ZSC Lions – EHC Biel 3: 1 (4: 3)
Nothing was as expected in this series – except: In the end, the favorite prevailed. The ZSC Lions defeated the rebellious Bieler 3:1 in the Belle. Now Fribourg-Gottéron is waiting for Zurich in the semifinals.
There were still seven minutes to play on Saturday and ZSC was on the verge of being eliminated. And he seemed powerless and unimaginative. Nothing had worked before in Biel, really nothing. The hosts had already taken the lead after 39 seconds and missed countless chances to make it 2-0. And suddenly Denis met Hollenstein. And a minute later again – game 6 was turned.
So Belle in the Hallenstadion had to decide who would advance to the semi-finals. Momentum was back at ZSC. But that was it once after Zurich had made up for a 0-2 deficit in the series. But then the Lions lost in the Hallenstadion.
No goals in the starting third
And now? Again, as before the start of the series, ZSC was the favorite. ZSC has won game 7 of a series 9 out of 13 times, three of them in the playoff final. And seven years ago the Lions also won against Biel in a Belle, then 5:2 also in the Hallenstadion.
The atmosphere in possibly the last game in the Hallenstadion – ZSC is moving to a new hall in November – was great from the start. The guests had the greatest chance first, but ZSC keeper Kovar made a confident save in the 4th minute against Biel’s top scorer Rajala. A game developed almost without interruptions, with few chances for both sides. Kovar and Schikin, the two keepers, had little to do and when a puck came on goal, the goalies showed no weaknesses. Ergo, it remained 0-0 after 20 minutes.
Andrighetto redeems the ZSC
But then, in the 22nd minute, the hut boiled, Andrighetto made it 1-0 – the shot flew over Schikin’s glove, the Biel goalkeeper could probably be partly to blame. It only got hot again in the 33rd minute in front of 10,615 spectators, when Schäppi from ZSC had to go to the penalty box for a hook.
The home fans didn’t want to believe that, they thought the Biel opponent had fallen because of a stick lying on the ice. Much hot air about nothing, because the Bieler did not score in the first majority game of the evening. The hosts didn’t do any better a few minutes later in their first power play. But the Lions remained more disciplined and conceded more penalties.
Cunti gives Biel hope again
But it wasn’t the Seeländer who scored, no, Malgin started a counterattack in the 47th minute and completed it with a shorthander to make it 2-0. Because Kovar let a puck bounce off in the 51st minute, Cunti benefited and made it 1:2, and the Bielers had hope again. And since the ZSC couldn’t use another power play, it remained exciting until the last few seconds.
However, the team from Biel was no longer able to prevent Zurich’s victory and the resulting elimination. Because Azevedo scored 14 seconds before the end of the empty net to make it 3-1. Thus, the ZSC wins another Bell and is in the semi-finals.
Davos – Lakers 7:3 (Serie 3:3)
“Winning the fourth game is always the hardest” – this ice hockey wisdom is currently true for the Lakers. Rappi has already led 3-0 against the Swiss record champions, not many had expected a sweep. But the HCD showed morale, first won at home and finally won at St. Gallen after extra time. Everything was still there in this series.
In the first five games in this series, there were two no goals and three goals in the first third. In Game 6, that statistic was thrown out of whack: HCD took the lead three times (through Bromé, Zgraggen and Pospisil), while the Lakers scored twice (Wick and Albrecht).
HCD veteran Ambühl increased to 4:2 in the middle third after 24 minutes. When Stransky scored the 5:2 in the 47th minute, the game was decided. In the end, HC Davos won 7:3 and forced the decisive game 7 in Rapperswil on Wednesday.