Just like a year ago, Lausanne and the defending champions ZSC Lions will face each other in the National League playoff final. This time, the Vaud team has home-ice advantage.
15.04.2025, 04:00
15.04.2025, 06:42
SDA
The lion is known as the king of beasts, although it is the second-largest cat of prey after the tiger. Be that as it may, the lions reign supreme in the National League for the second season in a row. Both Lausanne and ZSC have one in their logo.
Last year's final was only decided in the seventh game, in which the Zurich team won 2-0 in front of their home crowd. The hosts had already prevailed in each of the previous six games. This time, the home advantage is on the side of Lausanne, who finished the regular season four points ahead of ZSC in first place.
This is the 31st time in the 39th playoffs in Switzerland's top league that the winner of the qualifiers has reached the final. It has come out on top 18 times, including in the last five playoffs. When it came to the final duel between first and second, the record was 12:6, so these statistics clearly favor Lausanne, which is aiming for the first championship title in the club's history.
Biggest pressure off
The Vaud team turned around a 1:3 series lead in the semi-final against Fribourg-Gottéron. It was only when they had their backs to the wall that they managed to break free, said Lausanne defenceman Joël Genazzi after the 5:1 win on Saturday in the showdown. The quarter-final series against the SCL Tigers had already been decided in the seventh game. Now that they have reached the final, however, the greatest pressure is off the LHC.
Lausanne has won 27 of 34 home games in the current championship, which is an impressive record. However, two of the seven defeats came in the semi-final. One question in the final will be whether they have enough energy reserves. Coach Geoff Ward's team has not only played three more games in the playoffs than the Lions, it has also had to contend with more injuries. In the final a year ago, Lausanne's checking line shone with Ken Jäger, Michael Raffl and Tim Bozon, the latter two of whom were recently absent - as were Michael Hügli and defenseman Fabian Heldner.
Great width and outstanding Andrighetto
Meanwhile, ZSC, coached by Marco Bayer since the end of December, has so far been able to draw from the full roster, with the exception of the long-term injured Denis Hollenstein and Dario Trutmann, although the Lions already have the broadest squad in the league. They also have the currently outstanding player in the National League in their ranks: Sven Andrighetto.
The 32-year-old forward clearly leads the scoring charts in the playoffs with seven goals and twelve assists in eleven games. He has already made a significant contribution to Zurich's triumph in the Champions Hockey League, which is why he was named MVP. When asked whether he is the best Andrighetto of all time, he replied: "I don't know. But of course I want to make the difference with my line partners, that's how ambitious I am. The experience I've gained certainly helps me, I'm in top shape and we have a very good team."
Andrighetto forms a congenial duo with Denis Malgin. However, the Lions, who have won all of their last 14 home games in the playoffs, have also been able to rely on their important secondary scoring. Willy Riedi has already scored four times. And the fourth line and 13th forward Joel Henry combined for twelve scoring points (four goals) in the decisive championship phase. In addition, ZSC can count on Simon Hrubec as the best goalie in the league; the Czech's save percentage in the current playoffs is 94.12 percent. By comparison, the 22-year-old Lausanne keeper Kevin Pasche, who is the team's No. 1 for the first season, has a 91.97 percent save percentage.
The Lions, who are aiming to become Swiss champions for the eleventh time, are therefore favored despite Lausanne's home advantage. But only slightly. In the qualifying duels, the balance is 2:2; both teams have won once at home and once away. Excitement therefore seems to be guaranteed in the duel between the Lions. Who will roar louder this time?
