This Sunday at 6:30 PM, the Nice hockey team hosts the Amiens Gothics, who had previously beaten them 4-3 in Somme. It’s an opportunity for the Eagles to take their revenge and bounce back in the championship after their home defeat against Dijon (3-4).
Soundly defeated in the first match (5-1), the Nice players were eager to return to victory in the championship. Ultimately defeated 4-3, Stan Sutor and his team have reasons for regret given the number of chances they created.
The Eagles start strong and quickly show their threat. Under pressure from Nice, Dijon takes a two-minute penalty after only 1’40 of play. With a powerful shot, Michael Quinn forces the Dijon goalkeeper to work (1’50). Despite their domination, Nice fails to capitalize on their attacks. Back to full strength on the ice, Dijon turns the game around. The Dukes call upon Charton (3’17 and 3’50). The pressure intensifies and despite a golden opportunity (6’55), the Red and Blacks concede a goal (0-1, 8’51), then a second shortly after (0-2, 10’19). But the Nice team does not give up and closes the gap thanks to Romain Carpentier (1-2, 12’05), assisted by Roman Vondracek and Zbynek Hampl. After their goal, Nice struggles to build their actions. Dijon takes advantage to put pressure on the Eagles’ defense and scores its third goal (1-3, 13’04). The Dijon offensive continues, but Charton answers present (13’53).
Buysse disheartens…
For the second period, the Nice team starts again with the same intensity. Bajarus unleashes a powerful shot, but Buysse, the Dijon goalkeeper, is on the trajectory. Stan Sutor’s team finds interesting spaces and poses danger almost every time they play. The red and black hockey players could have even scored their second goal in a scramble in front of the Dukes’ goal (27’57). Forced to play on the counter-attack, the DHC misses the opportunity to bury the Eagles. Charton wins his face-off with Edwards Spencer (28’49). Surely annoyed by the opponent’s goalie, the Nice players rush their efforts, and their passes become inaccurate. Captain Aurélien Macon gets his team back on track with a breakout that deserved better (34’12). Shortly after, Bajarus follows the action well and picks up the puck to the right of Buysse’s goal but fails to put it in (35’50). Trailing 3-1, Nice is still chasing the score. Yet opportunities are not lacking. With a man advantage at the end of the second period, the Nice team revives. Misura breaks through the Buysse wall (Hamrak, Carpentier; 2-3, 39’12).
Start of the third period. The Nice skaters have no choice, they need to give it their all. A war of attrition through passing ensues, and Dijon loses its composure. Penalized three times, the Dukes find themselves in a precarious situation. The Eagles remain camped in the offensive zone but are caught off guard by one of the rare Burgundy attacks. With a man advantage after Carpentier’s temporary exclusion for having too many players on the ice, Dijon extends their lead (4-2, 44’12). Ten minutes later, the Jean Bouin rink regains hope. Behind the goal, Kubus delivers a perfect backward pass to Slovak. With one touch, the forward blasts the puck into Buysse’s left corner (54’41, 4-3). In the last five minutes, Nice leads a barrage on the Dijon citadel. Even in a six-on-five situation (Charton leaves his goal to add an extra skater on the ice), the Nice team cannot find a breakthrough.
by Florent Larios
