Di Diego Medolago
Era il 5 aprile 1999, lunedì di Pasquetta. Tutto il Ticino era focalizzato sulla finale del massimo campionato di hockey, che per la prima volta vedeva affrontarsi Lugano e Ambrì. Un ricordo vivido nel cuore degli appassionati di disco su ghiaccio: bellissimo per alcuni, tragico per altri. I bianconeri vent'anni fa vincevano il loro 5o titolo svizzero grazie al successo per 3-1 in gara-5.
Una serie epica con l'Ambrì grande favorito e dominatore della regular season, grazie alla classe di Oleg Petrov e Paul Di Pietro, ed un Lugano operaio - guidato dal compianto Jim Koleff - che ha saputo compattarsi nei momenti topici trovando la forza nei suoi leader, Peter Andersson e Cristobal Huet su tutti. Per dieci giorni il cantone si è diviso in due fazioni, rendendo così la sfida ancora più avvincente. Celebre la frase dell'allora allenatore dell'HCAP Larry Huras, che disse: "Chiudiamo il Gottardo e rendiamo questa finale una festa per l'hockey ticinese".
E di festa si è trattata, per vincitori e sconfitti. Ovunque si andasse, si respirava e si parlava di hockey: del tiro da metà pista di Antisin, delle parate di Huet, delle scorribande di Petrov, delle cannonate di Rohlin e del gol a porta vuota di Fuchs. Che quel lontano 5 aprile 1999 chiuse i 10 giorni più incredibili della storia dello sport ticinese.
NL, l'estratto da "I cinque giorni della cicogna" sulla finale del 1999 (05.04.2019)
RSI Hockey 05.04.2019, 11:00
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