The 2015/2016 season, the 75th anniversary season, gets off to a flying start in the summer. In Fischer and Andersson's court comes Tony Martensson, the Swedish two-ways centre with a gigantic international experience. With him, Philippe Furrer, one of the most solid defencemen in Swiss hockey, and Gregory Hofmann, one of the brightest talents among Davos' Swiss champions.
The results, however, were poor, the technical staff punished and harshly criticised the players in the mass media and, at the end of October with Lugano last in the league table, the repeatedly postponed exoneration of the technical staff became a reality. After Christian Wohlwend's interlude, the new strong man on the bench became the charismatic Canadian Doug Shedden, assisted by the trusty Italian-Canadian Pat Curcio. Perhaps, for a group that had become so vulnerable, the presence of a grey-haired head coach was just what was needed. In fact, in a relatively short time, Hirschi and his teammates reacted with vigour, climbed the league table and, above all, regained an identity.
The positive experience of the Spengler Cup with the final lost by a narrow margin against Team Canada strengthened the group that came to the playoffs highly charged and completed in the roster by Maxim Lapierre, a Canadian forward who plays the role of provocateur. His destabilizing trash-talking becomes one of the winning elements of a splendid ride to the final after overcoming Zug and Geneva. Players and society shake off a real boulder. Each plays his role to perfection. Starting with Elvis Merzlikins, imperial between the posts, continuing with an almost impenetrable defense and with the different offensive solutions (Klasen, Martensson and Brunner above all) capable of scoring heavy goals. The one that goes down in the annals is the penalty shot converted in overtime by Furrer against Mc Sorley's men that propels the bianconeri in the very final.
To play for the title, Lugano finds again a historical rival: Bern. Also after the change in the bench from Boucher to Lars Leuenberger, the Bears grabbed the playoff by the hair, but they overpowered Zurich and Davos. The series was tight every night, but in the end it was Martin Plüss and his teammates who prevailed, fresher and more lucid and, to tell the truth, also helped by some refereeing decisions that screamed scandal. The dream flies away into a sky of applause. The disappointment is great. But the embrace of a sporting public is an image to consign to the archives.
The expectations for the 2016/2017 championship are high, confirmed by the new record of season subscriptions at the Resega (4'748). Among the arrivals, apart from the Swedish Sondell and Zackrisson, the name of Dario Bürgler stands out, a thoroughbred scorer looking for a relaunch while Pettersson left Lugano for Russia.
Complicated also by the August and September commitments of the unprofitable Champions Hockey League, Chiesa (new captain) and his mates lived a difficult autumn, marked by many injuries among the defensemen and many defeats, especially away from the Resega. The good path at the Spengler Cup, culminated in another final lost against Team Canada, wasn't enough this time to recompose the group and, in the middle of January, the society exonerated Shedden and Curcio, calling back to Ticino Greg Ireland, the man of the salvation in the playout 2011. At his side the Finnish Jussi Silander, already integrated in the club's staff as assistant of the Ticino Rockets. The new technical staff stimulates in a short time each element of the roster, dividing tasks and responsibilities. Lugano thus presents itself to the playoff, yes from the seventh position but with a renewed spirit. And just the attitude and the will of sacrifice are the winning weapons to eliminate the favourite ZSC Lions, a team rich in talent, in six games in the quarter finals. The series is exciting. It is also punctuated by off-ice twists and turns such as the recusal of the sole substitute judge from National League.
On the momentum the bianconeri expel Bern in Game 1 of the semifinals. But the strength of the Swiss champions, who will reassert themselves as such, is impressive, and Jalonen's men make the next four challenges theirs, the last one at the Postfinance Arena ended on penalties. For the HCL, it was a chiaroscuro and very intense season. From the frustration of the fall months came the joys and overflowing enthusiasm of March.
Under the leadership of Greg Ireland, who confirms himself as a coach capable of motivating and involving every player in his team project, Lugano played the 2017/2018 regular season, which ended in fourth place, always among the top in the standings. A serene regular season in good tune with the fans, marked also by the offensive explosion of Gregory Hofmann and Luca Fazzini, the latter being the RS Top Scorer. New Finnish center Jani Lajunen met expectations, and his physical and essential play contributed in no small measure to the team's consistency, as did Maxim Lapierre, the group's true dragger. In the penultimate game of the regular season something incredible happens. Captain Chiesa, Dario Bürgler and Damien Brunner are victims in Davos of three serious injuries that exclude them from the games that count. However, a contingency that further strengthens the spirit of sacrifice. I bianconeri first overcome ambitious Fribourg 4-1 in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Lugano also knocks off Biel/Bienne after retaking a 0-2 lead in the series and a 0-3 lead in Game 3, when heroic Reuille's shorthanded goal sounded the charge. The final against the ZSC Lions is exciting. The saves of the stratospheric Merzlikins, the heart and passion put on the ice by a group of men who bend but never break exalt the people bianconero and the Resega once again became bedlam with five consecutive "sold out" matches. It comes to game 7 decided by Geering's only goal. Bitterness is great but, after a few days, pride prevails for a team that in the playoffs fielded a beauty of ten elements with an age under 25, all trained in the Youth Section of the Club!
The 2018/2019 season opens with a bang. Thanks to the new Arena Partner, the Cornèr Bank Group, the Resega changes its name and becomes Cornèr Arena. The market does not bring any changes. Ireland loses Furrer and Sanguinetti replaced at the back by Loeffel and Chorney. The regular season, however, unfolded amidst a thousand difficulties. The team did not find consistency of performance, it struggled badly in away games, and spent most of the autumn and winter below the line despite a few brilliant performances in the Champions Hockey League against tough Finnish and Swedish opponents. Although criticised, the club goes against the tide, holds firm and confirms its trust in the coaching staff until the end of the season. Clinging to Hofmann's scoring streak and in a context of great balance in the league standings, Chiesa and his mates grasped the playoff qualification in the final rush. Against Zug in the quarters, an emotional shake was expected. But that is not enough. Lugano is out in four games. The curtain falls prematurely and the only convinced applauses are for Elvis Merzlikins, orbiting towards the Columbus Blue Jackets and the NHL stage, and for the last moments on the ice of the warrior Sébastien Reuille.
