It was a typical play-off match – full of intensity, shots missed and scored, penalties called and ignored. Like a boxing match, the two opponents cagily checked each other out in an opening observation round before trading punches until the bell rang. And at the end of the first round, ZSC Lions are ahead on points, having secured a 2-1 win in a sparsely populated Herti Stadium and stolen home ice from Zug.

 

The man of the match was without a doubt Ari Sulander, who won the (first) battle of the Finnish goalkeepers against his Zug counterpart Jussi Markkanen. It was not even certain that Sulander would play, such is the strength of ZSC's back-up netminder Lukas Flüeler, but play he did and he was single-handedly responsible for keeping his team in the match for long periods.

 

After a second period in which the two teams traded goals – Damien Brunner equalising on 35 minutes after picking up the rebound from a Josh Holden shot – Sulander proved his worth in the final 20. Shots rained in on the keeper but there was no way through, while at the other end, Zurich notched the game-winner on the power-play in the 46th minute.

 

While Markkanen put in a creditworthy performance, Zug's lack of strength on the blueline was clear for all to see. With Marc Schefer and Wes Snell sidelined by injuries for the next few games at least, Micki Dupont and Rafi Diaz have a heavy load to carry, and it overpowered them on Tuesday night against an attack which was good enough to win the European Champions League in 2008 and defeat the Chicago Blackhawks last year. Josef Boumedienne looked out of his depth at this level but will be a fixture in defence for as long as Zug are depleted – meaning that wily play-off veteran Dale McTavish will cut a frustrated figure in the stands as the fifth import player, despite having hit a rich vein of form in 2010.

 

The series heads up the A4 on Thursday, when Zurich will look to strengthen their position with a win on home ice in the Hallenstadion. Coaches Doug Shedden and Walteri Immonen will have their work cut out over the next 48 hours.

 

Drew Lilley