The game
In the top battle this evening in the sold-out arena in Zurich, the two teams will meet, which are only separated by one point in places 2 (ZSC Lions) and 3. Depending on the outcome of the game from leader Lausanne in Zug, the winner could take over the lead in the table. HC Davos goes into the game with exactly the same line-up as on Wednesday in the 4-2 win in Kloten: Defender Davyd Barandun is missing due to a minor injury, striker Marc Wieser is unavailable and Sandro Aeschlimann is in goal.
The ZSC Lions have the away game on Thursday in Lausanne (0-2 defeat) in their bones, but they got off to a better start and recorded their first goals. Aeschlimann parries Dean Kukan’s most dangerous shot with his shoulder (6′). The first power play then belongs to HC Davos and it ends with Valentin Nussbaumer’s opening goal in the 9th minute. Luck helps, because when Calle Andersson attempts to pass, the puck is blocked by ZSC striker Derek Grant directly onto Nussbaumer’s stick, and he has the empty goal in front of him. In the 12th minute, ZSC goalie Simon Hrubec made a miraculous save against Tino Kessler, then luck also struck on the other side: Willy Riedi shot, the puck went to Nicolas Baechler’s upper body when Aeschlimann rebounded and from there into the goal – The 1:1 in the 14th minute is also the fair result at the first break.
The home team comes out of this better. Aeschlimann is particularly challenged in the 26th minute when Sven Andrighetto appears alone in front of him. The HCD goalie is there with his left leg guard. Then in the 31st minute, the fourth Davos attack line made an exclamation mark. Behind the opposing goal, youngster Rico Gredig wins the puck and immediately passes it to Simon Knak in front of the goal. With his third goal of the season, the 22-year-old puts the guests in the lead again. This could be even higher later, because the HCD dominates the game in the second half of the middle third. Matej Stransky missed the best chance of making it 3-1 in the 37th minute.
In the third third the master reacts. Also with physicality: Christian Marti bursts the plexiglass with a powerful check against Simon Ryfors. But the Zurich team have to wait for the second because Aeschlimann held strong against Jeper Frödén in the 49th minute and against Vincenz Rohrer in the 51st minute. Davos resists physically, but is too passive in terms of play and is punished for this with Frödén’s equalizer (56th).
There will be an extension. For the ZSC Lions, this is their seventh home game of the season. 20 seconds before the end of the overtime with little action until then, the HCD celebrates. Because Ryfors hit Hrubec, Tambellini’s goal doesn’t count. But the people of Davos launched another attack. And this brings the decision in the final second (!). Klas Dahlbeck meets a pass from Tambellini. Thanks to the one point and because they played one less game, the Lions take the lead in the table despite the defeat – with the same number of points (40) as HCD and Lausanne.
The Top 3
Klas Dahlbeck: The Swedish defensive defender takes part in the last HCD attack of extra time. And becomes the match winner.
Rico Gredig: It’s great how the 19-year-old gets the puck and sets up Knak for a 2-1 lead.
Sandro Aeschlimann: The HCD goalie has been in top form since the start of the season. He also plays this against the Lions.
This is how it goes
On Saturday, the HCD will have their third game since Wednesday and the only one on home ice this week. The opponent is HC Fribourg-Gottéron. The game starts at 7:45 p.m.
