The Ticinese trembled before winning.
Michela Locatelli/freshfocus
The Jurassians took a big step this Wednesday… towards a new red lantern at the end of the regular championship. After a week with three losses, they followed up with another defeat at the Gottardo Arena. Lugano, the 13th, is therefore still 9 lengths away. Ambri, their evening opponent and the last team not to have to play the play-out, is now at 17 points. Suffice to say that the Ticinese are unattainable for a Vouivre who will play 7 more times away this season.
The Leventins waited until the very end of the first period to make the Gottardo Arena roar (20th). A minute after a goal canceled by DiDomenico following an offside, the Canadian put the scorers back at 1-0 on the same power play. It was still in power play that Ajoie equalized in the 26th minute. The ever-predominant Bellemare delivered 5-star service from Nättinen in the right place. Coach Greg Ireland wanted his team to react in the exercise, and he was served.
At the end of the 2nd period, the Ajoulots had a huge opportunity to take the lead through Devos. But it was the Ticinese who went 2-1 and with great luck. A puck hit the strip, on Bozon then behind Conz, before crossing the line (37th)! Fortunately there was justice and Hazen – his 300th goal with the Jura team! -, with a nice move in front of goalkeeper Juvonen, equalized 22 seconds later. In the process, 10 seconds from the 2nd siren, Honka was quite lucky to see his recovery end in the top corner, at the 1st post.
The shooting party wasn’t over, but it was one-sided. Heim, forgotten by the defense and who had plenty of time to dribble past Conz, equalized again in the 42nd. Ajoie’s match (and undoubtedly the season) undoubtedly changed at that moment. Because then, in 58 seconds (45th and 46th), Maillet, Pestoni and Kubalik scored three on numerical superiorities. Hard to digest.
-HC Ambri-Piotta – HC Ajoie 7-3 (1-0 1-3 5-0)
Gottardo Arena, 6160 spectators. Arbitres: Hürlimann/Öhlund, Fuchs/Bichsel.
Buts: 20th (19’44) DiDomenico (Kubalik, Maillet/à 5 against 4) 1-0. 26th Bellemare (Nättinen, Honka/at 5 against 4) 1-1. 37th Maillet (DiDomenico, Wüthrich) 2-1. 38th Hazen (Bellemare) 2-2. 40th (39’50) Honka (Garessus) 2-3. 42nd Heim (Müller, Bürgler) 3-3. 45th Maillet (Kubalik, Virtanen/at 5 against 4) 4-3. 46th Pestoni (Landry) 5-3. 46th Kubalik (DiDomenico, Heed/against 3) 6-3. Kostner (Dwarfs, Muggli) 7-3.
Amber: Juvonen; Heed, Zgraggen; Virtanen, Terraneo; Wüthrich, I. Dotti; Z. Dotti; DiDomenico, Maillet, Kubalik; Pestoni, Kostner, De Luca; dwarves, home, miller; Bürgler, Landry, Muggli; Hedlund.
Ajoie: Conz; Honka, Fey; Minder, Fischer; Nussbaumer, Scheidegger; Thiry, Pilet; Hazen, Bellemare, Nättinen; Frossard, Devos, Service; Pedretti, Rundqvist, Veckaktins, Robin, Garessus, Bozon.
Notes: Ambri without Grassi, Douay, Senn (injured), nor Curran (extra). Ajoie without Schmutz, Patenaude, Turkulainen (injured), Pouilly, Bernasconi, Brennan, Maurer, Romanenghi, nor Sopa (extras). 19th, a goal from Didomenico is canceled after a video switch. 50th, Ajoulot time-out. Penalties: 3 x 2′ against Ambri, 5 x 2 against Ajoie.
