Totally stunning return home for Genève-Servette. The Eagles, who found the Vernets after seven months of waiting, beat Rapperswil (5-3) thanks to a fiery finale. Were Jan Cadieux’s men not trailing by two lengths less than a quarter of an hour from the third siren?
While they were heading towards a third defeat in their last four outings in the league, the Garnet were able to count on their strong men at the start of the home stretch to overthrow a stunned Lakers.
Josh Jooris (47th, 2-3) first cut a try from Simon Le Coultre, to allow the GSHC to make up part of its deficit. Then Teemu Hartikainen (49th, 3-3), without the slightest opposition, was able to adjust Ivars Punnenovs and equalize. The Genevans did not take their foot off the accelerator and even took the lead thanks to Markus Granlund (52nd, 4-3). Finally, Tanner Richard scored in the empty cage to score a double (2nd, 1-0; 60th, 5-3).
Saturday evening (kick-off at 7:45 p.m.), they will have the opportunity to have a perfect week at Porrentruy, against HC Ajoie.
Lausanne HC’s good run came to an end on Friday evening in Graubünden. The LHC, which remained on six victories in seven matches in the National League, fell in Davos (5-2). The Vaud team, without Kevin Pasche (announced ill), paid dearly for its lack of freshness due to its trip to the North, as part of the Champions League, in the middle of the week.
Resting for a week, the “Rekordmeister” logically returned to the game stronger than the reigning Swiss vice-champion, still competing on the European scene near Tampere forty-eight hours earlier.
The Lions will have the opportunity to relaunch themselves on Saturday evening (kick-off at 7:45 p.m.), at the Vaudoise arena, during the Ambri reception.
Better on his feet than two days earlier during the slap conceded to Zug, HC Ajoie failed to get back on track Friday evening. Penalized by his catastrophic third-party entries, he lost 4 to 3 in Lugano.
The Luganese arena was filled with chills just moments before kick-off when a vibrant tribute was paid to Geo Mantegazza. The man who was president of the club from 1978 to 1991, who died a week ago at the age of 96, was given a standing ovation for several minutes by the public, standing as one man, who made a point of greeting as he owes itself to the memory of an emblematic figure. For the occasion, the local kop displayed a banner on which was written: “a man, a father, a legend.” What an emotional moment!
