Lausanne replaces ZSC as leader after winning top race

The National League has changed its team leader for the first time in 40 days. Lausanne defeated ZSC Lions 2-0 at home in the league and replaced Zurich at the top of the standings.

For ZSC, it was only the third defeat in this league after six consecutive wins and the first since the champions lost 2-3 in the Zurich derby in Kloten on October 18.

The showdown between the two teams in this year's playoffs was an exciting one, and just like the 6:3 victory in Zurich in early October, the home team returned to winning ways early. Lausanne led 2-0 in less than 12 minutes after David Sklenicka and Michael Hügli scored two goals in 135 seconds. It meant that Canton de Vaud reacted as quickly as they had hoped after suffering a 5-0 defeat on two consecutive days in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie against Geneva Servet.

Trailing 2-0 for the first time this season, just like Tuesday's 4-2 win over the Straubing Tigers, ZSC had its best stretch before the second break without leading scorer Derek Grant. But Lausanne goalkeeper Kevin Pash held on until the end and celebrated his fourth shutout of the season in Game 14 with 32 saves – a league record!

Lausanne leads the rankings with 40 points, one point ahead of ZSC. However, the Lions played two fewer games. The next top-flight match awaits the defending champions on Friday at home to HC Davos. Can Zurich extend their home winning streak against a Championship side who are unbeaten in a record six games? Meanwhile, Lausanne heads to Zug. (lst/sda)

Lausanne-ZSC Lions 2:0 (2:0, 0:0, 0:0)
9125 spectators. – SR Borga/Fonselius (Finland), Stalder/Urfer.
Torre:10. Glass 1:0. 12. Hugli 2:0.
punish: 5 times 2 plus 10 minutes against Lausanne (Glauser), 4 times 2 plus 10 minutes against ZSC Lions (Baltisburg).
PostFinance top scorer: Finland; Floden.
Lausanne: Pash; Aurelien Matti Glauser; Frick Heldner; Sklenica, Bayreuth; Fiddler; Riat, Somera, Fuchs; Hügli, Jäger , Bozon; Pajuniemi, Kuokkanen, Lochte; Holdner, Benjamin Bouguereau, Genazi; Jordan Bouguereau.
ZSC Lion: Zubr; Kukan, Gill; Kinnunen, Lehtonen; Weber, Christian Marty; Troutmann; Siegrist, Malkin, Andrigetto; Floden, Lamiko, Olson; Delrio, Rohrer, Zendel; Baltisberger, Bechler, Reedy; Henry.
Comment: Lausanne is without Oksanen, Pilut, Prassl, Raffl and Vouardoux (all injured), ZSC Lions is without Balcers, Graf, Hollenstein (all injured) and Hrubec (excess foreigners). ZSC Lions were without a goalkeeper from 57:32 to 59:58. (lst/sda)

Zug lost to SCB 1:6. But the results are actually secondary. The game will go down in history as just an episode in the history of both clubs. And the transfer of Ronald Kenings may be just a footnote in SCB history.

There are qualifying games that can cost a coach his job, interrupt his career or start one, declare a crisis or end it. Some games are over before they really begin, meaning nothing to the history of either team. For example, Zug defeated Bern 1:6.