“Sometimes we found ways to lose. Tonight, we found ways to win.” This is the kind of little phrase that can only come out of the mouth of Philip-Michaël Devos. The Quebecer, again decisive on Saturday, has the art of summarizing an ice hockey match so well. HC Ajoie produced what we call “a full match” to beat Ambri 4-2 in front of 5,032 spectators (season record) on the occasion of the twentieth outing of the National League championship.
New coach Greg Ireland and French legend Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (four points in two matches) thus achieved their first in Porrentruy. Even though Ambri dominated the first third, it was Ajoie who took the lead (2-1), thanks to a splendid power play combination then a fantastic counterattack from the Hazen-Turkulainen-Devos trio.
Ireland steps up the intensity
In the first half of the second period, Ajoie perhaps produced his best sequence of the season. Sensing that his team had the momentum, Greg Ireland offered dense coaching which brought a rare intensity and put Ambri in his little skates. “We can give him credit, that’s clear,” admitted striker Marco Pedretti. “He asked us to be proud of the role that everyone has on the team, whether we play 5 or 20 minutes.” Solidarity in front of a good Damiano Ciaccio who started for the first time since the departure of Christian Wohlwend, the HCA held and then validated its success in the empty goal, Devos offering himself a new double and becoming the team’s top scorer with 8 successes . We ask for more. /clo
Swiss
