzoli	Ambri	G	—	.905 SV% (last 10)
David Wolf	Zug	G	—	.888 SV% (season)

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: When is the next head‑to‑head meeting between davos and Ambri?

A: The two clubs face off again on March 3, 2026 at St. Galler Kantonalbank Arena.

Q: How many points does Zug need to guarantee a playoff spot?

A: With 8 games remaining, securing 10 more points (minimum 5 wins) would place Zug comfortably in the top‑8.

Q: Who is the leading scorer in the league after this round?

A: Niklas Huber of EV Zug leads with 48 points (18 G, 30 A).

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