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Lugano and Davos edge closer to final

Ari Sulander was inspired in the Lions goal Keystone

Championship favourites Lugano and Davos have both taken decisive steps towards reaching this season's ice hockey final.

Lugano hammered the Zurich Lions 5-0, while Davos held off Kloten 3-2, to give both sides a 3-2 lead in their best-of-seven semi-finals.

Defeat in Lugano was a bitter blow for the defending champions of the past two seasons. They were torn to shreds in defence, where the suspended Mark Streit was sorely missed.

The visitors had their goaltender, Ari Sulander, to thank for keeping the score within the bounds of respectability.

The American Bob Lachance scored his third goal in three games as Lugano grabbed two goals in three minutes midway through the second period.

In the other semi-final, which was delayed by more than an hour after the Kloten team bus got stuck in traffic, Davos raced away to a 2-0 lead in the first period.

However, the underdogs finally found their feet in the second period scoring twice in three minutes to level the match at 2-2. But their joy was short-lived as Miller scored the decisive goal for Davos in the 30th minute.

swissinfo with agencies

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