Four Neuchâtel clubs, four different fortunes. In the 2nd ice hockey league, the regular season is already well underway: two thirds of the matches have already been played, and the last matches will be played by the end of January. The holiday break is an opportunity to take stock with the four Neuchâtel clubs involved in this championship, starting with Les Vallonniers.
Relegated to the 2nd ice hockey league after a season at the top level, CP Fleurier has only one objective this season: promotion. The contingent has changed little, and the club is currently well placed in second place, one point behind HC Moutier. “It’s not where we wanted to be, we were aiming for first place”, directly recalls Nicolas Motreff, coach of CP Fleurier. For the end of the season, we will have to work on consistency, details the French technician, in order to be able to access the 1st League again.
Currently fourth in the 2nd league ranking, HC Star Chaux-de-Fonds is currently fulfilling its objectives. “We are in our place,” immediately specifies Michael Neininger, coach of HC Star, who hopes to keep this rank with a view to the play-offs. In the future, Michael Neininger would like to see his team evolve in the 1st league, particularly for the juniors of HC La Chaux-de-Fonds, even if this will not be possible this season.
There is a club that is not where he thought he would be: Neuchâtel Young Sprinters. The Littoral club is currently in eighth place in the 2nd ice hockey league. “Unfortunately, we had a lot of injuries and absences,” explains Pascal Albisetti, coach of Neuchâtel Young Sprinters. The club was aiming for at least sixth place. For the end of the season, he hopes to secure seventh place, synonymous with the play-off.
For three seasons now, HC Le Locle has been at the bottom of the rankings. Currently ninth and last, coach Raphaël Erb’s players still have no points this season: “But despite everything, they work together, stay united and we train with a smile.” The coach underlines the motivation of his young team, which has not been far from victory on several occasions this season. The objective is clearly to remain in the 2nd league.
At the end of the 2nd league regular season, the first will qualify for the semi-finals, while the teams classified between second and seventh place will compete in the quarter-finals. The teams that finish eighth and ninth in the standings will play the play-outs. /swe
Swiss
