The ZSC Lions get off to a flying start in the playoff final against Lausanne. The defending champions win 3-0 away from home.
In last year's final between these two teams, the hosts prevailed seven times. As a result, there was much discussion in the run-up to the series about the home advantage, which this time was on Lausanne's side, as it had scored four points more than ZSC in the qualifiers. Now the Zurich team managed to break through at the first opportunity without having to push themselves to the limit.
The big figure for the Lions was Denis Malgin. The first-line center put the visitors ahead in the 12th minute and set up Derek Grant's 2:0 goal 61 seconds later. Before the 1:0 - a penalty was called against the LHC - he made Brendan Perlini, who had been moved into the line-up for Lauri Pajuniemi, look old at the blue line, whereupon he benefited from the fact that Lausanne keeper Kevin Pasche saw nothing. Zurich made it 2:0 on the power play. Malgin followed up well when David Sklenicka tried to clear the puck out of his own zone and fed Grant, who gave Pasche no chance.
The strong ZSC power play
The power play is one of the Lions' great strengths in the playoffs. While the success rate in qualifying was only 17.39 percent, the third-worst in the league, Zurich's power play is now running like clockwork. The 2:0 was the twelfth goal in overtime in the decisive championship phase, and this on 31 occasions.
Zurich's 2:0 at the first break was absolutely right. They needed no time at all to get going and dominated the first period, as underlined by the 15:7 shot ratio. From the second period onwards, Lausanne got into the game better and had more of the play, but the visitors shielded Czech goalkeeper Simon Hrubec well. As a result, it was rarely dangerous for ZSC. Perlini missed the best chance to make it 1:2 in the 29th minute after a cross pass from Théo Rochette, but he failed to beat Hrubec, who made 29 saves to record his fourth shutout in these playoffs.
Andrighetto again
Although the Lions only did the bare minimum after the first break, Sven Andrighetto increased the lead to 3:0 in the 34th minute after a beautiful trick and a precise finish. The forward is in absolute top form and now has eight goals and 20 points in the current playoffs. This makes him the clear number 1 in these statistics.
While ZSC remained penalty-free in the first two periods, Lausanne was able to play three power plays in the final period, although the Zurich team had everything under control for the most part even when short-handed. In any case, Lausanne will have to improve significantly to become Swiss champions for the first time in the club's history.
The final series continues on Thursday in Zurich-Altstetten. The Lions have won all of their last 14 home games in the playoffs. If they continue this streak, they can soon look forward to their second championship title in a row and eleventh overall.
Telegram:
Lausanne - ZSC Lions 0:3 (0:2, 0:1, 0:0)
9600 spectators. - SR Stricker/Wiegand, Obwegeser/Gnemmi. - Goals: 12th (11:17) Malgin (Kukan) 0:1. 13th (12:18) Grant (Malgin/powerplay goal) 0:2. 34th Andrighetto 0:3. - Penalties: 2 times 2 minutes against Lausanne, 4 times 2 minutes against ZSC Lions. - PostFinance top scorers: Suomela; Frödén.
Lausanne: Pasche; Sklenicka, Bayreuther; Glauser, Aurélien Marti; Vouardoux, Frick; Fiedler, Genazzi; Riat, Suomela, Oksanen; Perlini, Kahun, Rochette; Fuchs, Jäger, Prassl; Rüegsegger, Benjamin Bougro, Jordann Bougro.
ZSC Lions: Hrubec; Kukan, Geering; Weber, Christian Marti; Kinnunen, Lehtonen; Blaser; Andrighetto, Malgin, Balcers; Fröden, Grant, Zehnder; Rohrer, Sigrist, Riedi; Segafredo, Baechler, Henry; Olsson.
Remarks: Lausanne without Bozon, Hammerer, Heldner, Holdener, Hügli, Kuokkanen, Pilut, Raffl (all injured) and Pajuniemi (supernumerary foreigner), ZSC Lions without Hollenstein, Trutmann (both injured), Baltisberger and Lammikko (both sick).
