Fribourg-Gottéron Completes Switzerland’s Final 4 With Game 7 Road Victory

Fribourg-Gottéron winger Marcus Sörensen, pictured playing for the San Jose Sharks in 2021. © Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

The semifinalists have been decided in Switzerland’s National League. The last game of the quarterfinals was Fribourg-Gottéron’s 4-1 road victory over SC Bern in Game 7 of their quarterfinal series on Wednesday. Fribourg led the series 2-0 and 3-1 but almost let the series get away as Bern won two games in overtime to force a seventh game.

Bern is perennially one of Europe’s top-drawing teams and Game 7 was played before a sellout crowd of 17,031 at PostFinance Arena. After a scoreless first period, Fribourg broke the game open with three goals in the second period, eventually winning 4-1. Former San Jose Shark Marcus Sörensen, Dave Sutter and Maximilian Streule had three points each for the victors.

Fribourg, which has never won a national championship, won the Spengler Cup back in late December. At the time, the team languished in ninth place of the 14-team National League.

“We are proud of this success and convinced that it will strengthen the group for the rest of the season,” Fribourg sports director Gerd Zenhäusern said at the time.

Fribourg-Gottéron has become the third Swiss team in three years to win the Spengler Cup, defeating the Straubing Tigers from Germany 7-2 in the final on Tuesday in Davos.

thehockeynews.comFribourg-Gottéron Wins Spengler Cup For The First TimeFribourg-Gottéron has become the third Swiss team in three years to win the Spengler Cup, defeating the Straubing Tigers from Germany 7-2 in the final on Tuesday in Davos.

After that, Fribourg climbed to finish sixth, setting up a quarterfinal date with third-seeded Bern. The team persevered despite the loss of Jacob de la Rose, one of the team’s top offensive players, to an injury that will keep the Swede out of the lineup the rest of the season.

Lausanne HC, the National League’s regular-season winner, also won its quarterfinal over the SCL Tigers in seven games – the clincher was a 6-2 victory on Tuesday, with two goals from Théo Rochette and three points from Tim Bozon. That sets up a Lausanne – Fribourg semifinal, which begins on Saturday.

The other semifinal, which also starts on Saturday, features the defending National League and Champions Hockey League champion ZSC Lions from Zurich against EV Zug.

Swedish forward Jacob de la Rose, 29, was injured in
Fribourg-Gottéron’s
second playoff game this season and will miss the rest of the season,
he announced via video
on the Swiss club’s social media channels on Friday.

thehockeynews.comFormer Hab, Wing, Blue Out For The Season In SwitzerlandSwedish forward Jacob de la Rose, 29, was injured in Fribourg-Gottéron’s second playoff game this season and will miss the rest of the season, he announced via video on the Swiss club’s social media channels on Friday.