Rapperswil-Jona Lead Bern in Play-In Series – Playoff Spot on the Line

The SC Bern and SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers battled to a 1-2 scoreline in the first leg of their National League Play-In series on Monday night, setting the stage for a decisive return match in Rapperswil-Jona on Wednesday. A late goal by Victor Rask proved the difference, giving the Lakers a narrow advantage as they aim to secure their place in the playoffs.

The game, played in front of 13,965 spectators, saw a quick start with Tyler Moy opening the scoring for Rapperswil-Jona just over two minutes into the contest. Moy deftly redirected a shot from Mauro Dufner, giving Bern goalkeeper Leonardo Royd a demanding chance to stop. Bern responded less than four minutes later, with Miro Aaltonen leveling the score at 1-1. Aaltonen’s goal marked a significant moment, ending a twelve-game goalless streak for the forward.

Despite the quick response, Bern struggled to build momentum. Rask’s goal in the 17th minute restored the Lakers’ lead, and ultimately proved to be the game-winning tally. The Berner offense, which had previously enjoyed six consecutive home victories against Rapperswil-Jona, failed to discover an answer to the Lakers’ defensive structure.

A key moment came in the 16th minute when Marco Lehmann found himself in a one-on-one situation against Lakers goaltender Melvin Nyffeler, but was unable to beat the netminder. Just a minute later, Rask capitalized on space in the slot to put Rapperswil-Jona ahead. Nyffeler’s performance was crucial, denying Lehmann and ultimately helping secure the lead.

Aaltonen’s goal, while important in tying the game, also highlighted a broader trend for Bern this season. The Finnish forward, who had a prolific scoring record of 20 goals in 36 games for Kloten last season before a suspension, has found the back of the net only six times in 46 games this campaign. His return to scoring form has been intermittent, and the team’s overall offensive struggles have been a recurring theme.

Following the game, Rask emphasized the importance of a team effort. “It was a great team performance, and hopefully we can build on that on Wednesday,” he said to MySports. The Lakers will be looking to replicate their performance in the return leg, while Bern will need to rediscover their offensive spark to force a potential tiebreaker.

The second leg is scheduled for Wednesday at 20:00 in Rapperswil-Jona. The series will be decided by aggregate score, with a potential overtime period if the teams are tied after regulation. The winner of this Play-In series will advance to the playoff quarterfinals, beginning on Friday.

Game Summary:

Bern – Rapperswil-Jona Lakers 1:2 (1:2, 0:0, 0:0)

Attendance: 13’965

Referees: Lemelin (USA)/Tscherrig, Stalder/Urfer.

Goals: 2. Moy (Dufner, Jelovac) 0:1. 6. Aaltonen (Merelä, Häman Aktell) 1:1. 17. Rask (Larsson, Capaul) 1:2.

Penalties: 3 x 2 minutes for each team.

Top Scorers: Ejdsell; Moy.

Bern Lineup: Reideborn; Loeffel, Lindholm; Untersander, Rhyn; Kindschi, Häman Aktell; Füllemann; Merelä, Aaltonen, Alge; Ejdsell, Alain Graf, Lehmann; Marchon, Müller, Scherwey; Schild, Ritzmann, Moser.

Rapperswil-Jona Lakers Lineup: Nyffeler; Pilut, Maier; Capaul, Larsson; Dufner, Jelovac; Mika Henauer; Strömwall, Rask, Wetter; Zangger, Taibel, Lammer; Fritz, Moy, Jensen; Hofer, Albrecht, Marlon Graf; Diethelm.

Notes: Rapperswil-Jona Lakers were without Dünner (injured), Honka and Maillet (both overage foreign players).