Quick Glance:

Bern was the only team that swept their first round series as they obliterated Bratislava. Lisbon was 4-2 against Prague. Bern and Lisbon are very close to each other, if you are judging by statistics they accumulated in the 82-game season and the first round of the playoffs. In the regular season, Bern had 106 points and Lisbon had 105. Their goalies also had similar save percentages in the first round and in the regular season, although Chris Driedger of the Bears was a bit better than Lisbon’s Robin Lehner. Bern took 31.2 shots per game this year and Lisbon 30.5. But while Bern had a slight edge in those stats, Lisbon was a little better in the team defense department (28.8 shots per game to Bern’s 29.6). Still, it appears there is not much to choose from with these two clubs, statistically.

Goalies: (in playoffs):

• Lisbon – Robin Lehner, 3.10 GAA, .914 save pct.
• Bern – Chris Driedger, 2.25 GAA, .919 save pct.

Top Plus/Minus players (in playoffs):

• Lisbon – John Marino and Brandon Montour, +5
• Bern – Thomas Harley and Rasmus Dahlin, +8

Expert Panel Predictions:

• Commissioner Chuck: Lisbon in 7 games. Mathew Barzal and Max Domi have been great all season and they have been really hot lately. There is a good chance Rasmus Dahlin and defense partner Thomas Harley will slow them down significantly, but Lisbon’s Staffan Kronwall hasn’t failed to get to the second round of the playoffs since he was 23 years old and he’s 34 now. The man knows playoff hockey. I think he and partner Josh Morrissey will sway the series Lisbon’s way while the Bears are focused on Barzal and Domi.
• Rose: Bern in 5 games. I always say ‘Statistics, schmatistics.’ Actually, that’s the first time I have ever said it and I don’t like what it just did to my dentures, so I won’t be saying that again. Our nerdy commissioner likes to analyze as many numbers as he can get his hands on. Me? I like to get my hands on the actual men behind the numbers. That is, I like to look at how determined they seem, how healthy they feel, and how their chest muscles spread when they go into a double biceps pose. In that regard, it’s Bern, baby Bern for me. The Bears beat Lisbon the last 5 times they played in the regular season. So much for your statistics being so close.