Defeated in regulation time during its last four outings, Genève-Servette found a smile again on Friday in Lugano (1-3). Faced with a team also plagued by doubt, the Eagles took the advantage from the first minutes and never let go until the final siren.
For this meeting in Ticino, Jan Cadieux, still deprived of a host of key players, was forced to field only six defenders. This did not prevent the Servettians from having a good start to the game. Marco Miranda (5th) gave the public a first thrill through the Cornèr Arena, but his attempt hit the crossbar.
The opening score fell a few moments later in power play, a section of the game that always succeeds very well at GSHC. It was Markus Granlund (8th, 0-1) who took advantage of a rebound offered by Niklas Schlegel to shake the net against his former teammates
The Garnet started the second half with the same intentions. They were rewarded with a shot from Eric Schneller, slightly deflected by Sakkari Manninen (22nd, 0-2), to double the lead. This success had the gift of waking up the people of Lugan, who gradually became more enterprising. The reduction in Daniel Carr’s score (32nd, 1-2), on the evening of his 31st birthday, was well deserved.
Lugano pushed to equalize but was too messy in the offensive zone to really endanger Antti Raanta. Giancarlo Chanton (51st, 1-3) put an end to the hopes of the Bianconeri. Called up for the Swiss team for the first time on Wednesday, the defender concluded his dream week by scoring his first National League goal in his 123rd appearance.
Genève-Servette will host Bienne on Saturday at Les Vernets for its last match before the international break.
Lugano – GE Servette 1-3 (0-1 1-1 0-2)
Cornèr Arena, 5001 spectators.
Referees: MM. Hebeisen, Borga, Schlegel, Bachelut.
Buts: 8e Granlund (Hartikainen, Manninen / 5 c 4) 0-1, 22e Manninen (Schneller, Hartikainen) 0-2, 32e Carr (Joly) 1-2, 51e Chanton (Manninen, Hartikainen) 1-3.
Lugano: Schlegel; Hausheer, Dahlström; Aebischer, Mi. Müller; J. Peltonen, War; Meile; Joly, Zohorna, Carr; Cormier, Ma. Müller, Verboon; Fazzini, Arcobello, Sekac; Reichle, Rectory, Patry; Zanetti. Entraîneur: Luca Gianinazzi.
GE Servette: Raanta; Vatanen, Chanton; Vouardoux, Bern; Schneller, Jacquemet; Hartikainen, Manninen, Praplan; Miranda, Spacek, Granlund; Cavalleri, Richard, Bertaggia; Maillard, Jooris, Loosli; Guignard. Coach: Jan Cadieux.
Penalties: 4 x 2′ against Lugano + 1 x 10′ (Sekac); 3 x 2′ against GE Servette.
Notes: Lugano sans van Pottelberghe, Alatalo, Thürkauf (blessés), Huska, Schultz, A. Peltonen (surnuméraires). GE Servette sans Descloux, Mayer, Karrer, Le Coultre, Lennström, Vollmin, Hischier, Pouliot and Rod (injured). Lugano without goalkeeper from 59’47” to 60’00”. Shot on the uprights: 6th Miranda.
