For the 27th day of the Ligue Magnus, the Eagles of Nice confirmed their status as playoff contenders. By defeating Anglet, the Niçois gained a slight lead in the standings over their direct competitors.
“The team is ready to make amends in Anglet. We will be there,” said Alexis Sutor before heading to Anglet. The Nice forward was referring to the defeat suffered on Tuesday at home against Briançon. A setback that he and his teammates needed to overcome in this very important match in the race for the playoffs.
This was felt right from the kickoff. Nice appeared more dangerous offensively than their opponent that night. It eventually paid off in the 12th minute. Nicolas Ruel and the indispensable Adam Raska initiated a beautiful offensive play well completed by Taavi Tiala (0-1). Nice took control of the game and suffocated the Basques. A symbol of this domination, Conrad Molder was hardly called upon in the first period (5 saves).
Lacking offensive efficiency
The gap, however, was not enough. The Niçois knew this well and put their foot on the accelerator upon returning from the locker room. Well-assisted, Luka Kalan widened the lead (0-2). Anglet seemed out of solutions, but the Niçois could not convert their many opportunities, which was not entirely reassuring. Especially since the locals would turn the tide in the final third.
With a numerical disadvantage, the Basques surprised the Nice defense that had been scarcely tested up to that point. Timothe Quattrone scored his 10th goal of the season (1-2). There were just over 10 minutes left. While in control for most of the match, Nice gave themselves a scare. We almost come to regret the lack of realism in the first 40 minutes… But the Nice defenders managed to hold the score. The essential is preserved.
This victory symbolizes the capability of this young group to respond in challenging moments. Next week, the Eagles have an appointment on Tuesday with the French Cup. In the quarter-final, they will face Angers away. A challenging match to negotiate before returning to the Jean-Bouin ice rink against Gap on Friday. Their goal is to secure an eighth victory in nine games.
