ATS
Penultimate in the National League, HC Lugano dismissed their coach Luca Gianinazzi, in post since October 2022. Sports director Hnat Domenichelli was also fired.
The weekend marked by two new defeats, 3-1 at home against Lausanne and 3-1 also on the ice of the red lantern Ajoie, was fatal for the Ticino coach. Late Monday morning, the Bianconero club announced that it was parting ways with its coach and its sports director.
Gianinazzi (32), who then managed the club’s elite juniors, succeeded Chris McSorley in October 2022. During his two seasons in office, he led Lugano to the quarter-finals of the play-offs, failing successively against Geneva- Servette and Fribourg-Gottéron. But this season, Lugano is not running. The team has only won 13 out of 36 matches and has lost four in a row. Domenichelli (48), a former player of the club, has held the position of sports director since 2019.
President Vicky Mantegazza told a press conference that the club was looking for successors for Gianinazzi and Domenichelli. Assistants Krister Cantoni and Kalle Kaskinen were also dismissed. Monday’s training was given by Antti Törmänen, the former coach of Bern and Biel, who is currently an advisor at Lugano.
