The sovereign qualification winners Davos prevent a break in the first quarter-final game against Zug in extremis. Josh Holden's team turned a 1:3 deficit into a 4:3 lead in the final seven minutes.
20.03.2026, 22:53
21.03.2026, 07:59
SDA
Just one minute after Simon Ryfors (51) had tied the game at 1:2, Fabrice Herzog put Zug back in front by two goals. However, the HCD showed comeback qualities, as they had already done several times in the regular season.
After Michael Fora had reduced the deficit to 2:3 (54'), Holden replaced goalie Sandro Aeschlimann with a sixth outfield player 112 seconds before the end. That paid off: 25 seconds later, Brendan Lemieux made it 3:3 with a deflection.
And it got even better for Davos, as Yannick Frehner scored the winner 54 seconds before the end - he caught EVZ goalie Leonardo Genoni between the pads from close range. The preparatory work was done by Ryfors, who was the man of the match with three points.
The 2:0 for EVZ after 40 minutes was not undeserved. Zug were very strong in the middle third. In the 23rd minute, Mike Künzle made it 1:0 from close range, despite being surrounded by Davos players. The goal came after a period of pressure from Central Switzerland. The second goal was scored by defenseman Lukas Bengtsson (37) in the visitors' first power play of the game.
In the end, Zug lost for the ninth time in a row in the playoffs. In 2024, they lost 4-0 to the ZSC Lions in the semi-final, and a year ago they suffered a sweep against Davos. Meanwhile, the record champions celebrated their 24th win in their 27th home game of the current championship.
Telegram:
Davos - Zug 4:3 (0:0, 0:2, 4:1)
6547 spectators. - SR Tscherrig/Ruprecht, Gnemmi/Huguet. - Goals: 23. Künzle 0:1. 37. Bengtsson (Künzle, Eggenberger/powerplay goal) 0:2. 51. (50:35) Ryfors (Tambellini/powerplay goal) 1:2. 52. (51:35) Herzog (Kovar, Sklenicka) 1:3. 54. Fora 2:3. 59. (58:33) Lemieux (Ryfors) 3:3 (without goalkeeper). 60th (59:06) Frehner (Ryfors, Tambellini) 4:3. - Penalties: 3 times 2 minutes against Davos, 4 times 2 minutes against Zug. - PostFinance top scorers: Stransky; Kubalik.
Davos: Aeschlimann; Frick, Dahlbeck; Andersson, Jung; Fora, Barandun; Gross; Waidacher, Asplund, Kessler; Stransky, Nussbaumer, Lemieux; Frehner, Ryfors, Tambellini; Knak, Egli, Parrée; Aebli.
Zug: Genoni; Bengtsson, Geisser; Diaz, Sklenicka; Stadler, Riva; Guerra; Herzog, Kovar, Kubalik; Tatar, Wingerli, Hofmann; Künzle, Senteler, Eggenberger; Truog, Leuenberger, Lindemann; Wey.
Remarks: Davos without Corvi, Gredig, Hollenstein (all injured), Claesson, Taponen and Zadina (all overage foreigners), Zug without Martschini, Schlumpf (both injured), Lilja and Vozenilek (both overage foreigners). Davos without goalkeeper from 58:08 to 58:33. Zug without goalkeeper from 59:36.
