ZSC Lions win opening game of Final Serie

For the first time in playoff history the two teams from the Canton of Zurich meet in a final. The Lions decided 4 out of 6 games during the regular season in their favour, two of those wins happened away in Kloten. The Lions are missing Morris Trachsler who was suspended for 3 games and was sitting out the second game. Marc-André Bergeron was also missing due to sickness.

On the Flyers side, Simon Bodenmann, Lukas Stoop, Felicien Dubois (season ending injury) and Top Scorer Peter Mueller are missing due undisclosed injuries.

The tension was palpable as the puck was dropped and both Teams tried to get the first shots on the goal. In the 12th minute Klotens Randegger was benched for Slashing, the Lions had some chances but none of them proved to be a threat to Martin Gerber. The powerplay passed by and two minutes later the Lions recorded a shot to the post which was reviewed but judged no goal. Kloten then got a powerplay possibility with 16 minutes played but couldn't get on the scoreboard either. With a bit more than a minute to go Klotens Captain Stancescu and Lions McCarthy exchanged some pleasantries and therefore were benched for Roughing but no further chances were recorded and so the period ended goalless.

After 5 minutes played in the second period the Flyers had another chance to play with a one-man advantage as Andri Stoffel was sent to the coolbox for Tripping. Midway of the powerplay The Flyers powerplay formation fired a number of shots on Flüelers goal but he made some big saves. Number 28 of the Lions, Ryan Keller then joined his team mate for Obstruction but Flüeler again proved to be a wall for the opponents attackers. With 7 minutes to go it was the Lions turn for a powerplay as Blum was assessed with a minor penalty for Hooking but the boxplay worked well. Bot teams were now constantly firing shots on the goalies, keeping them alert and ready to make the big saves and with that, the second period as well, ended goalless.

With 3 minutes played it was Patrick Bärtschi assisted by Dan Fritsche who opened the score for the Lions curving around the Kloten defenders and beating Gerber above his top left shoulder. It now seemed that the home team had a slight advantage, creating more pressure in the offensive zone. On the other side the Flyers who did have chances but just couldn't find a way past the brillantly playing Flüeler. ZSC cleaned up in their own zone, removed rebounds in the crease. As the last two minutes of the game commenced the Flyers suddenly got the upper hand and forced Lions Coach Marc Crawford to take a time out. With the face-off in the Lions Zone, Martin Gerber skated to the Flyers bench for a 6th attacker. With 46 seconds to go, it was Felix Hollenstein who took his Time-Out. Exactly 31 seconds were left when Stancescu was sent to the bench for Tripping. This penalty took any chance for Kloten as Gerber took his place in the goal again. It just got worse when Oldie Marcel Jenni was assessed with a '2 + '10 penalty for a hit against the head. It wouldn't be a suprise if the Flyers get mail from the Leagues discliplinary commission for that hit.

It was a tight game with the better ending for the Lions. The further games will clearly be decided by the better defense and the team that gives up fewer mistakes. The only low point of the game were the expected provocations of the guest team fans which forced Security to calm down the upset mob at the end of the game.

Referees: Brent Reiber, Daniel Stricker
Linesmen: Andreas Kohler, Simon Wüst

Spectators @Hallenstadion: 11'200 (sold out)

1. Goal 43. minute, Bärtschi (Fritsche), 59. minute Time-Out ZSC, 59. minute Time-Out Kloten

ZSC Lions: Flüeler; Geering, Stoffel; McCarthy, Seger(C); Tabacek, Blindenbacher (A); Schnyder, Künzle; Wick, Shannon (A), Keller; Kenins, Cunti, Bärtschi; Bastl, Fritsche, Nilsson; Schäppi, Senteler, Baltisberger.
Suspended: Morris Trachsler (2nd of 3 games)

Kloten Flyers: Gerber; Dupont, von Gunten; Blum, Schelling; Randegger, Vandermeer; Frick, Leone; Bieber, Santala, Hennessy; Steinmann, Liniger (A), Hoffmann; Stancescu (C), Romano Lemm, Bühler; Aurelio Lemm, Jenni (A), Herren.
Injured: Bodenmann, Stoop, Dubois, Mueller

SOG by period:
ZSC:  1. 11 / 2. 7 / 3. 8
KF:   1. 10 / 2. 14 / 3. 10

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