The Eagles of Nice triumphed 5-4 against the Mont-Blanc Avalanche and reentered the Top 4. A victory achieved through difficulty. Trailing for two thirds of the game (1-2 then 3-4), the final period proved decisive.
The match started poorly for the Nice team. Andrej Brejka received a two-minute penalty after only 23 seconds of play. During the power play, Sedlacek, the Eagles’ goalie, made four consecutive saves before conceding to Croz after a top-corner shot (2nd minute, 0-1). A few minutes later, Nice Hockey equalized through Yoanne Lacheny (6th minute, 1-1). With 5 minutes remaining in the first period, Mont-Blanc player Colin Downey headed alone towards the goal. He was fouled by Nice’s Varga, leading to an undeniable penalty. However, Sedlacek preserved the scoreline with a superb save. Late in the first period, the young Nice goalkeeper made a crucial error. Behind his net, he passed to an opponent who then set up a teammate to score. Mont-Blanc took the lead (17th minute, 1-2).
The second period started as poorly as the previous one for Nice Hockey. Mont-Blanc scored immediately through Coulon (22nd minute, 1-3). And it wasn’t over for the Eagles; Visnak incurred a two-minute penalty, and Mont-Blanc logically took advantage of it, with Downey widening the gap (29th minute, 1-4). A minute later, Alexandre Touchette hit the crossbar—Nice was struggling but was rewarded after a superb team effort concluded by Martin Slovak. The Eagle slipped while shooting, but the puck found its way into the top corner (31st minute, 2-4). Since that goal, the Eagles improved their play, and Stefan Klimek, Nice’s number 10, even brought his club within one goal of their evening rivals (32nd minute, 3-4).
“We came back twice to the locker room trailing on the scoreboard. For the last period, we regrouped, encouraged each other, and knew we would have our chance. It’s mostly a matter of confidence,” admits Samuel Aquin, scorer and assist provider for tonight.
In the final period, the match was decided in one minute. In the 42nd minute, Samuel Aquin, elected “man of the match,” equalized (4-4). In the same minute, Vladimir Kubus gave the Eagles the lead (5-4). An exceptional start to the period, and the Jean Bouin ice rink erupted with joy. The rest of the game was uneventful. Nice also earned a penalty at the 51st minute, missed by Nice’s captain, Aurélien Macon. A painful 5-4 win, but Nice Hockey rejoined the Top 4, creating a slight gap with the 6th place team (4 points). The next match is scheduled for Saturday in Nantes, against the 3rd placed team, promising a true clash.
“The victory feels good after the defeat in Tours. To avoid conceding too many goals, we will have to work on duels and defensive zones for the next match,” continues Samuel Aquin, with 5 goals and 11 assists since the start of the season.
Kevin Chifflet
