The (Ice) Hockey Thread

[Big Mac #24]

I have a new favourite Swiss player in Tristan Scherwey from SCB.

He's an excellent skater with a low centre of gravity, plays at a very high tempo and with a N American style.

He's in your face without going over the top, and hits everything on the ice. He crashes the net at his own risk for his teams gain. Due to his tempo and maybe at times over-exertion, he probably draws a few unecessary penalties, but you have to accept that with a player who plays that game. Key is that he draws at least as many penalties from the opposition that he gets himself! He releases enough shots to creat chances fro himself and others, and I think has a great future ahead of him - definitely is a fan favourite already in Bern.

He may be just slightly not quite good enough for the National team, as there are always a few players around that play the same kind of game as him, but get more points - Reto Von Arx being the prime example.

That's my opinion of him having watched games 3, 5 and 7 of the Zug series live in Bern and a couple of playoff games on TV (He was more or the less the only player who turned up for SCB in Game 5 when Zug hammered them in Bern.

I'm Gotteron fan, just love hockey and players who play with the right attitude!

Views?

[prof. taratonga]

Congratulations to Gotteron and Bern. An intensive series lies ahead of us.

Fribourg-Gotteron:
Certainly Fribourg has the better skaters ans superb technique. Seeing Bykov as a Junior and now as one of the teamleaders in NLA is great. He is an almost complete player. I'm dissapointet by Heins, he is getting slow and takes to many penalties. Only good in powerplay. Fribourg has only problems with hard physical playing teams. Some of the players seem not prepared to be hit hard and to hold up tension all the time. As in the play offs the Refs tend to let go more; this could be a heavy disadvantage for Fribourg.

Bern:
Bern has much more experience in playoffs and tight series. They will have to attack in the middlezone and get Fribourg in the corners, first to slow them down and second to impose the physical advantage. Bern doesn't give up and can turn matches and series. They have players like Gardner who really can make the difference in the slot.

Allez Gotteron. They deserve the title.

[Rob]

This will be a good series I feel. There is a certain amount of needle between the teams that should make it very interesting, as long as it stays on the ice. Unfortunately from Paddy's posts it doesn't always (bit like ZSC and Lugano a few years ago )

Fribourg always seem to do well against Bern and they have been incredibly good all season. Also their rather large ex-Bern contingent (Dube, Gamache & co) will have a pretty good idea how Bern play and how best to contain them.

It'll be good to see a champion that is not one of the usual suspects.

[prof. taratonga]

Calgary bought the rights for Reto Berra.

[PaddyG]

A wee joke in anticipation for tonight's game (from NZZ):

Ein Freiburger, ein Zürcher und ein Berner wagen den Fallschirmabsprung. Der Instruktor sagt: «Auf drei zählen und dann am Schnürchen ziehen.» Der Freiburger und der Zürcher landen problemlos. Der Berner fällt ungebremst auf einen Miststock. Fragt der Freiburger: «Um Gottes Willen, weshalb hast du nicht am Schnürchen gezogen.» Sagt der Berner: «Drei.»

[TiMow]

	Quote:	PaddyG
	A wee joke in anticipation for tonight's game (from NZZ): Ein Freiburger, ein Zürcher und ein Berner wagen den Fallschirmabsprung. Der Instruktor sagt: «Auf drei zählen und dann am Schnürchen ziehen.» Der Freiburger und der Zürcher landen problemlos. Der Berner fällt ungebremst auf einen Miststock. Fragt der Freiburger: «Um Gottes Willen, weshalb hast du nicht am Schnürchen gezogen.» Sagt der Berner: «Drei.»

I hope the hockey team are equally as slow ....... although I doubt it.

[darwiniandemon]

Can't wait to see the game tonight live! Allez Gotteron!!

The BCF Arena is waaay too small - only capacity for 6,900 people?!?! I had to do some ungodly things that will scar me for life for these precious, precious tickets.

[prof. taratonga]

Scherwey is suspended for the game on Saturday.

[PaddyG]

	Quote:	prof. taratonga
	Scherwey is suspended for the game on Saturday.

Quite right, and possibly for longer. Almost identical situation to Sprunger's hit discussed above, and he got 7 games. Can't believe 2 refs and 2 line judges missed it, when over 6700 people in the arena couldn't miss it .

Funny game last night, all Gottéron for most of the 1st period, SCB could hardly get out of their defensive zone, but we didn't put enough shots on Bührer. After that, SCB played a very clever defensive game leaving little space, and countered with speed, resulting in goals 1 and 2 (both from rebounds ). After that, we were always playing catch up and couldn't cope with the SCB tactics. We need to change things for tomorrow, or this series won't last.
Nice fight at the end, but too little, too late.

Scherwey on Plüss here.

[Rob]

	Quote:	PaddyG
	Quite right, and possibly for longer. Almost identical situation to Sprunger's hit discussed above, and he got 7 games. Can't believe 2 refs and 2 line judges missed it, when over 6700 people in the arena couldn't miss it . Funny game last night, all Gottéron for most of the 1st period, SCB could hardly get out of their defensive zone, but we didn't put enough shots on Bührer. After that, SCB played a very clever defensive game leaving little space, and countered with speed, resulting in goals 1 and 2 (both from rebounds ). After that, we were always playing catch up and couldn't cope with the SCB tactics. We need to change things for tomorrow, or this series won't last. Nice fight at the end, but too little, too late. Scherwey on Plüss here.

A nasty hit, looks like it was behind the play but that's what the back ref is supposed to be looking for. Kurmann's not legendary for handing out lots of penalties (still breathing? no call) but I'm surprised none of the officials caught it. No mention on the NLA site of Reto Steinmann opening a disciplinary process though, if he doesn't it remains a match and 1 game ban.

As you say, good punch-up at the end, you don't see too many of those here. Schilt got a match so he's suspended on Saturday as well.

[PaddyG]

	Quote:	Rob
	A nasty hit, looks like it was behind the play but that's what the back ref is supposed to be looking for. Kurmann's not legendary for handing out lots of penalties (still breathing? no call) but I'm surprised none of the officials caught it. No mention on the NLA site of Reto Steinmann opening a disciplinary process though, if he doesn't it remains a match and 1 game ban. As you say, good punch-up at the end, you don't see too many of those here. Schilt got a match so he's suspended on Saturday as well.

Apparently Steinmann has opened a process, and SCB cannot appeal tomorrow's suspension.
Schilt will get a match, yet Berger just got a minor . Maybe Schilt was seen to be the agressor, he did chase Berger halfway across the ice after all . He won't be too much of a loss, Schäublin from Basel has filled in pretty effectively when we've been down a defenceman, though he's probably not as physical a presence as Schilt.

[Rob]

	Quote:	PaddyG
	Schilt will get a match, yet Berger just got a minor . Maybe Schilt was seen to be the agressor, he did chase Berger halfway across the ice after all . He won't be too much of a loss, Schäublin from Basel has filled in pretty effectively when we've been down a defenceman, though he's probably not as physical a presence as Schilt.

That could be. Dropping the gloves is pretty much a mandatory match in IIHF rules. In the NHL it would probably have been 5s apiece plus an instigator penalty for Schilt.

Of course in the Show the supplemental discipline system is much more transparent.

http://www.nhlwheelofjustice.com/

[Rob]

Well done Fribourg on pulling one back last night.

Scherway has got 2 games but Fribourg are unhappy, they think he should have got more.

[PaddyG]

	Quote:	Rob
	Well done Fribourg on pulling one back last night. Scherway has got 2 games but Fribourg are unhappy, they think he should have got more.

It was bloody tense, so relieved at the end. Gotteron changed tactics slightly, did a bit of a "Bern"; played solid defensively, tried to control the neutral zone, and above all, cut out the silly errors. Nicely worked goal from the SBP line and that was enough.
Refereeing still leaves a lot to be desired though. Despite the unfortunate injury to Heins, I don't think Collenberg warranted a 5 + game and since when is being skated into from behind an "obstruction" (Kwiatkowski penalty on Ritchie).
One thing I did take away from the game though, is how disgusted I was with the Bern so-called "fans" . Heins is lying motionless on the ice, no-one knows how badly injured he is, yet all the Bern fans do is chant "F**k you Shawn Heins" and "Hührensöhne Gottéron". They didn't have the good grace to applaud him as he was stetchered off. Totally lacking class and difgnity, what little respect I had for them disappeared last night. Compare that to the reaction of the crowd, home and away fans alike, when Keller was injured.
Anyway, we know they are vulnerable and beatable, so roll on tomorrow.

Edit: and yeah Sherwey gets only 2 matches, for an almost identical check to that of Sprunger, which resulted in a 7 match suspension?

[Rob]

Commiserations to Paddy and the other Fribourgers. Well done Bern.

Incredible that only 1 penalty was called.

It would have been nice to see a different champion (as long as it's not Kloten )

And welcome to the NLA, Lausanne.

Schöne ferien, Hockey fans

[PaddyG]

Gutted

We just weren't consistent enough and couldn't cope with SCB's system. The first goal was always going to be decisive; incredibly, every playoff game in which Gottéron scored first, they won and only won a single game where they had to come from behind. Once SCB went ahead it was always going to be difficult to break them down. For many Gottéron players, this was their 1st final, and the experience will be invaluable. They are bringing in experienced and exciting players and clearing the decks a little, so that bodes well for next year.

As for SCB, what can I say? They have the most offensive fans in the league and I would rather lose to anyone else but them. There's a nice little video circulating of the Fribourg-born SCB players Bertschy and Scherwey burning a Gottéron scarf and singing "Hurensöhne Gottéron" into a microphone during the post-match celebrations. Classy . No respect and no class.

[Chemmie]

I thoroughly enjoyed the series and the season. It has been the most swiss hockey I've watched in a long time and it was passionate and entertaining. Sad to see the season over.

But now the focus of mine has shifted across the pond. The playoff race is on! And almost unbelievably, Toronto has a good shot for a playoff spot--first time in almost 10 years. There might be some late night coming up--or maybe luck will have it that they face some west coast team and we can enjoy some afternoon matches here at the pub.

[Rob]

Unfortunately the bankruptcy of HC Sierre is confirmed

http://www.nationalleague.ch/NL/aktu...30430_brz011_2

Sad news, never good when a club folds.

[PaddyG]

	Quote:	Rob
	Unfortunately the bankruptcy of HC Sierre is confirmed http://www.nationalleague.ch/NL/aktu...30430_brz011_2 Sad news, never good when a club folds.

Ambri aren't looking too hot financially either .

Anyone been following the WM? the Swiss have already pulled off a couple of surprises by beating Sweden and Canada in their opening games . Tricky game against the Czechs today and then four seemingly easy ties against the demotion candidates. Looking good for the quarters already.

[Rob]

	Quote:	PaddyG
	Ambri aren't looking too hot financially either . Anyone been following the WM? the Swiss have already pulled off a couple of surprises by beating Sweden and Canada in their opening games . Tricky game against the Czechs today and then four seemingly easy ties against the demotion candidates. Looking good for the quarters already.

Turned out not to be so tricky after all, a 5-2 win. Then a 7-1 demolition of Slowenia.

And without the NHL contingent as well.

Gotta say it, Hopp Schwiiz.