The standard team of the play-offs often consecrates the champion goalkeeper. Last year was an exception since Jakub Stepanek was not chosen on either of the two standard teams, Grenoble having obtained its title above all on its offensive strength. This year, the lucky winner did not even play the final. The last time the case arose was with Henri-Corentin Buysse (then in Dijon) in 2015. This year, it’s Evan Cowley which is selected. The doorman of the Ducs d’Angers managed more than 94% of saves in the play-offs, far above his colleagues (91.3% for Pintaric second).
It must be said that, for a long time, the final gave the impression of not giving itself to a match of goalkeepers but rather to a litany of sometimes unusual errors. Jakub Stepanek, who had already experienced an alert with his exit during the match in the quarter-final against Mulhouse, had recovered his starting place during the following match and seemed to reassure afterwards, especially during the first two legs of the final. But his weaknesses then precipitated the fall of the Burners of Wolves (in particular the goal-gag of match 4) and he therefore again gave the impression of not being at the level expected in the big meetings (like in CHL) . Even if Matija Pintaric also had a few bad goals and a substitution in game 1 of the final, the Slovenian knew how to be decisive when necessary, especially in the last two games when the tension and vigilance went up a notch.
The best regular season defense had been Grenoble, ahead of Angers and Rouen. But the Norman rears were able to raise their level in the play-offs. The most spectacular progress was that of Florian Chakiachvili (picture above). After a previous season polluted by injuries, the defender of the France team had left room for doubt but his recent performances are unanimous. He was absolutely decisive with his extra-time goals that tipped the semi-final and then the final.
The ultimate goal in overtime, the title, was scored by another defender, Dylan Yeo, thanks to his backhand shooting quality. We have sometimes been able to reproach him for his excesses of roughness or offensive going which put the collective in danger, but he was irreproachable during the final where he did not even take the slightest penalty, while busy killing those of others.
As a defensive defender, Aleksi Elorinne was flawless. Always intractable in his zone with his physical power, he also understands the game very well. In the end, he was more effective in his register than his Finnish compatriots from Grenoble (Rouhiainen or Jalasvaara). The only representative of the Burners of Wolves in the back lines of the typical teams, it is therefore the offensive Kyle Hardywho even wore the gold helmet for a long time in these play-offs, which he finished with impressive stats (16 points and +16).
Grenoble undoubtedly had the two strongest individuals in these play-offs, two wingers. The golden helmet of the top scorer, an internal distinction at the BDL and copied from Swiss fashion, is Brent Aubin who picked it up. He scored 15 goals in 15 play-off matches, and above all he was able to find the net in each match of the final! Such shooting success (24% after already reaching a respectable 19% in the regular season) normally leads a team to lift the cup. The Canadian’s investment sometimes seemed inconsistent during the season, but the veteran really gave his all during the playoffs… In vain!
Same impression of individual domination for Dylan Fabre (picture below). The opposing defenders had all the trouble in the world to control the young Frenchman, with his speed of skating but also his speed of technical execution rarely seen at his age in France (22 years old). And these are not actions for the gallery, because they often conclude with a shot of formidable precision. Fabre received the Jean-Pierre Graff trophy for best hope this season, but he has already passed this stage and is one of the best players in the championship. Its qualities are such that it gives an impression of ease. It was enough to see his face washed out at the end of a final of rare intensity to nevertheless understand the effort behind it.
Before the final, everything suggested that it was the crosses that would tip the scales in favor of Grenoble. They indeed had a depth to this position. The fourth center Adel Koudri managed excellent play-offs (best absolute record with +19) before unfortunately being injured during the fifth game of the final. The veteran Joel Champagne is still very strong in the blocks and the engagements… but he was totally silent in points on Rouen’s four consecutive victories in the final! Nicolas Deschampswho had scored for 9 consecutive matches until the first match of the final, was less decisive afterwards (again betraying his weakness in the face-offs) but remains the only Grenoble center honored, on the second standard team.
The dominant center was undeniably Rouen. Of the three centers in the regular rotation, one saw his season come to an end due to injury in the semi-finals (Valentin Claireaux). Another, François Beauchemin, was diminished during all the play-offs, ending with apparently a sprain in both knees. When he resumed play in the decisive match despite the pain, he gave up his usual position to his winger (an Alexandre Mallet always ready to help) because he was no longer in physical condition to defend normally. There was therefore only one usual center left for the Dragons, Kelsey Tessier (with the cigar at the bottom of the article). Transcended by the play-offs, the Canadian has fully assumed its responsibilities in a team less supplied with leaders, with an unfailing combativeness.
Even without having a 100% Beauchemin by his side, Christophe Boivin continued to produce play and confirmed its strong end to the season. The two wingers of the second standard team of the play-offs are the same as those of the last standard team of the regular season since Samuel Salonen represents the other Cergy-Pontoise semi-finalist. Even if the Jokers were then unable to do anything against the Grenoble armada, it was the Finn who was the dominant player in the quarter-final against Gap, the most uncertain a priori but who was won in five rounds by Jonathan Paredes’ men thanks to 10 points from Salonen.
First typical team: Evan Cowley (Angers) / Florian Chakiachvili (Rouen) – Dylan Yeo (Rouen) / Dylan Fabre (Grenoble) – Kelsey Tessier (Rouen) – Brent Aubin (Grenoble).
Second team type: Matija Pintaric (Rouen) / Kyle Hardy (Grenoble) – Aleksi Elorinne (Rouen) / Christophe Boivin (Rouen) – Nicolas Deschamps (Grenoble) – Samuel Salonen (Cergy).
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