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A hat-trick from Gernat and a quadruple from Glauser put the Lions into orbit in this six-point game in the fight for the play-offs.
- by
- Gregoire Surdez
(Lausanne)
Author of the first two Vaud successes, Martin Gernat was decisive once morest Lugano.
Pascal Muller/freshfocus
A block of legends to inspire the Lions of today. The Vaudoise arena first vibrated by greeting the players of the centenary. Elected by the fans, Beat Kindler, Serge Poudrier, Joël Genazzi, Andreï Bashkirov, Florian Conz and Gérard Dubi received a fine tribute from the public. Enough to set the tone for a very important evening both for the LHC and for its evening opponent, Chris McSorley’s HC Lugano. With Davos and Geneva, the people of Ticino are the direct adversaries in the race for 6th place.
It is therefore a so-called “six-point” match that the LHC went for with a good dose of authority. However, everything had gone a little wrong. After the tribute, the rage of an opener denied to Andy Miele. The American thought he had honored his first in red and white by scoring a superb backhand goal. An offside at the entrance to the zone had escaped the referees, but not the Luganese staff. challenge. Cancelation. Frustration. A few minutes later, the reverse situation will cause turmoil in the spans. Troy Josephs’ opener, not validated at the time by the referees, will only be validated following viewing the images.
The LHC had the merit of not breaking up and it is logical that the Lions have reversed the steam. Martin Gernat twice allowed the Lions to complete the first third with a deserved advantage. In addition to the double of the Slovak defender, it is also the first shots of Andy Miele (three assists in the end) which are to be noted. They were very reassuring and John Fust might well have unearthed the missing element in his game to balance his lines.
Prolific end of game
Perfectly revived, the LHC then made the difference at the start of the second and third periods. Joël Genazzi celebrated his selection in the legends block by giving the Lions a two-step lead, who were playing with two more men. While they should have taken shelter in a largely dominated middle third, the Vaudois let Lugano come back following a blunder (Heldner) in the defensive zone. The final acceleration came following the second break, with two goals from Andrea Glauser in less than a minute. The end of the evening turned into a demonstration and allowed Andrea Glauser to experience a crazy evening since the defender scored two more goals as so many responses to the bursts of Luganese from Traber and Herren.
The match ended as it had started, in jubilation and to the applause of a public delighted by the very successful performance of the Lions who remain more than ever in the race for this 6th place directly qualifying for the play-offs.
LHC – Lugano 8-4 (2-1 1-1 5-2)
Vaudoise arena, 6456 spectators. Referees: Messrs. Hebeisen, Fluri, Fuchs and Wolf.
Buts: 9e Joseph’s 0-1. 14e Gernat (Miele) 1-1. 20e Gernat (Paré / 5c4) 2-1. 21e Genazzi (Paré, Miele / 5c3) 3-1. 28e Carr (Thürkauf, Arcobello / 5c4) 3-2. 41e Glauser (Sekac) 4-2. 42e Glauser (Miele / 5c4) 5-2. Trotters 5-3. 50e Glauser 6-3. 51e Men’s 6-4. 51e Glauser (Fuchs, Riat) 7-4. 54e Gernat (5c4) 8-4.
LHC: Stephan (37th Boltshauser); Glauser, Genazzi; Marti, Gernat; Heldner, Frick; Holdener; Riat, Fuchs, Sekac; Bertschy, Miele, Bozon; Paré, Jäger, Baumgartner; Krakauskas, Almond, Maillard. Trainer: John Fust.
Lugano: Fatton (42e Markkanen); Alatalo, Riva; Loeffel, Müller; Church, War; Wolf; Fazzini, Arcobello, Morini; Carr, Thürkauf, Josephs; Abdelkader, Walker, Herren; Bertaggia, Tschumi, Stoffel; Traber.
Penalties: 4×2′ + 1×5′ (Marti) once morest LHC; 9×2’+ 1×5′ (Abdelkader) + 1×10 (Traber) once morest Lugano.
Notes: LHC without Frolik, Kenins, Emmerton (supernumeraries) or Douay (suspended). Lugano without Herburger, Schlegel (injured) or Boedker (supernumerary).
