Only the ZSC Lions have many reasons to celebrate in the third playoff semi-final game. For example, fans can look forward to new names on the scorers list, an electrifying and meticulous ZSC and the third win in a row against EVZ. Over the entire duration of the game, the Zurich team and their supporters only had to worry once, after Niklas Hansson reduced the score to 1:2 in the 38th minute from the EVZ’s point of view. Something similar happened in the first game, which was very annoying for the coaches and the entire team. But the ZSC Lions really have an answer to everything this evening.
Result-Correction
At the EVZ, Brian O’Neill comes back into the lineup and after just 12 seconds he becomes the focus of the camera lenses. However, his coach will not be happy about the way his protégé is taking center stage. Because the referees immediately put it in the cool box after an illegal offense. 78 seconds later it becomes clear that the team has again worked on the power play over the past three days. Juho Lammikko, who missed the entire quarter-final series, shines with his first playoff goal in 2024. The atmosphere that exploded just a few minutes earlier when the players arrived reached new heights. It got even louder when Christian Marti increased the score to 2-0 in the second period – an unusual but particularly beautiful sight: number 54 celebrating. If only it wasn’t for Hansson’s goal that dampened the mood a little. The goal conceded is actually extremely annoying because Zurich shows very attractive ice hockey in this middle section and actually has the preliminary decision on the trowel several times. When Zug and his coaching staff were already preparing a fiery half-time speech, Rudolfs Balcers spoiled the guests’ soup and restored the old lead. After a brilliant cross pass from Sven Andrighetto, the Latvian goalkeeper defeated Genoni for the third time that evening.
Zurich cannot be stopped
The 12,000 spectators in the stadium cannot explain to themselves why they have to get up nervously again 102 seconds before the final siren and watch the final seconds in tension. While the Limmatstadt team failed three times due to the aluminum, Fabrice Herzog scored Zug’s goal to make it 2-3 in the crowd and with one more field player. They won’t… no, dear readers, the people of Zurich won’t let that be taken away from them anymore. Vinzenz Rohrer, like Juho Lammikko a little later, scored into the guests’ empty goal. These are the goals to make it 4:2 and 5:2 respectively for the ZSC Lions. For tonight the mood is good, the result is good – everything is good! It continues in Zug on Monday!
(Marko Filipovic)