Updated29. November 2024, 08:13
Ice hockey: The LHC is taking on water: “There are a lot of holes in our boat”
Lausanne lost heavily against Davos (2-6) Thursday at the Vaudoise arena. The current defensive feverishness of the Lions raises questions.
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Chris Geiger
Geoff Ward didn’t look the best on Thursday after the LHC defeat against Davos.
Urs Lindt/freshfocus
Six goals conceded Tuesday in Bienne, six more conceded Thursday in front of Davos: Lausanne’s defense is definitely struggling. An observation which does not date from this week, since the Lions display a somewhat envious record of 75 successes received in 25 outings (only Ambri and Ajoie do worse).
The phenomenon, however, accelerated during the last month of competition: championship and Champions League combined, the LHC took a whopping 43 goals in ten games played in November. The majority of which during failed evenings in the great widths.
“Not acceptable” to let go of matches
“At the moment, things are neither offensively nor defensively,” complains Aurélien Marti. Before, we at least managed to score goals, which allowed us to save our matches. It’s tough because defense was one of our strengths last year. We still have a lot of work to do.”
Like the match lost against the “Rekordmeister” (2-6), the Vaudois team especially has the unfortunate tendency to be a little too generous with its rivals.
“We take crappy goals,” concedes the sheriff. In fact, we are not being circled around in our defensive zone. Our opponents don’t create many chances either. We just make mistakes. It’s difficult to win matches when we give our opponents such opportunities.”
Proof that the playing system put in place by Geoff Ward works, the Grisons only scored 19 attempts on the ice at the Vaudoise arena. This major setback, the ninth of the LHC National League season, is above all the consequence of individual errors. And a certain renunciation.
“We don’t yet have this rage of not giving up until the end and that’s something that is not acceptable,” laments the Lions No. 7. We really need to come down to earth and start working.”
“Lots of holes in the boat”
For the first time this year, the finalist from the last play-offs finds himself in a bit of a hole. Due to a porous rearguard of course, but also because of a cascade of major injured elements (Glauser, Pilut and Vouardoux among the defenders, Oksanen, Prassl, Raffl and Rochette among the attackers).
“A lot of different things explain why we’ve conceded so many goals lately,” said Geoff Ward. There are a lot of holes in the boat and we have to try to plug them. But this is the normal evolution of a team. I would rather experience this now than in a month and a half. However, we must understand how we currently play and what we must do to improve things.
In this sense, the Canadian coach recognizes that his group is facing, at the moment, a certain “adversity”. And he clearly can’t find a solution.
“For the moment, it doesn’t bring out the best in us, but the worst,” the Ontario coach concedes, without batting an eyelid. However, we are aware of it. And we know that, if we deal with this adversity in the right way, we will be better in the long term.
If there is still no reason to be alarmed on Malley’s side, Lausanne still appearing on the provisional podium (3rd), Geoff Ward does not intend to lose interest in the first headwinds of the season either.
“Totally responsible for what is happening”
“If you ignore these lows and look elsewhere, then you have to pay attention to the results,” he warns. When you go through these trials, one or two things stand out. You are either feeling sorry for yourself or angry. We can find all the excuses we want: the schedule, injuries, etc. But that doesn’t matter. The situation is what it is. We are totally responsible for what happens. It’s in our hands. We have to react and find solutions to start winning again.”
A reaction of pride and a tight defense, on the Vaud side, are therefore expected from Sunday afternoon (kick-off at 3:45 p.m.) on the Ambri ice.
