With hard work to the first playoff win

Against an extremely prepared Winterthur team, the superior alligators tremble to win the start. The winning goal falls two minutes before the end of the game. Before that, there were many sins to be lamented in the graduation.

After a veritable run up, the momentum of the game seemed to tip to Alligator’s side at the beginning of the final third. Florian Tromm was formally invited by the Zurich back team to break through the middle and used a humorless 2-1 lead. With the guest, the defensive security seemed to have been lost, the Winterthur goalkeeper Schüpbach came under intense fire. Out of the blue and with the first two finishes in the final section, however, the guests managed to turn the gap into a lead (47th). The alligators then acted inhibited for a few minutes, while the Winterthur defense was able to stabilize. In the 55th minute Christian Gartmann showed an excellent overview of the game in the middle zone and served Dan Hartmann with a beautiful pass, who was able to equalize. «It was a goal like any other, Dan and I have been playing together for a long time, which instinctively paid off here», said the passer after the game. The Malans defender veteran reports of a nod in the first playoff game: «It took us a long time to bring the necessary concentration and quality to the pitch. After our election, Winterthur appeared highly motivated as an opponent and made life difficult for us. “

Winger Joshua Schnell was responsible for the winning goal. After a hard game, in which the Seewiser initially didn’t want to succeed, he earned the sense of achievement in the 59th minute with a spin shot from the slot.

The Graubünden strikers gave a significant increase in top-class opportunities throughout the game. Rychenberg Winterthur appeared well organized and with the necessary playoff toughness. The longer the game lasted, the more often the Malans found solutions to overcome the defensive bar. But for a long time nothing could be counted – in contrast to the antipode, which could bring the rulers into distress with few counter possibilities. The fact that the win was not dry even after Remo Buchli’s goal in the empty goal is thanks to the focused Winterthur team. A mentality that promises tough resistance in the coming games. For Christian Gartmann it is clear: «We have to be ready to play our game consistently. We have what it takes to decide the series in our favor. The victory after today’s difficulties is valuable. “

The playoff series is launched in a morally favorable way for the alligators. Winterthur will have to take more risks offensively than in today’s game, which could also help the alligators. The sometimes intense duels of the first encounter, the body language of the champions of the teams, the emotions on the bench make you look forward to an exciting time. It’s playoff!

This is what head coach Pius Caluori says about the game: “It was a typical first game in a series. We are happy that we were able to react to the deficit and clinch a clearly deserved victory. “