After match no. 1, won by Rouen, Angers owed revenge, especially some of their senior players. The RHE, did not know how to apprehend the injured animal which slumbered with the Dukes, them, really in play-off mode.
Tight, then with an extension to decide, match 2 between Rouen and Angers finally leads to an Angevin victory, not usurped, despite a predisposition to indiscipline (1-2). And this at the cost of a meeting marked by an aggressive forward check and a successful blocking of the blue line by Jason O’Leary’s men. On Lacroix Island, this victory is won despite the exclusion of Kevin Dusseau in the 45th minute and almost 7 minutes of inferiority that followed (5 ‘major for Dusseau plus 2’ chained for Manavian) where the PP of the Dragons starts again empty for the whole hour of play, despite 5 numerical advantages, 13 minutes in total, a rare efficiency this season.
Very (too?) quickly, Les Dragons took the lead thanks to an action initiated and concluded by Rolands Vigners. Once again, the Latvian did everything on his own. Recovered a free puck in his zone, crossed the neutral zone, entered the zone in possession, executed a café crème facing the Papravessis problem, bypassed the Ross keep on the left and swept the puck halfway under the knees of Cowley who did not did not complete his stoppage (1-0 at 1’09).
Robin Gaborit’s teammates had however started just as well with good attempts from Halley (0’22), then from Meija (1’00). The Dukes will take six minutes to become dangerous again after a shot off target from the left ear of Quentin Tomasino’s gloves (1’50) and an out-of-game clash between Nesa and Meija, from whom the Rouennais will not recover, replaced by Bastien Maia (4’29). The return of the visitors was marked by another try from Meija (7’29). Robin Gaborit (8’25) will be more precise and the captain’s throw will serve as the launch for a long high point for the visitors during which the best chances will come from Harms (10’17), Giroux (12’57) and Meija again (14’42), all blocked by Pintaric. Between two, on a misunderstanding maintained by Evan Cowley, Dodero could have, with an eccentric shot which seemed easy to capture, double the mark (12’00).
In the last five minutes of the first third Rouen’s attacks are more grouped. Dylan Yeo and Tessier were then able to each find an opportunity (15’30 & 16’16). The teammates will inherit a gift from their excess guests on the ice cube. With the exception of a shot from Valentin Claireaux (16’58), the power-play will not be dangerous, unlike Bedin on a good intuition from Maïa at the end of which Cowley rejected the left winger’s inclinations ( 18’55) and finished the first twenty.
The middle period will serve the Angevins to equalize… in inferiority. Fabrice Lhenry’s men, however scalded last night, did not learn the lesson. Under pressure from Gints Meija, Boivin lost a puck on the blue line. In his fall, the Quebecer prevented Chakiashvili’s withdrawal, the Latvian winger escaped and blasted Pintaric on the plate side, at the same time as the stands of Péchalat who will now be very silent with encouragement, in any case soulless play-offs, either (1-1 at 26’55).
Then the visitors narrowly missed the KO Less than a minute later, Gints Meija came close to scoring a brace. But Matija Pintaric recovered well (27’52). Maxim Orlov, on the left, hit the side netting (28’45). With character, the locals then played their best hockey of the evening. Ten minutes during which the good intentions of Rouen (Vigners at 30’48) were sometimes marked by rare technical weakness in the last gesture or the decision-making (Lucenius at 32’24, Chakiachvili at 34’04, against supernumerary at 36’12, highlight at 38e minute) who nevertheless tested the cold blood of Antonin Manavian (39’43) in order to start the last one with superiority. The stoppage of the match was executed by Ewan Cowley during this weakness for white. The goalkeeper was quite extraordinary when he pulled his mitt out of nowhere to frustrate Leborgne who was aiming for a seemingly open goal (32’18).
But Rouen’s five-man attack was suffering tonight. The PK of the Dukes, aggressive, is hermetic against a power-play that we usually know more inspired and oiled offensively. Brendan Harms sacrifices himself on a slap shot by Chakiachvili (48’33). The Normans will only really test Cowley on two throws (Mallet at 44’49 & Boivin at 50’07) during their 8’31 advantage of one or two men (12 seconds only in the last case) played in the last twenty minutes. The formidable three or four Angevin squares used did not yield. Brendan Harms and Meija even managed to capture ammunition, stopped by Pintaric (51’16).
After Rouen, it was Angers who had a superiority which could be decisive in the last 4 minutes. However, Phillipe Halley missed the cage on his opportunity (58’09). At the very end of the match Ross tumbled on Pintaric’s cage and found the post in the last second following Charbonneau’s return shot (59’59).
Both teams missed their opportunities. Rouen did not take their chance on the facts of the match rather in their favor. Angers also failed to take advantage of the opportunities created by consistent aggressive skating. The Dragons, often not on the pace, so failing to be opportunistic, showed tenacity and courage to obtain an extension. The Dukes, better organized defensively, also more consistent, were able to manage their weak moments.
In the extension the locals stumbled, like Dylan Yeo in front of Charbonneau. The Angevin striker gave Pintaric no chance (1-2 at 61’47). The Dukes who owed us a revenge, equalize the series and now obtain, thanks to this victory on the road, the advantage of the ice, therefore the role of favorites.
Rouen – Angers 1-2 prl (1-0, 0-1, 0-0, 0-1)
Wednesday March 22, 2023 at 8 p.m., at the Nathalie Pechalat ice rink.
Referees: Julien Peyre and Damien Bliek assisted by Jason Thorrignac and Jérémie Douchy.
Penalties: Rouen 2′ (0′, 0′, 2′); Angers 33′ (2′, 4′, 2+5+20′)
Shots: Rouen 40 (15, 13, 12, 0); Angers 35 (18, 8, 7, 2)
Superiorities: Rouen 0/5, Angers 0/1
Score evolution:
1-0 at 01’09: Winegrowers
1-1 at 26’55: Meija (inf.num.)
1-2 at 61’47: Charbonneau assisted by Manning and Giroux
Rouen
Forwards:
Christophe Boivin – François Beauchemin – Alexandre Mallet
Loïc Lampérier (C) – Kelsey Tessier (A) – Rolands Vigners
Quentin Tomasino – Valentine Clears – Niclas Lucenius
Joris Bedin – Kaylian Leborgne – Vincent Nesa (then Bastien Maïa at 6’19)
Rears:
Sacha Guimond – Charlie Dodero
Florian Chakiachvili (A) – Aleksi Elorinne
Dylan Yeo – Enzo Cantagallo
Guardian :
Matija Pintaric (33 saves)
Substitute: Tonin Caubet (G). Absent : Tommy Perret (choice)
Angers
Forwards:
Tommy Giroux – Philippe Halley – Brendan Harms
Gint May – Zack Torquato – Jonathan Charbonneau
Cedric Di Dio Balsamo – Nicolas Ritz (A) – Robin Gaborit (C)
Maurin Bouvet (then Maxim Orlov at 9’27 and M. Bouvet used in numerical inferiority) – Marius Serer – Teo Sarlièvre
Rears:
Nick Ross – Matt Prapavessis
Neil Manning – Antonin Manavian
Kévin Dusseau – Vincent Llorca (A)
Guardian :
Evan Cowley (39 saves)
Substitute: Julian Barrier (G). Absent: Nic Simsic (supernumerary foreigner) and Baptiste Couturier (choice?).
