After being crowned Division 1 champions on Saturday, the Eagles have only one step left to reach the elite of French hockey. Nice Hockey will face Morzine-Avoriaz-Les Gets tonight at the Jean Bouin ice rink (7:15 PM) for the first match of the play-off.
Tonight, Nice Hockey begins its quest to ascend to the Magnus League, aiming to add another achievement to the club’s record. Having had a perfect season, the Azuréens finished first in the regular season and positioned themselves perfectly for the Division 1 play-offs. The first two rounds were completed easily with victories (2 games to 0) against Nantes and then Neuilly-sur-Marne. Things got tougher in the grand final against Anglet, the main competitor for the title since the start of the season. Unbeatable at home (2 victories), the Eagles needed just one more victory. Unfortunately, the two trips to the Basque Country ended in two defeats. The two teams were tied at two games each. The title was decided this Saturday at the Jean Bouin ice rink. In front of their crowd, the Eagles were impeccable and secured the title with a score of 4 goals to 1.
Jean-Bouin, an almost impregnable fortress
This great home efficiency (17 victories in 18 games) will be one of the Eagles’ strengths as they host the first play-off match for accession to the higher division. Another key to success is the complementarity between the players. In the nine play-off games, six team members have accumulated more than six points (goals + assists). Led by Matej Hamrak, who shone throughout the season with 16 goals and 34 assists in 35 games, the Eagles were unstoppable. Others, like their captain Aurélien Macon, stepped up their game. And what can be said about the goalkeeper Vojtech Sedlacek, who was simply decisive and named MVP of the final. The only unknown on the Nice side is the usual post-title letdown. After the game on Saturday, the objective was to celebrate the title. This play-off is a bonus after an exceptional season.
HCMAG holds its own
For this play-off, the Nice Eagles will face the Penguins of Morzine-Avoriaz. Second to last in the regular season with only six wins in 26 games, the Penguins participated in a retention pool. The bottom six teams of the Magnus League were gathered in a mini-championship, where each team faced each other twice. At the end of the ten games, the bottom two were relegated to D1, and the fourth place would play a play-off match against the D1 champion. Briançon and Lyon took the last two places, synonymous with relegation, while Morzine secured the play-off spot on the last day with a victory in Lyon, 3-2. At the end of the regular season, Morzine-Avoriaz holds the worst defense and the second to last attack in the championship. The Penguins remain an important Magnus League team (French vice-champions in the 2006-2007 season) after having finished first in the regular season.
The play-off will be played best of three games. On Saturday, the Eagles will travel to Morzine-Avoriaz before potentially playing a decisive game the next day, still with the Penguins. The first to achieve two victories will win the play-off and either ascend to the Magnus League (for Nice) or remain in the elite of French hockey (for Morzine).
Alexandre Demesy
