Zurich win summit duel

Zurich's players celebrate another goal at Ambri's goalie looks on in disbelief Keystone

Zurich Lions were a convincing winner on Friday night, running out 5-1 victors against Ambri-Piotta at the Valascia. Among the other winning teams on the night, Berne ended a long wait with a victory in Rapperswil 4-0.

The Lions cruised past the “Biancoblu”, who had won their last five home games. Ambri took the lead in the ninth minute, but less 120 seconds later, Zurich drew even.

After that, there was no catching the Lions who were far more efficient than Ambri at scoring. The home side had as many scoring chances as Zurich.

Zurich have now played 12 games without losing. Ambri was the last team to defeat Zurich on September 23.

After six games without a victory, Berne had been waiting for an opportunity to get back on the winning track. Rapperswil offered them an easy two points, displaying virtually no initiative during the match.

Rapperswil only made three shots on goal in the first two periods, whereas the Bears had scored three times. The St Gallen team is the weakest in the league on home ice, having won only twice there since the beginning of the season.

Davos also claimed an away victory in Zug, its first there in three years, 5-2. For the 26 minutes, both teams traded goals, reaching two apiece. Then Rizzi put the Graubünden side ahead in 38th minute, followed by Müller in the 57th and Miller at the end of the game.

In Langnau, the Tigers feasted on La Chaux-de-Fonds, beating the visitors 7-2. The Bees seemed to have left their sting back in the Jura, letting Langnau score six times in the first 32 minutes.

It wasn’t until the 46th minute that La Chaux-de-Fonds pulled one back, before scoring a second consolation goal five minutes before the end of the match. But the Tigers emphasised their victory with a last minute shot that lit up the red light.

Fribourg-Gottéron once again proved their fragility on home ice, going down to Kloten, 3-1. If the Dragons opened the scoring in the 26th minute thanks to their mercenary Roy, the Aviators put two of their own in the opposition net during the second period.

Kloten put the icing on the cake in the last minute, Nilsson scoring into an empty net.

Chur and Lugano managed only to draw one all in the Graubünden. Neither team was short-changed by this result, with Chur showing more fighting spirit than it had in its previous lost encounter with the “Bianconeri”.

The home side opened the scoring in the first period, while Lugano drew even in the second. Neither of the teams was able to score in sudden death extra time.

The national league ladder still sees Zurich comfortably on top with 24 points, now followed by Davos and Ambri-Piotta on 19, and Zug on 18. Chur and La Chaux-de-Fonds, at the bottom of the table, have seven and six points to show for their efforts.

swissinfo with agencies