swisshockey.net

Zurich’s ZSC Lions lost their second first game after the historic Champions Hockey League finale over Metallurg Magnitogorsk and now have to count on outside help if they are going to capture the Swiss National League’s regular season crown–and the automatic qualification to next season’s CHL tournament that comes with it. ZSC were routed by SC Bern 5-0 last night in front of 15,804 spectators at Bern’s PostFinance Arena. Patrick Baertschi, a 2002 draft pick (seventh round) of the Pittsburgh Penguins, put the hosts on the board after only 45 seconds. ZSC were able to stem the tied for the rest of the first period, but a pair of goals in the middle period (by Martin Gelinas, he of the infamous 1988 trade that sent Wayne Gretzky to Los Angeles, and Martin Pluess) put the game out of reach. The “Bears” added two goals in the third period, one through fourth line center Etienne Froidevaux, who is a candidate for selection in this year’s NHL Entry Draft (Pascal Berger, who is also on the short-list of Swiss NHL prospects, assisted).

SCB move into second place with the regulation time victory (which in the Swiss league is awarded with three points. Overtime scoring is the same as the NHL), six points behind the leading Kloten Flyers, though with one game in hand over Kloten. ZSC drop to third, nine points off the pace, albeit also with a game in hand. The 50-game regular season wraps up Feb. 21. (Does anybody know how they come to 50 games if there are 12 teams?) Both Bern and Zurich have a chance to make up ground tomorrow night. The Lions host 10th-placed Rapperswil and Bern visits 11th-placed Ambri Piotta.