There are evenings like this, when nothing goes well, and luck has decided to flee from you. HC Ajoie experienced one on Saturday in Zug. He entered his match much better than during the derby played 24 hours earlier against Bienne, so he gave the Zougois doubts, the time for them to show off just before mid-match.
Enterprising and dominating, he had a nightmarish start to the second period where everything fell on his head. Led to the mark after a success scored at the very end of the initial third by Sven Senteler, the Jurassiens first squandered three huge chances to get back on track. Neither Jerry Turkulainen, nor Anttoni Honka (shot on the crossbar) nor Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, between the 21st and 26th minute, managed to revive the Ajoulotes business.
Which would have constituted at that moment a fair reward for a team which gave itself the means to come back but which showed a cruel lack of realism in front of a good Tim Wolf. Weary for her, the Zougois, with quite a bit of success, folded the matter in the space of 52 seconds in the 27th minute. Dario Simion, who took over three Ajoulots with disconcerting ease, then Andreas Wingerli increased their lead. Instead of a 1-1 which would have appeared logical and deserved, the score went to 3-0 in no time.
To make matters worse for this dark evening, the HCA immediately lost its topscorer Jerry Turkulainen, who was injured and grimaced after being hit in the knee. Deprived of its Finnish star and top scorer in the National League, the red lantern from Porrentruy did not give up and then tried to force the decision by still obtaining several clear opportunities. But it was Dan Tangnes' players who worsened the score before the second break (Olofsson, 39th). Ajoie did not deserve such punishment.
The Jura team, which conceded a 13th defeat in 14 trips this season, will deliver its final meeting of the year on Monday when it hosts Genève-Servette in Porrentruy. With or without Turkulainen?
Zug – Ajoie 4-0 (1-0 3-0 0-0)
Bossard Arena. 7507 spectators.
Referees: MM. Piechaczek, Dipietro, Schlegel et Bichsel.
Buts: 19e Senteler (Künzle) 1-0, 27e (26'02) Simion (Senteler) 2-0, 27e (26'54) Wingerli (Carlsson, Leuenberger) 3-0, 39e Olofsson 4-0.
Zug: Wolf; Tobias Geisser, Riva; Hansson, Stadler; Schlumpf, Carlsson; Mischa Geisser; Vozenilek, Kovar, Hofmann; Martschini, Olofsson, Duke; Simion, Senteler, Künzle; Eggenberger, Leuenberger, Wingerli; Lindemann. Entraineur: Tangnes.
Add: Ciaccio; Honka, Fey; Nussbaumer, Fischer; Minder, Maurer; Thiry, Pilet; Turkulainen, Bellemare, Nättinen; Hazen, Devos, Pedretti; Veckaktins, Garessus, Bozon; Sopa, Romanenghi, Schmutz. Coach: Ireland.
Penalties: 6 x 2' against Zug, 4 x 2' against Ajoie.
Notes: Zug without Bengtsson, Biasca (ill), Antenen, Balestra, Johnson, Muggli nor Wey (supernumerary). Ajoie without Frossard, Patenaude, Rundqvist, Scheidegger (injured), Brennan (supernumerary foreigner), Bernasconi, Pouilly, Robin (supernumerary) nor Palve (loaned to Geneva). Shot on Martschini's post (16th) and on Honka's crossbar (22nd). Time out requested by Ajoie (28th). Hit in one knee, Turkulainen returned to the locker room and never reappeared (28th).
