Giancarlo Chanton and Geneva passed the shoulder against Bienne (here Johnny Kneubuehler).
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Genève-Servette did not wait long before taking the lead on Saturday evening in Bienne. Vincent Praplan, with a very inspired glance, allowed the Czech Michael Spacek to score 1-0 in an empty net (2nd).
An ideal start for this Genève-Servette, beaten three times already and looking for its first victory of the new season in its fourth match. In the GSHC camp, the return to play of Markus Granlund – first match – allowed coach Jan Cadieux to form the Finnish Olympic champion triplet in 2022 in Beijing: Hartikainen/Manninen/Granlund. The “trio grande” of the Eagles had already hit the target after 7 minutes and 49 seconds thanks to a shot from Hartikainen deflected by the skate of HCB defender Alexander Yakovenko (8th, 0-2).
First shutout for Mayer
In the second period, GSHC lost two of its best defenders in the space of 42 seconds. Roger Karrer, first of all, sent off very harshly for a fight with Jérôme Bachofner (28th). Then Sami Vatanen, injured in the face by an involuntary blow with a cane (29th). Which did not prevent the Geneva team from keeping a rather timid HC Bienne under control.
Manninen (54th, 0-3) then Hartikainen (59th, 0-4 in the empty cage) then definitively sheltered the GSHC. Solid in front of his nets, goalkeeper Robert Mayer – the new Finnish goalkeeper Antti Raanta was in the stands – offered himself his first whitewash of the year.
Tuesday, Genève-Servette will play its fifth away match in a row. The Eagles are traveling to Fribourg. At the same time, HC Bienne will go to Lausanne to face the finalist of the last play-offs.
Biel – GE Servette 0-4 (0-2 0-0 0-2)
Tissot Arena. 5645 spectators. Referees. Hebeisen, Eriksson (Sweden), Duc and Francey.
Buts: 2e Spacek (Praplan, Le Coultre) 0-1, 8e Hartikainen (Granlund, Manninen) 0-2, 54e Manninen (Hartikainen, Granlund) 0-3, 59e Hartikainen (Jooris, Manninen/ 5 c 6, cage vide) 0-4.
Bee: Säteri; Burren, Yakovenko; Stampfli, Lööv; Christians, Christians; Grossman; Kneubühler, Andersson, Rajala; Hofer, Haas, Heponiemi; Brunner, Bärtschi, Müller; Derungs, Tanner, Bachofner; Slipper. Entrainer: Filander.
Ge/Servette: Mayer; Vatanen, Berni; Karrer, Lennström; Le Coultre, Chanton; Jacquemet, Schneller; Miranda, Richard, Hischier; Hartikainen, Manninen, Granlund; Praplan, Spacek, Bertaggia; Loosli, Jooris, Maillard. Coach: Cadieux.
Penalties: 1 x 2′ + 1 x 5′ (Bachofner) + match penalty (Bachofner) against Biel, 2 x 2′ + 1 x 5′ (Karrer) + match penalty (Karrer) against Ge/Servette.
Notes: Biel without Delémont, Cunti, Reinhard, Sallinen nor Zryd (injured). Ge/Servette without Cavalleri, Pouliot, Rod, Völlmin, Descloux (injured) nor Raanta (extra). Hit in the face, Vatanen no longer reappears (29th). Biel removes its goalkeeper in favor of a sixth outfield player (56’58 to 58’19; 58’30 to 58’54).
