2024-04-18 22:38:11
Damien Riat celebrates his winning goal.Image: keystone
ZSC Lions can still lose in these playoffs. Lausanne equalized 1-1 in the final series against Zurich with a deserved 4-2 victory.
18/04/2024, 22:4018.04.2024, 23:09
For once, ZSC Lions were unable to turn a game around after falling behind. In the tenth game of these National League playoffs, they had to leave the ice as losers for the first time. This means that the final has really started and a reaction will be required from the people of Zurich at home on Saturday.
“It was a goosebump feeling and a huge win for us. We didn’t get off to the best start, but we had a good answer ready. It was an extremely good team performance today, we can be proud. Toughness is part of a playoff final.”
Michael Raff, Lausanne HC
After Sven Andrighetto equalized early in the final third with his second goal of the night, Lausanne scored the decisive stroke of luck in the 50th minute. ZSC defenseman Christian Marti was unable to control a puck on the offensive blue line, Robin Kovacs quickly moved away and Damien Riat completed his precise pass. It was a well-deserved reward for the Lausanne team, who appeared a little more energetic and determined for long stretches.
Two minutes before the end, Kovacs was unable to secure the victory when Simon Hrubec aimed his shot at the post. A little later, Raffl made up for this in the majority. Now we will see how the sunny favorite ZSC can react to this first setback.
Straight from zero to a hundred
The first 60 minutes on Tuesday were enough to get both teams in a final mood. In Game 2, no one needed start-up time, especially not Zurich. After barely three and a half minutes, Sven Andrighetto was able to reach Lausanne’s goalkeeper Connor Hughes quite unimpeded and beat him with a powerful shot into the top corner.
“There are a lot of good players in the playoffs, sooner or later another team will have a better night. We didn’t play smart hockey today and gave them a lot of chances. We have to handle the plate better. We knew they would come hard at us. I think we held up well against that.”
Patrick Geering, ZSC Lions
Lausanne’s manager Michael Raffl was not impressed by the deficit. “We have to and we will play better,” he promised after the already strong performance in the 1:2 in Zurich – and the Austrian NHL veteran kept his word. With a tough but correct check in the corner, he took the puck from Mikko Lehtonen and after a remarkable combination via Tim Bozon and Ken Jäger was ready to slide into the empty goal. Lehtonen at least managed to return to the ice from the second third onwards.
Strong Lausanne in the middle third
The Lausanne side were strongest in the middle third as they literally limited the opposition Lions in their defensive third. The reward came a good two minutes before the second break with Bozon’s opening goal. Théo Rochette hit the crossbar, among other things.
A first win in the final 🔥
Our Lions ended the ZSC Lions’ unbeaten streak by winning tonight in front of the Vaudoise arena crowd!
What an XXL performance from our players and our fans!
Lausanne HC 4⃣-2⃣ ZSC Lions pic.twitter.com/j1ysMkDxqy
— Lausanne Hockey Club (@lausannehc) 18 April 2024
Coach Geoff Ward could again count on the Swedish defender Christian Djoos, who was absent due to illness on Tuesday, and thus distributed the ice time a little more evenly. So the energy lasted until the end.
Lausanne – ZSC Lions 4:2 (1:1, 1:0, 2:1)
9,600 spectators. – SR Lemelin (USA)/Hebeisen, Fuchs/Urfer.
Thor: 4. Andrighetto (Weber) 0:1. 10. Raffle (Bozon, Hunter) 1:1. 38. Bozon (Djoos) 2:1 43. Andrighetto (Magic/Power Play) 2:2. 51. Eight (Kovacs) 3:2. 59. Raffl (Football/Power Play) 4:2.
Punish: 4 times 2 minutes against Lausanne, 5 times 2 minutes against ZSC Lions.
PostFinance top scorer: Finnish; Scholarship.
Lausanne: Hughes; Glauser, Djoos; Heldner, Frick; Pilot, Genazzi; Jelovac; Rochette, Suomela, Sekac; Riat, Fuchs, Kovacs; Bozon, Jäger, Raffl; Holdener, Almond, Kenins; Pedretti.
ZSC Lions: Hrubec; Weber, Kukan; Lehtonen, Geering; Trutmann, Christian Marti; Chris Baltisberger, Phil Baltisberger; Andrighetto, Malgin, Balcers; Fröden, Grant, Hollenstein; Rohrer, Lammikko, Baechler; Riedi, Sigrist, Schäppi.
Notes: Lausanne without Aurélien Marti, Perrenoud (both injured), Haapala and Salomäki (both surplus foreigners), ZSC Lions without Harrington (surplus foreigners). ZSC Lions from 58:18 without a goalkeeper. (abu/sda)
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these: keystone / ennio leanza
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