Bill takes the lead in the final series

Yannick Stampfli scored the decisive goal in the 78th minute, after a mistake by Servet defender Sami Vatanen. While Bale celebrated their first win in Geneva after six defeats, the hosts lost for the first time in the eighth home game of the qualifiers.

“If you don’t do it up front, you’ll get it in the back,” is a quote often used in ice hockey. This was true not only in overtime on Tuesday, but also in the middle third. In the 27th minute, Geneva had three very good chances within a very short period of time through Marc-Antoine Beaulieu who failed to shoot the outside corner, Denis Smirnovs and also a minute later through Simon Le Coultre. In the 31st minute, Bell’s top scorer, Tony Ragala, gave the guests the lead with a powerful shot.

Compensation in the 55th minute

Geneva needed a strong game to equalize in the 55th minute and save themselves in extra time. The goal was scored by Vatanen, who scored for the fifth time in the current playoffs. Finn returned to the team after being injured in the first final. Servette had already pulled off a 2-1 home win four days earlier on solid play.

Meanwhile, this is still the position of the Pillars in the final, who have not scored a goal on ten occasions. In the semi-final against ZSC Lions (4:0), the majority game worked very well with a success rate of 46.15%. But so far, this has not played a major role.

Strong van Puttelberge

Surprisingly, Bale relied not on Harry Satre at goal, but on Jorn van Puttelberge. This allowed them to use another foreign attacker in Riley Sheehan. This move worked. Van Pottelberghe has impressively proven himself to be one of the best Swiss goalkeepers. If he had not suffered his cruciate ligament tear in March 2022, Satre may not have signed at all. Van Buttelberge had already excelled in the second match in the semi-final against the ZSC Lions (4: 0).

The Genevans started the game with great pressure and got a good lead in the first minute through Marco Miranda. Beller, meanwhile, focused on being compact and putting pokes in front, which they managed to do again and again, for example in the fifth minute by Damien Brunner, who at the age of 37 wanted to crown his brilliant career with his first championship title. .

He is now a step closer to this. The Guests were also pleased that Mike Conzel was able to play again; The forward had to have stitches on his forehead on Sunday after a collision with Servette’s Alessio Bertaggia. Game four will be played at Peel on Thursday.

Geneva Servette 1-2 Bell (0-0, 0-1, 1-0, 0-1) thereafter

7135 spectators. – SR Lemelin (USA) / Stolc (SVK), Cattaneo / Duc. – Goals: 31. Men (Rathjib) 0: 1 (without a goalkeeper). 55. Vatanen (Winnik, Omark / Powerplaytor) 1: 1 (no GK). 78. Stampfli (Kuenzle) 1: 2. – Penalties: 4 times 2 minutes each. PostFinance top scorer: Richard. ragala.

Geneva Servet: Meyer; Carrier, Tomris; Vatanen, a construction worker. Jacquemet, LeCoultre; a full minute Miranda, Vilbola, Finick; Bertaggia, Richard, Rod; Hartikainen, Jooris, Omark; Brablan, Polliot, Smirnov; Anthony.

Bell: Van Puttelberge; Rathgeb, Love; Yakovenko, Grossman; Schneberger, Forster; Delimont. Kessler, Salenen, Rajala; Hofer, Haas, Olofsson; Brunner, Conte, Sheehan; Schläpfer, Froidevaux, Stampfli; Kunzel.

Notes: Genève-Servette without Berthon (infected) and Auvitu (foreign excess), Biel without Säteri (foreign excess).