One game for the Cup

How they got here

Berlin finished 8th overall and got to the Finals by beating Madrid 4-1; then Paris 4-2; and then Bratislava 4-3 with Anders Lee scoring the game-winner in the third period. This is the Smurfs’ fourth trip to the Cup Finals. They lost all three previous times – to Belfast in Seasons 5 and 9; and to Copehagen last season.

After finishing 2nd overall, Copenhagen’s journey to the Finals began with a tough 4-3 win over stubborn London; then a 4-1 win over Minsk; and a 4-2 win over Helsinki. This is the Tridents’ third time in the Cup Finals. They lost the Season 1 Cup to Geneva and won it in Season 10 by beating the Smurfs.

What’s happened so far in the Finals:

Game 1

As they did in the Conference Finals against Bratislava, Berlin opened the series with a road win, 3-2 in OT. The winner was scored by Stefan Ulmer about 11 minutes into the extra period.

1^st Star – Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Berlin
2^nd star – Calvin Pickard, Berlin
3^rd star – Eliezer Sherbatov, Berlin

Goal scorers were Nugent-Hopkins (2) and Ulmer for Berlin; Dougie Hamilton and Joakim Hillding for Copenhagen.

Game 2

Craig Paquette scored 91 seconds into overtime to even the series for Copenhagen. The Tridents took the lead 3 times in the game and the Smurfs countered each goal.

1^st Star – Staffan Kronwall, Berlin
2^nd star – Johnny Gaureau, Copenhagen
3^rd star – Marko Dano, Copenhagen

Goal scorers were Dano (2), Gaudreau and Paquette for Copenhagen; Ryan Murray, Kronwall and Vadim Shipachyov for Berlin.

Game 3

The Smurfs led 2-0 early in the second period, but lost 4-3 on home ice. Five of the 7 goals were powerplay goals, 3 of them for the Tridents.

1^st Star – Marko Dano, Copenhagen
2^nd star – Auston Matthews, Copenhagen
3^rd star – Victor Hedman, Copenhagen

Goal scorers were Dano, Hillding, Matthews and Hedman for Copenhagen; Murray, Roger Karrer and Ulmer for Berlin.

Game 4

The Smurfs were furious and treated the home fans to 5 first-period goals en route to a 6-0 win. Copenhagen only had 10 shots on goal in the game and Auston Matthews hurt his wrist in the third period.

1^st Star – Alexander Edler, Berlin
2^nd star – Calvin Pickard, Berlin
3^rd star – Jan Kovar, Berlin

Goal scorers for Berlin were Sherbatov (2), Edler (2), Kovar and Nugent-Hopkins.

Game 5

Marko Dano and Joakim Hillding scored two goals apiece as the Tridents won at home without Matthews. Dano’s second powerplay goal of the game with 3:30 left was the winner in a 4-3 game.

1^st Star – Ryan Murray, Berlin
2^nd star – Joakim Hillding, Copenhagen
3^rd star – Marko Dano, Copenhagen

Goal scorers for Copenhagen were Hillding (2) and Dano (2); Berlin’s goals were scored by Murray (2) and Sherbatov.

Game 6

The Smurfs’ 5-2 win in Germany set up Game 7 in the Cup Finals. Matthews returned to the Tridents’ lineup, albeit still hurt, and he scored to give Copenhagen a 2-0 lead 14 minutes into the game, but it was all Berlin after that.