Davos, Bern and Fribourg avoid slipping into a crisis with victories. But ZSC and Rapperswil-Jona, unbeaten so far, lose their "innocence". The facts about Saturday's games.
Davos reacts to defeat in Langnau
Without its suspended captain Andres Ambühl, HC Davos rehabilitated itself for Tuesday's 7-0 debacle in Langnau with a 6-2 win in Zug. Canadian Adam Tambellini excelled in his fifth NL game with his first hat trick on Swiss ice, and goalie Sandro Aeschlimann saved significantly more shots than his counterpart Tim Wolf (43:28 saves). The ambitious Zug lost its second home game in a row after the 2:3 against Ambri-Piotta.
Bern's redemption in the middle third
SC Bern got their first win after four defeats. A strong middle period with three goals within 121 seconds - including two by Romain Loeffel in overtime - put the SCB on course against Ambri-Piotta, who were actually in good form. After the opening win in the derby against the SCL Tigers, the Bernese had lost three out of four games in overtime or penalty shoot-outs. Ambri remained without a point for the first time this season.
Champions ZSC Lions suffer first defeat
The form curves had been diametrically opposed at the start of the season, but Fribourg-Gottéron got back on track against the champions of all teams. Jacob de la Rose scored the decisive goal after exactly four minutes in the middle third, Nathan Marchon scored into an empty net to make the final score 2:0. It was the first defeat for the ZSC Lions and the first win for Fribourg after four defeats.
Kloten without a point for the first time
In its sixth game, Kloten, which has surprised so positively so far, failed to pick up a point for the first time. The team from Zurich was able to equalize a deficit twice in Lugano, but was unable to respond to Samuel Guerra's 3:2 in the 48th minute. The 4:2 goal was then scored into an empty net. Lugano, on the other hand, took maximum points for the fourth time in a row after their opening defeat in Zug.
Lakers lose against favorite opponent
Even a Nicklas Jensen in top form could not prevent the Rapperswil-Jona Lakers' first defeat of the season. The Dane equalized twice against Lausanne in regulation time and also scored in the penalty shootout. In the end, however, Jason Fuchs was the match-winner for the Vaud team with the 3:2. last season, the Lakers had won all four games against the playoff finalists, taking maximum points in the process.
Servette with their first win of the season
In their fourth win, Champions League winners Genève-Servette finally notched up their first win of the season in the domestic championship. In Biel, Vincent Praplan and Teemu Hartikainen gave Geneva a 2-0 lead by the 8th minute. Servette virtually groped their way to victory in the last few days. They had lost their last two games in overtime, but now they safely wrapped up the three points with a 4-0 win after a good start.
SCL Tigers with a must-win against Ajoie
The SCL Tigers' 4-1 home win against desolate Ajoie was nothing but logical. The team from Langnau has taken maximum points in three games at home, but not a single point away from home. Harri Pesonen and Flavio Schmutz put the Emmentalers, who have the second-best power play in the league, 2-0 ahead twice in overtime. Ajoie still have zero points after six games.
Telegrams and table
Zug - Davos 2:6 (1:1, 0:1, 1:4)
7700 spectators. - SR Borga/Mollard, Obwegeser/Nater. - Goals: 1. (0:14) Senteler (Biasca) 1:0. 20. (19:25) Honka 1:1. 34. Tambellini (Zadina/powerplay goal) 1:2. 47. Ryfors (Tambellini) 1:3. 49. (48:04) Tambellini (Frehner) 1:4. 50th (49:36) Tambellini (Ryfors/powerplay goal) 1:5. 53rd Künzle (Olofsson) 2:5. 55th Stransky 2:6. - Penalties: 4 times 2 minutes against Zug, 5 times 2 minutes against Davos. - PostFinance top scorers: Kovar; Honka.
Zug: Wolf; Bengtsson, Geisser; Muggli, Carlsson; Hansson, Stadler; Schlumpf, Riva; Vozenilek, Kovar, Hofmann; Martschini, Olofsson, Herzog; Biasca, Senteler, Künzle; Simion, Leuenberger, Eggenberger.
Davos: Aeschlimann; Honka, Dahlbeck; Fora, Gross; Andersson, Jung; Guebey, Barandun; Stransky, Corvi, Nussbaumer; Frehner, Ryfors, Tambellini; Knak, Egli, Zadina; Wieser, Gredig, Parrée.
Remarks: Zug without Genoni (injured) and Wingerli (extra foreigner), Davos without Ambühl (suspended), Kessler and Nordström (both injured).
Bern - Ambri-Piotta 4:0 (0:0, 3:0, 1:0)
14'920 spectators. - SR Tscherrig/Staudenmann, Huguet/Urfer. - Goals: 33rd (32:33) Untersander (Merelä, Bader) 1:0. 33rd (32:52) Loeffel (Baumgartner/powerplay goal) 2:0. 35th Loeffel (Czarnik/powerplay goal) 3:0. 52nd Czarnik (underpaid goal!) 4:0 (into the empty net). - Penalties: 4 times 2 minutes against Bern, 3 times 2 minutes against Ambri-Piotta. - PostFinance top scorers: Baumgartner; Virtanen.
Bern: Reideborn; Untersander, Nemeth; Loeffel, Lindholm; Vermin, Kindschi; Füllemann; Lehmann, Czarnik, Ejdsell; Bader, Merelä, Marchon; Schild, Baumgartner, Scherwey; Moser, Graf, Ritzmann; Sablatnig.
Ambri-Piotta: Juvonen; Heed, Zaccheo Dotti; Virtanen, Zgraggen; Dario Wüthrich, Terraneo; Scilacci; Bürgler, Heim, Pestoni; De Luca, Hedlund, Lilja; Zwerger, Landry, Kubalik; Grassi, Ang, Müller; Douay.
Remarks: Bern without Kahun and Kreis (both injured), Ambri-Piotta without Curran, Isacco Dotti, Kostner, Maillet and Pezzullo (all injured). Ambri-Piotta without a goalkeeper from 50:47 to 51:27.
Fribourg-Gottéron - ZSC Lions 2:0 (0:0, 1:0, 1:0)
9119 spectators. - SR Lemelin (USA)/Dipietro, Cattaneo/Gnemmi. - Goals: 24. De la Rose (DiDomenico, Gunderson) 1:0. 59. Marchon 2:0 (into the empty net). - Penalties: 2 times 2 plus 10 minutes (Sörensen) against Fribourg-Gottéron, 2 times 2 minutes against ZSC Lions. - PostFinance top scorers: Sörensen; Kukan.
Fribourg-Gottéron: Berra; Rathgeb, Jecker; Gunderson, Streule; Diaz, Borgman; Sutter; Sörensen, Wallmark, Mottet; Bertschy, De la Rose, DiDomenico; Marchon, Schmid, Dorthe; Binias, Walser, Sprunger; Näf.
ZSC Lions: Hrubec; Weber, Kukan; Kinnunen, Geering; Trutmann, Marti; Schwendeler; Graf, Grant, Balcers; Baltisberger, Lammikko, Zehnder; Frödén, Sigrist, Truog; Rohrer, Baechler, Riedi; Henry.
Remarks: Fribourg-Gottéron without Dufner and Gerber (both injured), ZSC Lions without Andrighetto, Hollenstein, Malgin (all injured) and Lehtonen (extra player). ZSC Lions without goalkeeper from 57:40 to 58:56 and from 59:10.
Lugano - Kloten 4:2 (1:1, 1:0, 2:1)
5236 spectators. - SR Piechaczek (GER)/Hungerbühler, Fuchs/Bürgy. - Goals: 12th (11:52) Verboon (Jesper Peltonen) 1:0. 13th (12:36) Morley (Ramel, Derungs) 1:1. 37th Fazzini (Alatalo, Patry) 2:1. 47th (46:58) Ramel (Morley) 2:2. 48th (47:18) Guerra (Joly) 3:2. 60th (59:06) Sekac (Zohorna, Carr) 4:2 (into the empty net). - Penalties: 2 times 2 minutes against Lugano, none against Kloten. - PostFinance top scorers: Carr; Niku.
Lugano: Schlegel; Hausheer, Dahlström; Aebischer, Mirco Müller; Jesper Peltonen, Alatalo; Guerra; Joly, Canonica, Carr; Fazzini, Arcobello, Patry; Cormier, Marco Müller, Verboon; Zanetti, Zohorna, Sekac; Reichle.
Kloten: Zurkirchen; Niku, Profico; Grégoire, Wolf; Steiner, Steve Kellenberger; Sataric; Ojamäki, Aaltonen, Audette; Smirnovs, Morley, Ramel; Meier, Schäppi, Meyer; Weibel, Diem, Marchon; Derungs.
Remarks: Lugano without Morini and Thürkauf (both injured), Kloten without Simic (injured). Kloten without a goalkeeper from 58:48 to 59:06.
Rapperswil-Jona Lakers - Lausanne 2:3 (0:0, 1:1, 1:1, 0:0) n.P.
4782 spectators. - SR Kaukokari (FIN)/Ströbel, Steenstra (CAN)/Humair. - Goals: 33rd Oksanen (Suomela) 0:1. 40th (39:55) Jensen (Moy, Djuse) 1:1. 41st (40:56) Suomela (Bayreuther, Oksanen/powerplay goal) 1:2. 59th Jensen (Henauer, Wetter/powerplay goal) 2:2 (no goalkeeper). - Penalty shootout: Rochette -, Aberg -; Riat -, Jensen 1:0; Kuokkanen 1:1, Strömwall -; Suomela 1:2, Moy -; Oksanen -, Dünner 2:2; Moy -, Fuchs 2:3. - Penalties: 1 times 2 minutes against Rapperswil-Jona Lakers, 4 times 2 minutes against Lausanne. - PostFinance top scorers: Jensen; Oksanen.
Rapperswil-Jona Lakers: Punnenovs; Baragano, Maier; Gerber, Henauer; Jelovac, Holm; Alge, Djuse; Moy, Rask, Jensen; Wick, Dünner, Wetter; Aberg, Albrecht, Strömwall; Hofer, Taibel, Zangger.
Lausanne: Keller; Glauser, Bayreuther; Heldner, Frick; Sklenicka, Marti; Vouardoux, Fiedler; Riat, Suomela, Oksanen; Bozon, Jäger, Fuchs; Hügli, Kuokkanen, Rochette; Holdener, Bougro, Genazzi.
Remarks: Rapperswil-Jona Lakers without Capaul, Lammer, Larsson and Quinn (all injured), Lausanne without Pajuniemi, Pilut, Prassl and Raffl (all injured). Rapperswil-Jona Lakers without a goalkeeper from 58:53 to 58:59.
Biel - Genève-Servette 0:4 (0:2, 0:0, 0:2)
5645 spectators. - SR Hebeisen/Eriksson (SWE), Duc/Francey. - Goals: 2nd Praplan (Le Coultre) 0:1. 8th Hartikainen (Granlund, Manninen) 0:2. 54th Manninen (Hartikainen, Granlund) 0:3. 59th Hartikainen (Jooris, Manninen) 0:4 (into the empty net). - Penalties: 1 time 2 plus 5 minutes (Bachofner) plus playing time (Bachofner) against Biel, 2 times 2 plus 5 minutes (Karrer) plus playing time (Karrer) against Genève-Servette. - PostFinance top scorers: Rajala; Praplan.
Biel: Säteri; Lööv, Stampfli; Burren, Yakovenko; Christen, Christe; Grossmann; Kneubuehler, Andersson, Rajala; Hofer, Haas, Heponiemi; Brunner, Bärtschi, Müller; Derungs, Tanner, Bachofner; Schläpfer.
Genève-Servette: Mayer; Vatanen, Berni; Karrer, Lennström; Le Coultre, Chanton; Schneller, Jacquemet; Hartikainen, Manninen, Granlund; Miranda, Richard, Hischier; Praplan, Spacek, Bertaggia; Loosli, Jooris, Maillard.
Remarks: Biel without Cunti, Delémont, Reinhard, Sallinen and Zryd (all injured), Genève-Servette without Cavalleri, Descloux, Pouliot, Rod, Völlmin (all injured) and Raanta (supernumerary foreigner). Biel without a goalkeeper from 56:58 to 58:19 and 58:30 to 58:54.
SCL Tigers - Ajoie 4:1 (2:0, 1:1, 1:0)
5455 spectators. - SR Hürlimann/Stricker, Gurtner/Altmann. - Goals: 11. Pesonen (Malone, Saarijärvi/power play goal) 1:0. 19. Flavio Schmutz (Saarela, Julian Schmutz/power play goal) 2:0. 34. Brennan (Palve) 2:1. 38. Allenspach (Guggenheim, Riikola) 3:1. 60. (59:50) Saarela (Julian Schmutz) 4:1 (into the empty net). - Penalties: 2 times 2 minutes against SCL Tigers, 3 times 2 minutes against Ajoie. - PostFinance top scorers: Saarijärvi; Nättinen.
SCL Tigers: Boltshauser; Guggenheim, Riikola; Saarijärvi, Baltisberger; Cadonau, Zanetti; Paschoud; Berger, Malone, Pesonen; Julian Schmutz, Flavio Schmutz, Saarela; Fahrni, Felcman, Allenspach; Rohrbach, Salzgeber, Lapinskis; Rossi.
Ajoie: Conz; Minder, Fey; Scheidegger, Brennan; Nussbaumer, Fischer; Thiry; Sopa, Romanenghi, Pedretti; Turkulainen, Palve, Nättinen; Robin, Devos, Bozon; Garessus, Rundqvist, Pouilly; Veckaktins.
Remarks: SCL Tigers without Erni and Mäenalanen (both injured), Ajoie without Frossard, Hazen, Maurer, Reto Schmutz (all injured) and Ciaccio (sick). Ajoie without a goalkeeper from 58:56 to 59:50.
SDA
