Franches-Montagnes vs Neuchatel

Chèvre's shorthanded goal at 36:03 killed any remaining momentum Neuchâtel had after the goaltending change. Rather than giving the visitors a foothold, Franches-Montagnes turned a penalty kill into a 3–0 lead, effectively ending the contest before the second intermission.

• Jayson Ren (Franches-Montagnes): One goal (GWG at 28:30) and one assist. His second-period strike put HCFM ahead by two and he helped set up Schnegg's goal.
• Karim Bouchareb (Franches-Montagnes): Two primary assists on the Ren and Schnegg goals — the creative hub of HCFM's second-period outburst.
• Lee Roberts (Franches-Montagnes): Opened the scoring late in the first period, giving his side the lead at the ideal time.
• Jérémy Chèvre (Franches-Montagnes): A shorthanded goal at 36:03 that deflated Neuchâtel's hopes immediately after their goaltending switch.

Player of the Match: Jayson Ren — game-winning goal and an assist in a dominant second-period display.

Franches-Montagnes spent 4:00 on the power play to Neuchâtel's 2:00, yet neither team scored with the man advantage (both 0-for on PPG). The telling stat is the shorthanded goal: Franches-Montagnes scored while a man down — a swing that turned 2–0 into 3–0 in a blink. Total penalty minutes were low (HCFM 2 PIM, Neuchâtel 4 PIM), reflecting a clean pre-season contest. The 4–1 shot-block and penalty-kill numbers suggest disciplined defending by both sides.

The friendly was an MHL exhibition game — a pre-season tune-up for both Swiss lower-league sides ahead of the 2026–27 campaign. Franches-Montagnes carry positive momentum into their preparation, while Neuchâtel will look to tighten up defensively after conceding four times in a 13-minute span of the second period.

Next fixtures: Franches-Montagnes continue their pre-season schedule with further friendlies in the coming days. Neuchâtel will look to bounce back in their next exhibition outing.

A one-sided pre-season affair decided by a devastating second-period spell. Franches-Montagnes were sharp in transition, clinical on their chances, and disciplined defensively. Neuchâtel will take the Stehlin consolation goal as a small positive but have clear defensive issues to address before the season starts.