Like the day before, the start of the meeting was hectic. The two teams, determined to impose their own pace in this second act of their European triptych, throw themselves body and soul into the battle. Each in a very specific style: the dukes have the puck, against Sisak it evolves. What to say about the first ten minutes of the first period if not that the American goalkeeper Anderson provides a show, multiplying the stops on his line. In front of the Croatian cage stands a sort of modern Alamo Fort. Dukes’ artillery (14 shots in this third) but fails to fool Anderson first.
In hockey everything goes very quickly and the Dukes of Angers move from second to second third. Giroux (20’56) then West (23’13) and finally Halley (24’33) all three deceive the goalkeeper’s vigilance within three minutes. The Dukes thus bring three goals to zero while the half-game looms. Renato Platuzic is sent to prison to detain (25’54) but the penalty is not needed.
The Angevins, in the wake of their first offensive line Charbonneau – Halley – Giroux, continue to push the opponents of the evening to the last trenches. As in the match against Miercurea Ciuc, Anderson shines and keeps his people in the game. His companions try as best they can to undermine the Angevin defense with some solitary escape but leave an avenue behind. Ross understood this and found Gaborit along the blue, the Angevin captain fixed the defender and served Baptiste Couturier on a plateau who deceived Anderson (4-0 at 31’27). The Angevin assaults continue to arrive and the Croatian defense is desperate. Bouvet serves Brown in the left engagement circle, the latter finds Torquato at the far post and the latter only has to push deep (5-0 at 33’59). Clinging to the safety glove of his goalkeeper who once again shines, Sisak resists despite the penalty reported to Patrik Dobric (39’37).
The attack on Fort Alamo continues but the city guardian, David Anderson, stands guard. Joey West tries his luck from a distance and deceives Anderson hiding from traffic (6-0 at 45’02). The next day the goal trembles for the seventh time but the referee cancels the goal for a whip on the goalkeeper (46’15). Time is running out and the face of the match does not change, Angers continues to harass the opposing goalkeeper, without finding the fault. The Croatian defense, however, is no longer healthy and the dukes wander in the offensive area. Nick Ross is found at the far post by Giroux to worsen the score (7-0 at 50’50). Téo Sarliève once again thwarted the goalkeeper’s vigilance (8-0 at 51’38) before being imitated by Robin Gaborit (9-0 at 52’14). A goal that delights the spectators of the Iceparc and marks the beginning of a chaotic end of the match.
Philippe Halley first (10-0 at 53’59) then Manavian (11-0 at 55’11) and finally Cameron Brown (12-0 at 56’35) get to black out the scoresheet, the Sisak players no longer succeed to pull their heads out of the water and sink despite the efforts of their keeper. The Angevins consolidate their first place while Luka Gračnar experiences his first shutout.
Designated men of the match: Ivan Puzic (Sisak) and Cameron Brown (Angers).
photo Anthony Mangeard
Angers 12-0 Sisak (0-0, 5-0, 7-0)
Saturday 15 October 2022 at 8 pm at the Iceparc. 2730 spectators
Referee of Loïc Ruprecht (SUI) and Marek Zak (SVK) assisted by Cyril Debuche and Johan Fauvel (FRA).
Penalties: Angers 0 ′ (0 ′, 0 ′, 0 ′); Sisak 4 ′ (0 ′, 4 ′, 0 ′)
Tirs: Angers 67 (14, 25, 28); Sisak 15 (5, 5, 5)
Score evolution:
1-0 at 20’56: Giroux assisted by Charbonneau
2-0 at 23’13: West assisted by Gaborit and Manning
3-0 at 24’33: Halley
4-0 at 31’27: Couturier assisted by Gaborit and Ross
5-0 at 33’59: Torquato assisted by Brown and Bouvet
6-0 at 45’02: West assisted by Manavian and Ross
7-0 at 50’50: Ross assisted by Giroux and Charbonneau
8-0 at 51’38: TSarliève assisted by Llorca
9-0 at 52’14: Gaborit assisted by Manning
10-0 at 53’59: Halley assisted by Charbonneau and Giroux
11-0 at 55’11: Manavian assisted by Lebrun and Sarliève
12-0 at 56’35: Brown assisted by Bouvet and Torquato
anger:
Forwards:
Cameron Brown (+2) – Joey West (+4) – Robin Gaborit (C, +4)
Tommy Giroux (+4) – Philippe Halley (+4) – Jonathan Charbonneau (+3)
Maurin Bouvet (+2) – Zack Torquato (+2) – Teo Sarlieve (+4)
Cédric Di Dio Balsamo (+3) – Baptiste Couturier (+2) – Robin Lebrun (+2)
Defenders:
Neil Manning (+5) – Vincent Llorca (A, +3)
Nick Ross (+4) – Antonin Manavian (+3)
Nicolas Ritz (+4) – Kevin Dusseau (+5)
Guardian:
Luka Gračnar (15 saves)
Substitute: Julian Barrier (G). Out: Evan Cowley (lower body), Matt Prapavessis (lower body), Marius Serer (knee).
Sisak:
Forwards:
Gabe Schovanek (-3) – Renato Platužić (-3, 2 ‘) – Sean Ramsay (-4)
Jan Ikanović Šilhan (-5) – Dominik Čanić (A, -6) – Patrik Dobrić (-6, 2 ‘)
Tomislav Ličina (-3) – Hrvoje Krikšić (-2) – Filip Vragolović (-1)
Ivor Bujger (-2) – Tomislav Lulić
Defenders:
Ivan Puzic (A, -2) – Jan Smolec (-4)
Austin Wilk (-5) – Lorian Bezuk (-6)
Lovro Slovinac (-6) – Luka Komljenović (C, -1)
Luka Baždar – Domadoj Kralj (-1)
Guardian:
David Anderson (55 saved)
Substitute: Franko Orešković (G).
