Ouch! What a blow for the Ticino of hockey this Friday 25 October 2024. Adding the results “2-15“, a very heavy thud. Yet, just two weeks ago, there was the high altitude derby, both second in the standings in terms of points, enthusiasm, uptown air.
So what? And so it is simply like this, a season where you will never have to go on flights of fancy believing you are stronger than you are, nor get depressed in the most difficult moments. It’s a balanced championship, except for two exceptions. Zurich is a battleship with half a team worthy of the NHL (and yes, Malgin, Andrighetto, Kukan or Weber have played there just for the “Swiss colours”) and they have the strongest goalkeeper in the League: Hrubec. Ajoie is a “messed up” team that is now experiencing the classic post-coach reaction (they won yesterday in Lausanne) but remains a cut below the others. The rest? Dependent on the classic factors: injuries, luck, episodes, …
So everything is fine, even after the “2-15” in Ticino? Of course not! This championship is a marathon, not a sprint. But marathons are also made up of sunstroke, cramps, moments in which you have to grit your teeth and play “defense”. Yes, the defense. The base where both Ticino teams must start again. A few more free throws doesn’t hurt sometimes, the classic KISS (Keep It Simply and Safe), getting in the trenches to protect your goalkeeper, making the slot an impenetrable zone. Too many players (see Heed in Ambrì, Aebischer in Lugano) lose duels, sometimes being skipped like skittles. Different problems of course (the blue and whites are at full strength but have impalpable offensive foreigners, the black and whites have heavy absences), but this must make everyone responsible, not find “excuses”.
Today only Lugano is playing. For Gianinazzi’s team there is no time to think about the blowout in Davos. In Lausanne in September the Bianconeri were the best of the last 5 years. Yesterday was among the worst. It’s time not to name names, talk about the game, schemes, powerplay, absentees, referees, eclipses or solar storms. But to take to the track with the same “desperation” as last year in difficult moments. No more, no less.
(Keystone Photo)
