Lausanne decides top game in the middle third

The surprising top game - surprising because nobody expected Kloten to be so far ahead before the season - was exciting for 27 minutes. During this period, Kloten kept the score at 0-0 despite Lausanne's dominance, and the visitors even had two powerplay chances to take the lead. However, Lausanne was the only team to score in overtime. The Vaud team took advantage of the first three and four of five powerplay opportunities through Théo Rochette (2-0), Antti Suomela (4-0), Ahti Oksanen (5-0) and Damien Riat (6-1).

Suomela's four-point game

Suomela started the new year with a four-point game (1 goal, 3 assists). Oksanen contributed 2 goals and 1 assist.

Goalie Kevin Pasche was also impressive again. Lausanne's goalkeeper once again only conceded one goal. The American Harrison Schreiber ruined Pasche's eighth shutout with only his second goal of the season shortly before the end. Lausanne, the league's strongest team at home, won seven of its last eight home games in Malley and didn't even concede a goal for 236 minutes (!) until Schreiber's consolation goal. Since the 2:6 home defeat against Davos, there had been clean sweeps against Biel (1:0), Ambri-Piotta (5:0) and Servette (3:0).

For Kloten, goalkeeper Sandro Zurkirchen let four of six shots on his goal pass in the second period. He was substituted after 40 minutes. Lausanne went from 0-0 to 4-0 within ten minutes.

Lausanne - Kloten 6:1 (0:0, 4:0, 2:1)

9600 spectators (sold out). - SR Hürlimann/Hungerbühler, Bürgy/Gnemmi. - Goals: 27. Frick (Heldner, Suomela) 1:0. 30. Rochette (Pajuniemi, Raffl/powerplay goal) 2:0. 35. Oksanen (Suomela) 3:0. 38. Suomela (Oksanen, Riat/powerplay goal) 4:0. 50. Oksanen (Suomela, Fuchs/power play goal) 5:0. 55. Schreiber 5:1. 60. (59:37) Riat (Bayreuther/power play goal) 6:1. - Penalties: 2 times 2 minutes against Lausanne, 5 times 2 minutes against Kloten. - PostFinance top scorers: Suomela; Aaltonen.

Lausanne: Pasche; Sklenicka, Bayreuther; Heldner, Frick; Glauser, Fiedler; Vouardoux, Marti; Riat, Suomela, Oksanen; Bozon, Rochette, Raffl; Pajuniemi, Fuchs, Hügli; Holdener, Bougro, Genazzi.

Kloten: Zurkirchen (41st Waeber); Niku, Profico; Grégoire, Wolf; Sidler, Steve Kellenberger; Sataric; Ojamäki, Aaltonen, Audette; Meyer, Morley, Ramel; Derungs, Schäppi, Schreiber; Weibel, Smirnovs, Marchon; Cyril Keller.

Remarks: Lausanne without Pilut, Prassl (both injured), Jäger and Kuokkanen (both sick), Kloten without Aebi, Diem, Simic and Steiner (all injured).

Ranking:

1. Lausanne 33/64. 2. ZSC Lions 29/61. 3. Bern 32/58. 4. Davos 33/58. 5. Kloten 34/57. 6. Zug 31/49. 7. SCL Tigers 31/45. 8. Biel 31/42. 9. Fribourg-Gottéron 32/42. 10. Rapperswil-Jona Lakers 33/42. 11. Ambri-Piotta 32/41. 12. Genève-Servette 29/39. 13. Lugano 31/39. 14. Ajoie 31/26.