Ice hockey – In Rapperswil, « we have our style, we are not the most beautiful, but we do the maximum »

Rapperswil remains on three consecutive victories, acquired against Zurich (4-3 tab), Davos (4-1) and Lausanne (5-2). Well installed in the top 6 of the National League, the Lakers surprise, at the start of the championship. Whatever … Under the leadership of their new coach, Stefan Hedlund (ex-Skelleftea, at home in Sweden), they are on the line of their 2020-2021 exercise, where they reached the semi-finals of the play-offs.

TO Rappi, there is of course the brilliant Roman Cervenka (26 points in 20 matches). But there are mostly a lot of young players (there are eight of them aged 22 or under), surrounded by more experienced elements, who know where they come from.

« We are aware that we are inferior to the majority of teams in terms of pure talent, so we compensate otherwise, explains Vaud defender Inaki Baragano (20). At the start of the season, our everyday investment is paying off. Because in Rapperswil, we work like sick people in training.« 

« The sentence that says we play like we train is maybe boat. But she sums up our situation well, confirms her Valais teammate Nathan Vouardoux (also 20 years old). We have our style, we are not the most beautiful, but we do the maximum.«  Always.

« Our game system requires you to skate 100% every second you are on the ice. You have to be able to do it. Hence the intensity that is required of us in training, continues Baragano. Honestly, next to our sessions, the matches are almost easier, physically.« 

The statistics put forward demonstrate it and we had new proof of it on Saturday in Lausanne: Rappi does not only defend, on the contrary. According to the benchmark platform NL Ice Data, on average, more chances are created with the weight of a goal (expected goals) than Biel, Davos, Bern, Ge / Servette, Langnau and Ajoie in numerical equality.

The Lakers mostly trust young people (for financial reasons in particular). Inaki Baragano and Nathan Vouardoux (ex-LHC) landed during the summer as part of the Saint-Welsh rearguard. TO like David Aebischer (21, ex-Friborg).

« It is an ideal context to develop« , advances the first city, unfortunately slowed down by a dislocation of the shoulder which will keep him away from the rinks for more than a month. « It’s a smaller club than others, there is less pressure. We have passionate fans, who are demanding, but we can work in peace.« 

TO Rapperswil, « everyone knows and respects their role« , and the coach does not hesitate to entrust responsibilities to the young people involved. Nathan Vouardoux (15’41 of play on average, with presence in power play and box play) is the perfect illustration. « It gives confidence and it puts you at ease in a locker room« , rejoices the Valais defender, author of 2 goals and 6 assists in 20 games this season.

Suffice to say that Baragano and Vouardoux do not regret their departure from the LHC, where the short-term future seemed blocked to them. « When you look at the Lausanne lineup behind, you wonder where you could play« , says the Vaudois, passed by the Kamloops Blazers in the Canadian Junior League (WHL).

« There was this opportunity with the Lakers, he continues. I thought of myself, of my development. But nothing prevents a return to my training club in the future. With the LHC, we are on good terms.« 

For the time being, all of their attention is focused on Rapperswil. Who is now aiming for a top 6 synonymous with automatic qualification for the play-offs at the end of the regular season? « The objective, at the base, was the pre-play-offs (editor’s note: a jump-off for teams classified between theTo 10th and 7th place) and that the rest, answers the Valaisan. We only played 40% of the championship. We know it’s long. We move forward without setting limits but without changing objectives either. We just take whatever we can take.« 

They have already pocketed 33 points.