A goosebump-filled backdrop at the Derby Ticinese. © HC Lugano / Sam Bassi

Lugano shines, Ambrì struggles: The derby of 1000 emotions

The word ice hockey festival seemed to have been made for this evening: In a true thriller, HC Lugano beat Ambrì-Piotta in the all-important play-in game of the National League on Saturday and thus reached the playoffs. But not everything is lost for Diego Kostner's team.

March 10, 2024

From Lugano

This game captivates an entire region, an entire country, almost an entire continent. It is the duel between two arch-rivals who could hardly be more different and yet have so much in common. It's the game between HC Lugano and Ambrì-Piotta. It's the Derby Ticinese. And a South Tyrolean is in the middle of it all: Diego Kostner.

This Saturday evening, the eternal showdown between the glamor club and the village club took on even greater significance, as it was all about making it to the playoffs in the top Swiss league. After the thrilling 4-4 ​​draw in the first leg, Lugano had all the trump cards at home. The Bianconeri took advantage of this advantage and won 3-1 in front of a goosebumps crowd. After that there was no stopping.

The derby electrified the crowds. © HC Lugano / Sam Bassi

An hour before the game started, the fans heated up the atmosphere in the completely sold-out Cornér Arena. It was a foretaste of what was to follow on the ice. Lugano started with a lot of force, speed and a great offensive urge. Especially when the first line of strikers around superstar Calvin Thürkauf was on the ice, Ambrì goalie Janne Juvonen was on fire. The white-blues withstood the pressure - not least thanks to Kostner's outnumbered qualities - but the deserved 16-1 was made 0 seconds before the end of the period: Santeri Alatalo fired a direct shot into the net from an Arcobello pass.

De Luca as Ambrì's asset

The 6733 fans took a quick breath before things continued rapidly in the middle third. Ambrì was not at all shocked by the deficit and now took command. In the power play, Dario Bürgler was very unlucky when his follow-up shot hit the goal post. Even when defensive conductor Tim Heed shot, the Ambrì fans were already celebrating the goal. 2-meter man Mikko Koskinen in the Lugano goal closed the door - 1-0 after 40 minutes.

Tough duels on the ice. © HC Lugano / Sam Bassi

Led by asset Tommaso De Luca, Ambrì ran tirelessly in the final period and put the home team in great distress. But the puck just didn't want to go into the box. On the one hand, this was thanks to Koskinen, and on the other hand, it was thanks to his teammates, who repeatedly threw themselves into the shots with self-sacrifice. And so it happened as it had to happen: Michael Spacek lost the hard rubber in the build-up game, Daniel Carr gratefully accepted the gift and gave Juvonen no chance with a well-placed shot.

Although Ambrì subsequently tried with one more man and shortened it with Bürgler's rebound, the home win remained, meaning Lugano was promoted to the playoffs. Shortly before the end, Arttu Ruotsalainen made it 3-1 into an empty goal. Ambrì, on the other hand, has to go through the second round of the play-in tournament, where EHC Biel is waiting. At the same time, he said goodbye to the master from Geneva on vacation.

National League:

HC Lugano – Ambrì Piotta 3:1
Goals: 1:0 Alatalo (19.46), 2:0 Carr (54.26), 2:1 Bürgler (58.29), 3:1 Ruotsalainen (59.37)
First leg: 4:4

EHC Biel – Servette Geneva 2:2
Goals: 0:1 Manninen (00.36), 0:2 Hartikainen (12.44), 1:2 Hofer (19.39), 2:2 Sallinen (27.38)
First leg: 3:2