Lions keep lead in NLA

Kloten Flyers 0 - ZSC Lions 2

It's the first time the teams met after last season's Final clash where Zurich beat Kloten in four games and the start of the season hasn't been a very promising one for the Flyers after loosing their first 3 games with a total score of 5 goals scored and 15 received.

Kloten got a powerplay chance after 3 minutes when Wick was benched for hooking but the Lions defense stood solid and didn't allow the Flyers more than one shot. Neither team was able to grab the upper hand during the first 10 minutes but it was palpable that the Flyers still were insecure, playing imprecise. With 12 minutes played, the Lions got their first chance with a man advantage but Luca Cunti was benched during the own powerplay for interference. This time Kloten was moving the puck faster, at least creating a chance or two but the Lions survived the box play. Roman Wick with a nice spin around shot from between the face of circles tested Jonas Müller but the young Flyers goalie kept his goal clean. Kloten with a 3rd powerplay in the last minutes of the first period but again, no goal.

With the start of the second period both teams were assessed with a minor penalty each just shortly after each other but neither team was able to capitalize on their chance. In the 6th minute Klotens Captain was benched and little less than a minute later Schelling was benched and so the Lions had the two man advantage for a litle over a minute but the Flyers overcame the double minor penalties. At halftime, it was Wick once more with a tripping penalty but Dan Fritsche with a nice breakaway got past the Flyers defense and scored the 1-0 goal shorthanded. Just seconds later the Flyers were on the attack and thought they had scored the equalizer but the Head cancelled the goal, it looked like goalie interference. Kloten produced a handful of chances but still waited for their first goal. ZSC on the other hand, were on the run, and with 8 minutes left it was Top Scorer Wick (Fritsche, Blindenbacher) who topped up the lead 2-0. With less than 4 minutes left Kloten got a chance with a two man advantage to at least get on the scoreboard but by the end of the second period, Kloten still was waiting for their first goal.

Over 10 minutes nothing happened in the last period when Dupont was benched but the Lions couldn't capitalize on their powerplay. Roman Wick then took place for a third time on the bench but the Flyers power play left room for improvement. With that, an emotionless third period ended and Kloten loses their 4th game in a row.

Coach Hollenstein, Flyers: "We were missing some luck in capitalising on our chances. We need to be more efficient in the offensive." On the question how he'll build up his team for tomorrow's game against SC Bern: "We need to show the same fighting spirit like today and work hard. It's always about how you loose, we did to little in the first game, we did to little against Lausanne but today I can't blame the team, they were concentrated and we just need to be patient so that we can get back on track."

Michael Liniger, Assistant Captain, Flyers: "Tonight it definitely was about not scoring the goals and of course not capitalizing on the powerplays (Kloten had 7 powerplay chances) but in the 5 on 5 situations we definitely stood better than in the previous games where we skated around disorganized." On the question why Kloten has only scored 5 goals in 4 games: "There's different factors going into this game, there's insecurities after the games we played. Sometimes you want to much and then it works even worse. In the changing rooms we try to help each other and sometimes you have to go through these kind of situations in your career. We try gather all energy so that we can concentrate on one goal and bring us back on the right track."

Kolping Arena: 6'016 Attendants
Shots on goal: 8:10 / 5:9 / 10:5
Best Players: Kloten: Jonas Müller / ZSC: Roman Wick

Kloten Flyers: Müller (Aeberhard); Back, Dupont; Guggisberg, Santala, Bieber; Frick, von Gunten; Stancescu (C), Liniger (A), Bodenmann; Vandermeer, Schelling; Bühler, Lemm, Jenni (A); Harlacher, El Assaoui; Praplan, Kellenberger; Leone

ZSC Lions: Flüeler (Leimbacher); Geering, Blindenbacher; Wick, Cunti, Bärtschi (A); Smith, Seger (C); Bastl, Trachsler, Künzle; Bergeron, Stoffel; Keller, Shannon, Zangger; Neuenschwander, Siegenthaler; Schäppi, Senteler, Fritsche



EV Zug 5 - Lausanne HC 0

The game started rather slow, a minor penalty on both sides was about all the first period offered but in the last minute of the starting period it was Josh Holden (Assist: Yannick Blaser) who scored the opening goal. It took the host only 39 seconds when Daniel Sondell (Lino Martschini, Josh Holden) got the second goal of the evening. It would take Zug almost the whole period before Reto Suri (Holden, Sondell) scored the 3rd goal just seconds before the period ended. The third period started similar to the 2nd, a quick goal by Pierre-Marc Bouchard (Ramholt, Earl) just 30 seconds into the period secured the win for Zug. At 49 minutes played, it was again Bouchard (Christen) with his second goal of the evening and the 3rd win for Zug.

HC Ambri-Piotta 3 - HC Davos 4 SO

It was the guest who scored the first goal of the game when Mauro Jörg got on the scoreboard a first time. But Alexandre Giroux (Assist: Keith Aucoin) scored the equalizer less than a minute later. The team from the Landwassertal had a different plan and with 18 minutes played it was Perttu Lindgren (Lukas Sieber) who took back the 1 goal lead in the first period. Davos continued the second period where they had ended, Samuel Guerra (Mauro Jörg, Samuel Walser) scored the third goal with 6 minutes played. Just before halftime of the game, Paolo Duca (Keith Aucoin) shot the important second goal. Davos' Ville Koistinen was assessed with a '2 + '10 minute penalty for a check to the head and might miss the next game. Inti Pestoni for Ambri score the equalizing goal 5 minutes into the 3rd period. As no goals were scored for the rest of the game and the overtime didn't bring up a winner, the shootout had to decide and here it was Felicien du Bois with the lone goal for Davos.

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