Rouen Dragons dominate Horsholm in the Champions League
Rouen put on the show in front of more than 2,000 spectators at the Nathalie-Péchalat ice rink. Winners 5-1 (1-0, 2-1, 2-0) of Rungsted Seier Capital, the Danish club Horsholm, in the fifth and penultimate day of the Champions League preliminary round on Wednesday, the Dragons can really hope to advance to the knockout stages.
Rouen was able to take advantage of Danish exclusions
For this first round against Rungsted, the Dragons opened the scoring thanks to Joris Bedin (7’42 ”, assistance from Lampérier and Tessier), while they were attacking five against four. For more than a minute, they had even been five against three.
At the start of the second third, the Danes equalized by Henrik Hetta (21’35 ”), giving voice to their fifty supporters installed behind the cage of the Norman goalkeeper, Matija Pintaric. But, again during a numerical superiority, Joël Caron believed to give back the advantage to Rouen (2-1, 29’30 ”), but the Danes claimed the video. And, after reviewing it, the referees disallowed the goal, believing that the paddle was encouraged by Caron’s skate.
Those same referees also canceled the but that Rungsted believed to have scored on the power play eight minutes later. On the other hand, the goal scored from afar by Dylan Yeo (assist. Caron) was not open to discussion and Rouen was able to get back in front (2-1, 38’39 ”). On a counter-attack, Bedin (pass. Dorion and Johnston) widened the gap (3-1, 39’41 ”).
The French champions secured the victory by leading 4-1 thanks to Kelsey Tessier in power-play (41’53 ”), the exclusions repeated – the Dane Gammelgaard even taking five minutes for hitting the head with his cross . To end the evening, the Dragons managed the K.-O. thanks to the goal of David Gilbert (5-1, 52’46 ”).
Several scenarios to qualify
At the same time, the Austrians in Klagenfurt strengthened their first place in Group G by winning 4-3 in Donetsk (Ukraine). With 13 points, they advance Rouen (7 points), followed by Donetsk and Rungsted, both five points.
To finish in one of the two qualifying places, the Dragons must need to win (in regulation time, three points, or in overtime or on penalties, two points) at Horsholm next Tuesday, in order not to to worry about the result of Klagenfurt-Donetsk which will be disputed the next day.
But in the event of an overtime loss to Horsholm, Rouen will qualify if, as is likely, Klagenfurt beats Donetsk.