Davos and Bern complete sweep in quarterfinals

Kloten Flyers - HC Davos 1:4

It seemed that the home crowd wasn't too confident as the Swiss Arena wasn't sold out. Two early powerplays for the guests in the starting minutes weren't at all helpful in Klotens attempt to win at least one game in what had been considered a one-sided series. And just 30 seconds into the second powerplay Dino Wieser scored the first goal of the game. Not once was Kloten able to score the first goal during any of the previous 3 games and so the Flyers trailed Davos early in the game. The emotions errupted during the following minutes when it seemed that Klotens forwards were unfairly attacked. The home team was then given a powerplay but the advantage quickly dissolved.

The second period started with a powerplay for the home team but except for a chance or two the Flyers remained subtle in their attacks and had a hard time creating pressure in the offensive zone. At halftime, Patrick von Gunten was benched for cross-checking. Davos were quickly able to set-up their formation and with a little over a minute played, Dino's brother Marc Wieser, scored the second powerplay goal.

Period three started with yet another powerplay for the home team but again, the Flyers had huge problems to set up their formation and so another chance passed. Another man-advantage gave Kloten the 5th chance but what the Flyers produced was simply sad. Not a single chance and first boo's from the ranks were the result with 5 minutes left in regulation. A minute later, the Davos' defense had taken a quick break, James Sheppard scored the first goal of the game for his team. Simpson pulled Boltshauser with 57 seconds left and 5 second later Davos had their 2 goal lead as Dino Wieser scored the empty-netter. The head coach pulled his goalie again, just seconds after the face-off, this time with 2 seconds left it was top-scorer Perttu Lindgren with the 4 and final goal. This score described the Flyers season in 60 minutes. Without luck and most of the time running on little skill, the Flyers ended their post-season in the shortest possible way.


SC Bern - ZSC Lions 3:0

The Lions were on the verge on writing history. Never in history had a regular season winner lost a quarterfinal series in 4 games. But tonight anything seemed possible. Bern had a better start when Andre Ebbett scored just 3 minutes into the game and set Marc Crawford and his team under pressure. And the pressure was growing as the game advanced. With 9 minutes played in the second period it was Alain Berger assisted by Gian-Andrea Randegger who scored the second goal of the evening for the bears. At no point did the Lions make the impression that they would be able to turn around the game and so what had to come, came. Thomas Ruefenacht secured the sweep with a third goal in the 48th minute and put an end to one of the most anticipated stints Swiss hockey has ever seen in the person of Auston Matthews. Coach Marc Crawford who had been connected with a return to the NHL for next season wasn't able to set-up his team against an opponent who may not have the technically best players but definitely the more aggressive ones. Davos and Bern will now face each other in the 1st semifinal series starting next week.

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