Fribourg-Gottéron secures first title with historic Spengler Cup

The match began at a breathtaking pace, with Fribourg establishing their dominance in the opening moments. Just 27 seconds into the game, Jacob de la Rose capitalized on a rebound to put his team ahead. Barely a minute later, Jakob Lilja doubled the lead with a clinical finish, leaving the Straubing Tigers stunned. Despite an early timeout by Straubing's head coach, Tom Pokel, the momentum remained with the Swiss side. Tim Brunnhuber briefly narrowed the gap for Straubing, but Nathan Marchon’s goal just over a minute later restored Fribourg’s two-goal advantage. Christoph Bertschy extended the lead to 4-1 by the end of the first period, effectively sealing the game before it had fully unfolded.

For the Straubing Tigers, the game marked their fifth in as many days—a grueling schedule that clearly took a toll. While their journey to the final had been marked by dramatic upsets, including victories over tournament favorites Dynamo Pardubice and Team Canada, the physical toll proved insurmountable. In contrast, Fribourg entered the final well-rested after two days off, giving them a decisive edge in energy and execution.

Gotteron’s captain, Julien Sprunger, acknowledged the impact of their opponents’ fatigue: “They had the fifth game in five days, so we wanted to start with pressure. We did that and scored early goals.”

The middle period saw Fribourg further assert their dominance. T.J. Brennan’s powerful strike made it 5-1, prompting Straubing to replace goaltender Zane McIntyre with Florian Bugl. Despite a moment of hope for Straubing when Mario Zimmermann scored, Fribourg quickly responded with a goal by Linden Vey. Andreas Borgman capped the period with a seventh goal, leaving no doubt about the outcome.

The final period was more subdued, with Straubing holding a slight territorial advantage but unable to mount a comeback. The highlight of the closing minutes was the triumphant atmosphere as Fribourg’s fans began celebrating their historic victory.

For Fribourg-Gottéron, this Spengler Cup triumph marks not only a historic achievement but also a turning point for the club. Having finished as runners-up in Switzerland’s National League multiple times, the team finally lifted their first trophy.

Head coach Lars Leuenberger, appointed just nine days before the tournament, reflected on the significance of the victory: “It’s a prestigious tournament, and every team here wanted to win. This means a lot to the club and the fans. As a child, I watched this tournament on TV, and now I’ve won it—it’s very special.”

Club captain Julien Sprunger echoed these sentiments: “For the club, it’s the first title. It’s not a championship, but it’s an important tournament in Swiss and international hockey. This win is mentally positive for the rest of the season and the future.”

Tweets by @eurohockey