Tops and flops of the month: Duke is the king of October

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A few years ago people wondered whether the man from Eastern Switzerland, with his running, physical and technical qualities, would be more than just a man for the occasional big night. But the 6-foot-1 wing has long since developed into a regular goalscorer and has not suffered a single failure since his head-check against then-SCB defender Eric Blum in the spring of 2021, which earned him eight match bans as a repeat offender .

But what the 28-year-old showed last month is great cinema. Herzog scored nine goals in October. Or nine goals more – a small cross-comparison in the football world is allowed – than FC Basel in the same period. With eleven goals so far, he and Lugano’s power striker Calvin Thürkauf are also the best Swiss goalscorers of the current season. His record from the 2020/21 season, when he scored 18 goals (in just 33 qualifying matches) for Davos, is shaky. It is no surprise that Nati coach Patrick Fischer called up the Zug striker and four-time World Cup participant for the Karjala Cup.

The Langnau defender Samuel Erni, who is otherwise known as a defensive force, does not know which devil has hit him when he appears behind Kloten’s goal, picks up the puck and pulls it under the crossbar with an “airhook”. “Normally I don’t stay behind the opponent’s goal,” the 32-year-old said of his goal that went around the world. “I actually wanted to pass the puck to Nolan Diem, but then it bounced back and then I tried. I’m glad it worked.”

Due to a hand injury that has bothered him since December last year, the Zurich player’s season starts late. But the thirty-year-old Nati attacker obviously forgot nothing during his time-out. He scored four times in eight games. But it is Andrighetto’s assist to make it 4-2 against Ajoie off Derek Grant that stands out. A lust for the eye.

Lausanne striker Jiri Sekac has missed a few chances this season. But the one in Langnau will probably haunt his dreams for a long time. Tigers goalkeeper Stéphane Charlin (23) makes a save while the Czech already thinks he is a goalscorer before the free goal.

The Ambri forward jumps onto the boards to Lakers leading scorer Tyler Moy. And because it happened in front of the lens of the TV camera, the offense seemed even more powerful and brutal. The single judge, who used the term ‘Kamikaze’ in his ruling, banned Laurent Dauphin (28) from four matches. Not enough for some fans on social media and the SCRJ Lakers. The team from St. Gallen appealed, but was rejected by the association’s sports court. Fortunately, Moy remains unscathed and continues to score his goals – including the one that decided the overheated match against Ambri.

It certainly has its charm when an attacker outsmarts a goalkeeper according to all the rules of the art during a penalty kick. But the penalty from Biel star Toni Rajala (32), who decided the penalty shootout against Ajoie with a powerful slapshot, is also not bad. With the Finn, who also has a lot of tricks up his sleeve, you never know what’s coming next.

After not playing in the NHL for the time being, the 23-year-old Nati defender, who played for the Columbus Blue Jackets last season, returns to Switzerland. But it is not his parent club ZSC Lions, which would have liked to bring him back, but Servette who wins the race. A strong signal from the master – not least for the challenger from Zurich.

Before the season, hardly anyone had SCB’s homegrown product on their radar. But the 19-year-old secured a place in new coach Jussi Tapola’s team. The reward for the fearless and energetic playing style is the first NL goal and the first professional contract for Schild.

Before he got the job at Ajoie, the Engadin had promised that he had his emotions under control. But that did not stop him from losing his nerve in the home defeat against Fribourg and making a fool of himself with a series of gestures towards Gottéron coach Christian Dubé. The league is no joke and fined the 46-year-old 5,300 francs for “violating the principles of conduct”.

Julien Sprunger (37) makes his 1000th appearance for Fribourg against SCB. Such club loyalty is celebrated as warmly as if the local striker had won the championship title. In Friborg they know it better than anywhere else: you should celebrate the festivals as they come.

Source : Blick