ZSC Lions win Championship with Shootout goal by Robert Nilsson

Kloten was forced to show a strong reaction after having lost 3 games in a row and the danger of being swept in a Final Series which hadn't happened since 2002 when HC Davos beat the ZSC Lions in straight four.

And they did start furious when Josh Hennessy (he replaced the rather disappointing Top-Scorer Peter Mueller) had a breakaway chance but Flüeler blocked the shot in the 2nd minute of the game. On the Lions team Marc-André Bergeron was still injured. With 9 minutes played Eric Blum shot the puck passed Flüeler on the top left shoulder after receiving a pass from finnish forward Tommi Santala. 14 minutes had passed when Ryan Keller was benched for High Sticking against Vandermeer and gave the Flyers a first chance for a power play but couldn't build up pressure in the offensive zone. With 3 minutes to go, Santala played a catastrophic pass into the Lions attacking formation but Gerber made a nice save as Mark Bastl got a shot on him. Micki Dupont then was benched with a penalty for Hooking with a minute left in period one.

The Lions started with a man advantage into the second period but couldn't create any countable chances. The Lions had more possession of the puck, thus creating more chances but were unable to get on the scoreboard so far. With halftime approaching Captain Stancescu was agitating a little too harsh and was sent out and cool down for Roughing. Just as the power play was over Patrick Geering had a chance to score but Gerber once again made a clean glove save. Bodenmann was then benched for Slashing with 14 minutes played although it didn't seem like a clear slash with the stick. As the 2nd period was coming to an end Chris Baltisberger scored the game tying goal in the 39th minute.

Two minutes into the (maybe?) last period Swedish forward Robert Nilsson was assessed with a minor for Obstruction but the Flyers power play formation wasn't able to produce any noteworthy chances. With the minutes ticking down neither team was able to create any dangerous scoring opportunities. with 3 minutes left it was Lions forward Morris Trachsler who was benched for High Sticking but again no goal on the one-man advantage for the home team. With just 21 seconds left Klotens Janick Steinmann was benched for Obstruction. Roman Wick had the championship winning puck on his stick when the puck hit the crossbar and rebounded to the right post. Video review confirmed, no goal and so the 4th game went into the first overtime of the Series.

A team penalty against the Lions was called at 3:19 because of Too Many Players on the Ice but even the man-advantage provided no ultimate decision. The Lions now with a little more pressure in front of Gerber but today he played with his confidence and strength that had brought Kloten to the Final Series. Matthias Bieber was sent out for 2 minutes for Slashing in the 9th minute and now the Flyers boxplay was under pressure once more but again Gerber with a glove save just seconds before the powerplay ended. By now it was clear that Kloten was only trying to survive the remaining minutes of the overtime, also thanks to a superb Goalie between the pipes. And so the Flyers rescued themselves to the ultimate Shootout. Win and play game 5 on Easter Monday or loose and book the flight for a beach vacation.

With the 6th attempt by Robert Nilsson, the Lions won the game and the Championship for the 8th time and completed a 4 game sweep against the Kloten Flyers. The win by the Lions was well deserved, it didn't seem that Kloten had any gas left in their tanks when the overtime was underway. Throughout the series the Lions always were a step ahead, cleaned up in front of their own goal and thus didn't allow many shots or rebounds. Of the two goalies, Lukas Flüeler clearly won the duel against Martin Gerber, only allowing 4 goals.

An detailed analysis of the Final Series will follow shortly here on eurohockey.com.

Head Referees: Brent Reiber, Daniel Stricker
Linesmen: Nicolas Fluri, Joris Müller

Spectators @Kolping Arena: 7'624 (sold out)

1. Goal 9. minute, Blum (Santala), 2. 39. Baltisberger (unassisted), Shootout: 1. Attempt: ZSC, Wick missed, 1. Attempt: Kloten, Santala missed, 2. ZSC: Shannon missed, 2. Kloten: Stancescu missed, 3. ZSC: McCarthy scored, 3. Kloten: Hennessy missed, 4. ZSC: Keller missed, 4. Kloten: Romano Lemm scored, 5. ZSC: Bärtschi missed, 5. Kloten: Liniger missed, 6. Kloten: Romano Lemm missed, 6. ZSC: Nilsson scored

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

ZSC Lions: Flüeler; Geering, Stoffel; McCarthy, Seger(C); Tabacek, Blindenbacher (A); Schnyder, Künzle; Kenins, Shannon, Keller; Wick, Cunti, Bärtschi; Bastl, Trachsler, Nilsson; Schäppi, Fritsche, Baltisberger.
Injured: Marc-André Bergeron

SOG by period:
KF:  1. 11 / 2. 5 / 3. 9 / OT
ZSC:   1. 14 / 2. 13 / 3. 6 / OT

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