Lugano manages an almost perfect week. The South Ticino team celebrates its third win in a row with a 4:3 penalty shootout victory against the SCL Tigers.
18.01.2026, 19:04
18.01.2026, 19:08
SDA
The home team's match-winner was captain Calvin Thürkauf, who scored all four of his penalties. The international forward had a private duel with Langnau's Julian Schmutz, who only failed to beat Lugano goalie Niklas Schlegel with his fourth attempt.
Lugano followed up its away victories in Zug (3:2) on Wednesday and in Bern (4:1) on Friday with another home win, its sixth in a row and tenth in the last eleven games. Coach Tomas Mitell's team initially squandered a 2:0 lead against Langnau before Dario Simion saved the Bianconeri with a 3:3 overtime tie with just over three-and-a-half minutes remaining in regulation time.
The SCL Tigers, who had three Swiss players on the scoresheet in Dario Allenspach, Flavio Schmutz and Dario Rohrbach, were beaten away from home for the fourth time in a row. The Emmental had won their last three games in Lugano. Nevertheless, their starting position in the play-off race remains comfortable. They have an eight-point lead over 11th place.
Lugano moved up in the table to join the chasing duo of Fribourg-Gottéron and Genève-Servette from leaders Davos.
Lakers win away from home again
The Rapperswil-Jona Lakers are back on the winning track on home ice. After five away games without a win, the St. Gallen team prevailed 4:3 after overtime in Lausanne.
Since their 4-2 win in Fribourg on December 3, the Lakers had gone into overtime twice away from home, but had always lost. On Sunday afternoon, they did better in Vaud. After twice coming back from behind and having to concede a 3-3 draw in the final period, Viktor Rask decided the game in favor of the visitors with his eighth goal of the season in the 3rd minute of overtime.
For Lausanne, Friday's overtime win in Kloten should have been the start of another positive phase after an unsuccessful start to the year with five defeats in a row. The upward trend has now been halted again.
From Lausanne's point of view, at least the point gained remains positive. In fifth place, the playoff finalists of the last two seasons still occupy a direct playoff spot. Rapperswil-Jona, currently seventh, are fighting for a place in the Top 6 and can continue to hope thanks to the two points.
Telegram and table:
Lugano - SCL Tigers 4:3 (1:0, 1:1, 1:2, 0:0) n.P.
6233 spectators. - SR Kaukokari (FIN)/Stricker, Obwegeser/Nater. - Goals: 5. Sanford (Fazzini, Müller) 1:0. 25. Canonica (Fazzini, Carrick) 2:0. 32. Allenspach (Malone) 2:1. 41. (40:32) Flavio Schmutz (Pesonen) 2:2. 49. Rohrbach (Riikola) 2:3. 57. Simion (Aebischer) 3:3. - Penalty shoot-out: Pesonen -, Fazzini -; Allenspach -, Sanford -; Petersson -, Simion -; Rohrbach -, Thürkauf 1:0; Julian Schmutz 1:1, Sekac -; Thürkauf 2:1, Julian Schmutz 2:2; Thürkauf 3:2, Julian Schmutz 3:3; Thürkauf 4:3, Julian Schmutz -. - Penalties: 1 time 2 plus 5 minutes (Aebischer) plus playing time (Aebischer) against Lugano, 1 time 5 minutes (Mäenalanen) plus playing time (Mäenalanen) against the SCL Tigers. - PostFinance top scorers: Fazzini; Petersson.
Lugano: Schlegel; Alatalo, Müller; Aebischer, Dahlström; Carrick, Jesper Peltonen; Brian Zanetti; Simion, Thürkauf, Bertaggia; Fazzini, Sanford, Canonica; Perlini, Tanner, Sekac; Marco Zanetti, Morini, Aleksi Peltonen.
SCL Tigers: Boltshauser; Meier, Riikola; Kinnunen, Mathys; Paschoud, Baltisberger; Lehmann; Julian Schmutz, Flavio Schmutz, Pesonen; Petersson, Felcman, Mäenalanen; Rohrbach, Malone, Allenspach; Petrini, Salzgeber, Lapinskis; Bachofner.
Remarks: Lugano without Emanuelsson and Kupari (both injured), SCL Tigers without Björninen and Erni (both injured).
Lausanne - Rapperswil-Jona Lakers 3:4 (0:0, 2:2, 1:1, 0:1) n.V.
9600 spectators. - SR Hebeisen/Dipietro, Bürgy/Bichsel. - Goals: 22. Brännström (Czarnik, Caggiula) 1:0. 32. (31:01) Dünner (Honka, Moy/Powerplaytor) 1:1. 33. (32:15) Rochette (Brännström, Riat) 2:1. 38. Capaul (Fritz, Maillet) 2:2. 42. Zangger (Strömwall, Honka) 2:3. 47. Oksanen (Riat, Jäger/Powerplaytor) 3:3. 63. Rask (Strömwall) 3:4. - Penalties: 4 times 2 minutes against Lausanne, 5 times 2 minutes against Rapperswil-Jona Lakers. - PostFinance top scorers: Czarnik; Strömwall.
Lausanne: Pasche; Baragano, Brännström; Niku, Fiedler; Sansonnens, Marti; Vouardoux; Czarnik, Spooner, Caggiula; Riat, Rochette, Oksanen; Prassl, Jäger, Zehnder; Hügli, Fuchs, Douay; Holdener.
Rapperswil-Jona Lakers: Nyffeler; Honka, Larsson; Capaul, Maier; Henauer, Jelovac; Kellenberger; Wetter, Dünner, Lammer; Zangger, Rask, Strömwall; Moy, Maillet, Fritz; Hofer, Albrecht, Taibel; Graf.
Remarks: Lausanne without Bougro, Heldner, Kahun, Suomela (all injured), Rapperswil-Jona Lakers without Dufner, Embacher, Jensen, Pilut, Quinn (all injured).
