Fribourg-Gottéron Reach National League Playoff Final

Fribourg-Gottéron has advanced to the National League playoff final for the first time since 2013. The team secured their place in the championship round by defeating Genf-Servette with a 6-2 victory in the fifth game of the semi-final series, winning the series 4-1.

The decisive victory ensures that Fribourg-Gottéron will face HC Davos in the final. This marks the fifth time the club has reached the final, following previous appearances in 1993, 1994, 1998 and 2013.

Game Five Breakdown

Fribourg-Gottéron controlled the momentum from the start of the game in front of a sold-out arena. Lucas Wallmark opened the scoring in the seventh minute to give the home team a 1-0 lead.

Genf-Servette responded in the 18th minute when Marc-Antoine Pouliot leveled the score. Fribourg-Gottéron regained the lead in the 25th minute through a goal by Maximilian Streule, but the lead was short-lived. Markus Granlund scored on a power play in the 28th minute following a rebound from goalie Reta Berra, bringing the game to a 2-2 tie.

The match remained competitive until the 53rd minute. During a critical sequence, Genf-Servette had a significant opportunity to take the lead when Jimmy Vesey hit the post. Fribourg-Gottéron immediately capitalized on the transition, with Lucas Wallmark scoring his second goal of the match to make it 4-2.

Christoph Bertschy effectively sealed the result four minutes before the end of the game, scoring into an empty net during a counter-attack to make it 5-2. Marcus Sörensen added a final goal to bring the score to 6-2.

Key Player Performances

Christoph Bertschy emerged as a pivotal figure throughout the semi-final series. In the final game, he contributed the insurance goal, bringing his total to six goals across the five semi-final matches.

Bertschy’s impact was also evident on April 10, 2026, during the fourth game of the series in Geneva. In that contest, Fribourg-Gottéron won 4-3, with Bertschy scoring two critical goals: a shorthanded goal in the final minute of the first period and another in the middle period to make the score 3-1.

The team also benefited from the return of captain Julien Sprunger, who rejoined the lineup for the fifth game after previously being listed on the medical bulletin board due to injury.

In goal, Reto Berra provided a steady presence for the men of coach Roger Roennberg. Conversely, Genf-Servette attempted a tactical change by placing Robert Mayer in goal instead of Stéphane Charlin, though the move did not prevent the 6-2 defeat.

Road to the Final

The series victory comes after a period of challenges for Fribourg-Gottéron, including a series of injuries and struggles with their power play. The team had previously navigated a seven-game quarter-final series against Rapperswil-Jona to reach the semi-finals.

The victory over Genf-Servette keeps the club’s ambition alive for its first-ever championship title in club history.

The first game of the playoff final against HC Davos is scheduled for Saturday, April 18, 2026.