The Nice Eagles secured a 7-2 victory against the Mulhouse Scorpions and remain the leaders of Division 1. A win without breaking a sweat. A game controlled from start to finish. A real treat for hockey enthusiasts.
The match starts in the best way possible for the Nice team. The clock barely starts, and the puck is already in the back of the Mulhouse net. First chance, first goal, scored by Hampl. (0:29, 1-0) The rest of the first period follows the trend of this explosive season start. Nice plays well, dominates, and capitalizes. A few minutes later, Nice finds themselves with a power play advantage and makes the most of it through Varga, who fires a missile at the entrance of the attacking zone. (blue line) (7:40, 2-0). The Nice Hockey team manages their efforts and can thank their goalie Sedlacek, who is exceptional. The players enter the lockers under the applause of the Jean Bouin rink.
Mulhouse made the match easy for the Nice team, as evidenced by coach Stan Sutor: “After conceding that first goal, psychologically, Mulhouse gave up very quickly. On our side, Sedlacek made important saves, which also made the difference.”
The second period starts with the Nice team already on the attack, perhaps even a bit too much. Matej Misura takes 2 minutes for obstruction. But this penalty is not a problem. Even with a numerical disadvantage, Matej Hamrak concludes a sublime action after a double one-two. (3:41, 3-0) It’s too fast for Mulhouse. A few minutes later, Aurelien Mâcon adds more to the score by sliding the puck between the goalie’s legs. (8:44, 4-0).
Mulhouse tries to react and is rewarded by Rolands Vigners. (10:08, 4-1). After several decisive saves, Sedlacek finally concedes a goal. Approaching the end of the period, Nice finds themselves with another power play opportunity. Coach Stan Sutor’s team takes advantage, and Lukas Spelda, alone against the goalie, doesn’t flinch. (13:52, 5-1).
The last period is a mirror image of the first, with a few seconds’ head start. Macon finishes, served perfectly by Matej Hamrak. (0:12, 6-1). Five minutes later, Zbynek Hampl, positioned to the left near the boards, sends a cross-shot surprising the goalie. (5:43, 7-1) At the very end of the match, Mulhouse narrows the gap with a goal by Ondrej Martinka, who doesn’t miss his one-on-one. (19:16, 7-2).
A thoroughly deserved 7-2 win. Nice Hockey was superior in all aspects, as explained by captain Aurélien Mâcon: “From the start, we set our pace; we had a bit of luck early on. It boosted our confidence for the rest of the game, and we were calm, able to play our game seriously until the end.” The club remains the leader with 24 points, maintaining a 3-point lead over second-place Cholet and third-place Anglet.
Next meeting is Tuesday in Nantes, currently seventh.
Kevin Chifflet
