EVZ’s fighting performance is not rewarded on Thursday evening. Despite taking a 2-0 lead in Fribourg, they had to concede an equaliser in the final period and ultimately lost on penalties. The big figures in the shootout: the two Nati goalies for the Olympic Games, Reto Berra and Leonardo Genoni. The two veterans make the shooters desperate by the dozen – no-one for Zug scores when they start. In the end, it’s Nathan Marchon who catches Genoni and decides the game. Zug thus travelled back from the city of Saanen with just one point.

Friday will be used for regeneration, with training only taking place on an optional basis. The fifth game in nine days awaits on Saturday. The EVZ welcomes the ZSC Lions for the Z-Derby. It is the first of four home games in a row. The Zurich team should be a little more rested going into the game, with their last match dating back to Tuesday, 6 January. Thanks to six points from three games in the new year, the Lions have climbed to sixth place and have a four-point lead over Zug with the same number of games to play.

The two previous encounters between Zurich and Zug were both decided in overtime and on penalties respectively. At the end of September, EVZ won 2:1 at home after overtime and in mid-October 3:2 in a shootout at the Swiss Life Arena. The Hockey Academy players scored in both games: In September, Loris Wey equalised the score at 1:1 with only his second National League goal, and a month later Jan Daron scored the interim 2:0 in Altstetten in his first game with the 1st team.