The LHC needed a whole, all “big” guy to get its ideas together. The Vaudoise aréna’s scoreboard already indicated 4-0 in favor of FR Gottéron before mid-match: an ice shower for the men of Ville Peltonen, less than 48 hours after the festive “Nuit des Lions »Celebrated with great pomp right in the same place during the night from Thursday to Friday.
Fortunately there was this neophyte, a great right-hander wearing No 82: Alexandre Grenier, 195 cm without the skates. The 28-year-old Quebecer rocket, thrown from the top of the engagement circle 119 seconds after the Lions were badly flushed by the third goal of Daniel Brodin (27th, 0-4), not only woke up the Lausanne bench , but it also sowed doubt and at times panic in the Friborg camp.
Landed in Lausanne during the week, Grenier did what he probably knows how to do best: shoot on goal in the first intention, without asking questions. His first success of the evening, when in front of the nets Tobias Stephan had just been replaced by Luca Boltshauser, changed the physiognomy of the meeting. Even if the “Ascension” did not end in happy ending, the performance of the newcomer was a success.
With two goals and two assists, the former Iserlohn player (German DEL) has been involved in all LHC goals. A great way to mark its territory, even if its freshness did not prevent the Lions from letting go of a fifth derby this season against the Dragons. “If everything went as well for me, it is to my teammates that I owe it. They did everything to welcome me and put me in the best mood on the ice, appreciated Grenier, aligned alongside Dustin Jeffrey and Joel Vermin. However, it’s only the collective and the team results that really matter to me. So inevitably, I am disappointed after this defeat. “
Power play benefits
Grenier has above all made it possible to restore a much more conquering allure to the special units of the LHC. As proof, the Lions, firecracker with their power play since December, scored three times with one more man on the ice. Rediscovered efficiency which now opens up a lot of new possibilities. A good omen for the approach of the playoffs. “He was decisive, especially in power play, where his mentality as a shooter did us the greatest good. We’ve missed it a bit so far, “said Josh Jooris (two assistants), stationed alongside the Quebecker during the power play winning streak. “He knows how to place himself and find spaces. His sense of purpose will help us a lot for the rest of the season. ”
It remains to be seen what the latest imported from the LHC still has under the hood. “I am a player who brings positive energy to the locker room and puts himself at the service of the group,” he announced. I loved the atmosphere and the energy of our fans in the stands. They really pushed us and helped us return to the score. Even though I have already played many matches in my career, I still felt nervous before this first meeting. You never know what to expect when you land in a new team and a new city. Now I can say it: Lausanne is… wow! ”
Airs of Lapierre
One thing is certain: the great right-hander, who had never set foot in Switzerland before, takes up space and will be very difficult to contain in the rounding and in front of the nets. If his stroke is not his main asset, the former teammate of Dustin Jeffrey and Ronalds Kenins in the organization of the Utica Comets in AHL, by his posture on the ice, is not without recalling another Quebecer who had left no one indifferent during his stay in Switzerland: Maxim Lapierre, “wickedness” and less provocative side. Unless, for his first official outing with the Lions, Alexandre Grenier had simply not yet revealed all the facets of his game.
The purpose of the discord that cut the momentum of the Lions
We were barely playing in the 33rd minute of the Swiss derby when Daniel Brodin broke the momentum of the LHC by scoring 5-3, his fourth personal success and ultimately the winning goal of a somewhat crazy evening. The catch? The slow motion repeats on the videotron of the Vaudoise arena loop left no doubt. Before getting out of the fray and sliding the puck under the crossbar, Brodin did strike the Lausanne goalkeeper.
So fault? Or no fault? The referees decided, not without spending long minutes in front of the small screen – and having even taken it twice after a coach’s challenge requested by the LHC staff – to dissect a scene that made Lausanne fans jump . Verdict: The game directors felt that there was no obstruction and that Boltshauser was not hampered by Brodin in his lateral movement.
A very questionable decision that momentarily broke the momentum of the LHC. Didn’t the Lions come just moments before to score three goals in the space of 210 seconds? And as much to say that at this moment of the match, FR Gottéron was really in his small skates. The turning point of the meeting? Certainly.
Created: 09.02.2020, 3:18 p.m.
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