Nîmes Hockey Côte d'Azur beat Bordeaux 5:1 on Monday evening in the Ligue Magnus. The result ended a run of mixed fortunes for the hosts, who had lost their last outing 3:4 against Marseille before bouncing back with a 5:0 win over Briançon. Bordeaux came into the fixture looking to extend their own recent success, having beaten Briançon 2:1 and picked up a 3:1 victory against Serji-Pontoise. We had backed the visitors at 53 per cent confidence. The match had other ideas.
Both sides enter this fixture having played five games with three wins and two defeats, though the table remains fluid enough that position matters less than momentum. Nîmes sit fifth while Bordeaux are seventh, and that gap proved decisive on the night. The hosts paid for a sloppy opening by having to respond, but they kept their heads and took control. By then the pattern was set.
The scoreboard told the story without needing breakdowns. Nîmes scored five unanswered goals while Bordeaux managed a single reply. Recent form suggests Bordeaux can spring a surprise, but on this occasion they got dragged out of position and could not recover. The visitors had not won since their match against Briançon, and this result extended that wait.
What stands out is not the number of shots or possession figures — those are absent — but the way the match opened. Nîmes threw everything at it from the first period and never looked back. Bordeaux reached for their pocket after the break, but the damage was done. The away end never stopped, yet noise alone does not change results.
The victory puts Nîmes in a stronger position going forward. They remain fifth with five points in the standings, while Bordeaux drop further behind at seventh. The gap between them is now measurable in more than just table position. And here's the thing: five goals against a side that came in confident does not happen by accident.
For now, Nîmes have turned their form around after the Marseille defeat. Bordeaux will need to regroup if they want to climb. The table does not lie, and tonight it showed who was ready to move forward.
