The Nice Eagles win the top clash (5-1) against the leader, Anglet. A match won from start to finish by Nice Hockey, confirming and securing a fifth consecutive victory. The Nice team put an end to a series of seven consecutive victories for Anglet and become co-leaders of the D1 championship.
This playoff-scented match lived up to all its promises. A full house ice rink and a significant stake in case of victory for both clubs. Everything was in place to melt the ice at Jean-Bouin in this clash of the 14th day.
The match barely begins and the Nice goalkeeper, Sedlacek is already put to the test. Calm, he reassures and gives confidence to his team. The Nice team is calm, organized, united. They manage the highs and lows. A winning strategy. After a well-constructed play, Nice’s number 17, opportunist Andrej Brejka, picks up the loose puck in front of the goal and pushes it into the net (10th minute, 1-0). The Nice team continues to press, and Martin Slovak manages to outwit the goalkeeper’s vigilance with a superb cross shot (18th minute, 2-0). The third best defense of the championship is overwhelmed.
The proof is on a trivial turnover; Nice’s Vladimir Kubus retrieves the puck in the middle of the field and challenges the last defender with 12 seconds before the buzzer. He dribbles past the goalie, feinting to throw them off balance. Once down on the ice, Kubus places the puck into the top corner. Spectacular! The Jean Bouin rink is on fire. The crowd is on their feet (20th minute, 3-0).
“The coach asked us to manage the neutral zone well. We managed to impose our game, our rhythm, without getting carried away. We knew how to be patient,” explains the Aiglons’ captain, Aurélien Macon.
The second period is far from identical. With a two-minute power play, Anglet capitalizes with a goal from Ladonne (23rd minute, 3-1). Physically superior, Nice restarts the scoring machine. Martin Slovak, alone in front of the goal, shoots into the top corner. It’s a double for him, who will be rewarded at the end of the match with the title of man of the match (30th minute, 4-1).
“When Anglet scored, we didn’t doubt. We were leading 3-0, we weren’t worried,” continues Aurélien Macon.
In the third period, Nice hits the post twice. Anglet is dominated head and shoulders. Nice’s captain, Macon, shines after a collective action. The opposing goalkeeper fends off the Eagles’ assault as best he can, but Aurélien Macon pounces on the puck at close range and ends Anglet’s hopes of a comeback (52nd minute, 5-1). The spectators, happy and proud of their team that offers them quality hockey, stand up and start the famous chant: “Whoever doesn’t jump isn’t from Nice!”
“We were humiliated at their place 8-3 in the first leg. We had a slight revenge spirit in the back of our minds, but not only that. This was mainly a test match to allow us to confirm our beautiful streak of four consecutive victories and to perform well in front of our supporters,” concludes Aurélien Macon.
At the end of the match, the players and supporters gathered to sing and celebrate the victory, a superb communion. At this rate, the end-of-season top 4 objective could turn into a promotion to the Magnus League. But one step at a time…
Kevin Chifflet
