This Saturday (7:15 PM), the Nice Eagles will host the Tours Remparts at the Jean Bouin ice rink for Game 2 of the quarter-final of the French D1 Championship. In the first leg, Nice won 6-2 on the Tours ice and are just 60 minutes away from the semi-final.
They are just one win away from the semi-finals, but the hardest part remains ahead. “We approach this game with great humility. We won the first leg, but nothing is certain; we need to seal the deal this weekend. There’s a bit of tension, but my players are fully committed. I see that they want to achieve something, so we are preparing for the match with a lot of focus and diligence without thinking about what happened last week,” analyzes Nice Hockey’s coach, Stan Sutor.
Season goals achieved
Nice Hockey began the 2014-2015 season with two objectives: to finish in the top 4 in the regular season and to make the play-off quarter-finals. A few months later, the club is third on the podium and has reached the quarter-finals. Stan Sutor’s players are aware that they need to deliver another high-level performance to surpass the season’s initial goals set by the club.
“My players seem more tense than relaxed; they know what remains to be done this weekend. Tours will be more aggressive, but we need to play our game, have good skating, and make solid passes to avoid unnecessary checks that can lead to injuries or penalties,” confides the coach of the Eagles.
A united team
For the Eagles’ captain, Aurélien Macon, this match should be approached like any other: “We prepare for this game like any important match; we did half the job at their place, and we must remain focused and disciplined. The group is more solid and united, and we cannot afford mistakes. The play-off atmosphere is different from the regular season because the season is long and it becomes a routine. The goal is different.”
As for the squad, the Eagles can count on the return of their forward Yoann Lacheny, who missed the first leg. The stakes of this game do not affect the week’s preparations. “We haven’t changed our training for this game; it’s just Lacheny returning to his line,” informs Stan Sutor.
In case of defeat
If the Eagles lose this Saturday, a decisive match will take place on Sunday, same time, same place. Since its inception, Nice Hockey Côte d’Azur has only reached the semi-final and the final once during the 2011-2012 season, losing to Mulhouse. Otherwise, the club has always been eliminated in the quarter-finals. By around 9:30 PM this Saturday, the club could write a new chapter in its history.
Kevin Chifflet
Photo credit and more information at nicehockey.fr
