Lions with home win in first semifinal game

Zurich showed some weakness during the first period with passes not precise enough and the missing drive towards goalie Robert Mayer. But Geneva too, needed a few minutes to wake up and realize they now played the regular season winner. Halfway through the first period the Lions had 3 chances in a row but Mayer kept his net clean and just seconds later Tom Pyatt scored the first goal of the game with a nice pirouette, assisted by Matt D'Agostini. ZSC captain Mathias Seger who played his second game after a 6 week recovery had a chance in the 14th minute with a nice slap shot to the left upper corner.

The second period should showcase a lot more action compared to the first when top scorer Roman Wick scored the equalizer 6 minutes into the period with a loop over Mayer. When the period had almost reached it's end, Taylor Pyatt was benched for delay of the game. A chance for the Lions you'd think but instead, the Geneva forward was on a breakaway as he was obstructed by Ryan Shannon. A penalty was given to Matt D'Agostini who deked on Flüeler and scored the second goal for Geneva. The Lions still had the problem of not providing the simple pass but instead had a high number passes which were blocked by the Geneva defense throughout the mid section.

The final period had even more to offer, goalie Mayer who had provoked an obstruction penalty now was the one being penalized for the same. Geering and Cunti gave the assist on Bärtschi who got the second equalizer in this game and now the Lions were warmed up, Robert Nilsson with the lone goal made it 3:2 after 45 minutes. Minutes later Geneva was penalized for too many players on the ice and again it was Swedish forward Robert Nilsson with his second goal of the evening on the powerplay, this time assisted by Ryan Keller and Marc-André Bergeron. Just over a minute had passed when forward Mark Bastl put the 5th goal up for the Lions. 

The best of seven series continues on Thursday in Geneva.

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