European Challenge: Grenoble’s Must Raise Their Level to Meet the Competition

Beaten on the first day by the lowest rated opponent (Zemgale), the Grenoblois must now raise their level by at least one notch to meet their European challenge. The Nomad Astana is the reserve of the Barys KHL team, it carries the renewal of the Kazakhstan national team, from where we recognize some players seen at the last world championship and especially the international goalkeeper Nikita Boyarkin. This team is even younger than the Latvians, and has even more talent.

A victory for the Brûleurs de Loups would put the four teams back on par: this would be the ideal scenario for the tournament, there would be two finals on Sunday, each winner of which would qualify for the final. All would not be lost in the event of defeat, but the French would be in an unfortunate position. Sick yesterday, Alexandre Lavoie made his expected return in place of Søberg and carries Grenoble’s hopes.

The surprise comes from the start of Raphaël Garnier in the cages in place of the Czech veteran Stepanek. After a minute of play, the French goalkeeper was scared by a puck that hit the railing and bounced behind his back. He places his glove behind him in an awkward position (pictured above), not very far from the own goal. The referees will even watch the slow motion during the next stoppage in play. This scare comes as Grenoble started strong with the desire to take control of the match. But like yesterday, the visitors’ individual counterattacks are dangerous, like Dias Gusseinov who dribbles between Hardy and Lamarche.

Also like yesterday, Grenoble takes the first penalty, for a sting from Aurélien Dair in the offensive zone. The difference is that this unnecessary mistake costs a lot of money. On the faceoff won by Nikolaï Shulga (the only one of the whole match since he will be credited with 1/17 in commitments by the statistics!), Maksim Musorov shifts Vyacheslav Kolesnikov who resumes in the top corner while Garnier is late in his movement, as if he was in a bad psychological mood after his initial upset (0-1).

Garnier gains confidence by stopping slightly off-center shots, notably from Gusseinov whose speed undermines the Grenoble defense. The Isérois play more in control. The first line gets longer sequences in the offensive zone, Nicolas Deschamps shoots from behind the cage but still fails to find the net. On the face-off, the second block continues: Pierre Crinon carries the danger behind the goal and passes back to Sacha Treille who is still giving his all in the slot, but without concluding. This Grenoble highlight seems to continue with the third block, but Brent Aubin has the puck stolen at the blue line by Georgi Saushkin who starts 2 against 0 and serves Nikita Kolobov. Raphaël Garnier’s shoulder save comes at just the right time.

Four minutes before the break, Oleg Boiko hooks Fleury, and nine seconds later, Eduard Shetle clears above the plexiglass. Symmetrically to last night, this time it is Grenoble which benefits from the 5 against 3 after this delay in play. The defenders are very grouped together to cut the passing lines and let Boyarkin manage the shooting angles at mid-distance. The Nomad goalkeeper intervenes in particular on a big throw from Sacha Treille. In the end, Kyle Hardy faked a shot that he should have attempted and made a pass, intercepted, which allowed the Kazakhstanis to clear. Grenoble has one last opportunity at 5 against 5, still in a well-established game with the participation of all five players, but Crinon is unable to catch Jere Rouhiainen’s pass at the far post.

The Brûleurs de loups produced some play without scoring with 20 shots in 20 minutes: we have the impression of reliving the scenario of the first day. Worse, since they are even behind by the time they return to the locker room.

Grenoble does not lose morale and returns with the same desire to impose its game in the hope that it will eventually work out. Boyarkin seems to be having a great day, which is always possible with this goalkeeper. The other player who impressed this evening was Gusseinov: he signed a magnificent cross pass towards defender Eduard Shetle who went up behind Crinon’s back (0-2). It was again the Astana players who scored against the run of play. It was their first shot of the period.

Racine trips Saushkin but Boiko holds Treille back 18 seconds later. At 4 against 4, Kyle Hardy delights with a splendid pass which sends Deschamps on a breakaway, but Boyarkin stops the Canadian’s shot and is again on display on Fleury’s rebound. Not only do Grenoble largely dominate in shots, but compared to yesterday, these are better placed shots, with point-blank attempts for Dair or Lamarche. The score is all the more infuriating.

Wolf Burners are stronger in duels, they often recover the puck on rebounds, or even after losing it. The Nomad’s first block gets roasted for over a minute in its defensive zone after a long delayed penalty. But cooking is not followed by tasting. On the numerical advantage, Aurélien Dair fails to complete the pass from behind the goal from Loïc Farnier, who in turn fails at the conclusion of a triangle play.

Roman Lyubimov tries to surprise Boyarkin with an incisive cage trick (pictured below), but still nothing to do against a goalkeeper who is still very well placed. The counter shows 38 shots to 13 but nothing wants to go in.

Jyrki Aho changes his alignment a little for the last third. Roman Lyubimov is promoted to the second line (between Treille and Lavoie) in place of Koudri. The Russian inaugurates this new trio by coming to place himself in front of the goalkeeper while Jere Rouhainen throws from the blue line. Thus veiled, Boyarkin sees the puck slip between his pads… and next to the post!

Grenoble maintains its pressure but is still not rewarded. Nikita Boyarkin made another classy save on a mid-range pivot shot from Lamarche, then raised his right shoulder to deflect a shot from Rouhiainen in the right circle.

The Finnish defender Jere Rouhiainen, certainly the best Grenoblois over these two days (he even saved a 2 against 1 at the start of the third), infiltrates again to the cage eight minutes from the end, then Lavoie deflects a sending de Treille on this same long presence in the offensive zone.

A charge with Aubin’s stick in Musorov’s face further strengthens the Grenoble mission. The Nomad Astana ticks down the clock, which shows only four minutes left. Aho takes out his goalkeeper very early to create the surplus. We think it’s all over two minutes from time when Kolobov hits the post of the empty cage. On a counterattack, White missed the empty net again but Kyle Hardy was penalized for the action. Garnier must return to his post and the carrots – whose color appeared this weekend on Grenoble jerseys – are cooked.

The Brûleurs de loups again offer a succession of close shots, stopped by the referees who whistle without the goalkeeper being in control. Musorov hits the empty net post again ten seconds from the end and the score remains there.

50 shots yesterday, 52 tonight, and only 1 goal scored in total. This makes 1% shooting efficiency for the Burners of Wolves, and again this goal is a deflection against his camp from a Latvian opponent. However, the two Grenoble services are not comparable. The shooting map has nothing to do with it, mainly on the outskirts yesterday, mainly in high danger areas today. The BDL played with much more intensity this evening, they delivered a full match and gave the impression of doing everything right. But they came across a Nikita Boyarkin in a state of grace, like when the Kazakhstan goalkeeper beat Finland, world champion in 2021.

Nomad’s victory does not yet qualify the Kazakhstan champions, who risk falling by the wayside if they lose by more than two goals against Zemgale tomorrow afternoon (if Cardiff then win). This is also good news for Grenoble, who needs the Astana players to play hard to avoid giving Zemgale any points. In this case, the Brûleurs de Loups would have one last decisive match tomorrow evening. They would open the doors to the final on condition of beating Cardiff by three goals. Not an easy task, but the Isère players’ background could allow it… if they manage to break the deadlock by putting the puck behind the goal line.

Named players of the match: Jere Rouhiainen for Grenoble and Nikita Boyarkin for Astana.

(photos Emmanuel Giraudeaux)

Grenoble – Nomad Astana 0-2 (0-1, 0-1, 0-0)
Saturday November 18, 2023 at 8:15 p.m. at the Polesud ice rink. 3724 spectators.
Referees: Kenneth Nielsen (DAN) and Omar Piniè (ITA) assisted by Johan Fauvel and Clément Goncalves (FRA).
Penalties: Grenoble 10′ (2′, 4′, 4′); Nomad 10′ (4′, 6′, 0′)
Shots on target: Grenoble 52 (20, 18, 14); Nomad 16 (8, 5, 3)

Evolution of the score:
0-1 at 08’41: Kolesnikov assisted by Musorov and Shulga (numeral sup.)
0-2 at 25’38: Shetle assisted Gusseinov and Aleksandrov

Grenoble

Attackers:
Loïc Farnier – Nicolas Deschamps (A) – Damien Fleury (A)
Sacha Treille (C, -1, 2′) – Adel Koudri (-1) – Alexandre Lavoie
Aurélien Dair (2′) – Roman Lyubimov – Brent Aubin (-1, 2′)
Flavian Dair – Mathias Bachelet – Julien Munoz

Defenders:
Kyle Hardy (2′) – Maxim Lamarche
Jere Rouhiainen (-1) – Pierre Crinon (-1)
Jonathan Racine (2′) – Timothé Quattrone

Guardian :
Raphaël Garnier [sorti de 57’00 à 58’09 et de 58’45 à 60’00]

Substitute: Jakub Stepanek (G). Absent: Charles Schmitt and Lucien Onno (injured), Markus Søberg (adductors), Zachary Daneau (supernumerary foreigner).

Nomad Astana

Attackers:
Nikita Kolobov – Oleg Boiko (C, 4′) – Artur Gatiyatov (2′)
Maxim Musorov (A, 2′) – Nikolay Shulga – Ruslan Ospanov
Stanislav Alexandrov (A, +1) – Dias Gusseinov (+1) – Daniil Tsybin (+1)
Viacheslav Kolesnikov – Dinmukhamed Saparbek – Georgi Saushkin

Defenders:
Abylaikhan Suleimenov – Khaknazar Kengesbay
Eduard Shetle (+1, 2′) – Diar Manash (+1)
Marat Sagymbayev – Klimenti Tsaryov

Guardian :
Nikita Boyarkin

Substitutes: Jelal-ad-din Amirbekov (G), Ali Kassenov (D).