Ice hockey: Magnus League – Magnus League: 33rd day: Nice vs Rouen – Carron-Belleville, XXL performance
lackluster first 20 minutes
Very shy first shot from Pelamo which puts Duquenne to work after a few seconds of play. Sutor, active with Carpentier, plays in the small perimeters. The puck comes out to the left for Brincko who tries his “special” lunge, offset to the left. Duquenne frozen again. Immediately afterwards, Carpentier once again called on the opposing goalkeeper who deviated well. Nice shows envy in the first minutes and this may surprise the Dragons who do not react. Valtonen cuts well the passages of visitors in the neutral zone which prevents counterattacks.
Photographer: Patrick Giaume (archives) |
The local defensive block is perfectly in place, the Rouen game seems to have been well studied. Penz, not attacked with the blue, lands a correct shot from the axis of the ice. Vigilant, Duquenne deflects the puck once again. After 11 minutes of play, Rouen did not get the slightest chance. All it takes is a loss in the neutral zone on the Nice side and an interception by Tomasino who goes to the goal. Despite good quality skating, he can’t do anything about the defensive return of a local defender. First alert for the Côte d’Azur.
Bonvalot will keep his first puck of the game warm a few moments later but has still not conceded a single shot. He will be put to use in the process by leaving a very beautiful parade at close range, from the chest. He will be slightly out of breath. Vrielynck tries alone and overflows on the left side. Again, the Norman porter freezes without trembling. Gueurif takes advantage of a new loss of the puck to go into exile on the left in the Nice area. The spectacular return of Brincko prevents the player from becoming famous. In the norm, the defensive gesture is applauded by all of its partners. Kopta is very close to opening the scoring 5 minutes from the end but the frame barely escapes. At the end of the period, Rouen is slightly more enterprising in shooting but the score did not move.
Neutral and blank partition at the end of this first period. After twenty minutes of play without timeout and penalty, Nice is still in Rouen. The meeting is pleasant to follow, the public only asks for goals.
Shots: Nice 5 / Rouen 10
Photographer: Patrick Giaume (archives) |
The Eagles stand up to the Dragons
It is Guimond who will take the first shot for his team after thirty seconds of play, well frozen by Bonvalot. The goalkeeper was masked at the start. He will be saved by his post a few moments later. Fabrice Lhenry’s players had to expect a blower during the break. They start the second half very well. Thomas is perfectly served in depth by a teammate. Faced with Duquenne, he lacks the final gesture to open the score by not even framing the shot. This one passes over the cage. The intensity has gone up a notch. Brincko is perfectly served in the axis. Despite very good control and the Duquenne adjustment time, the latter also misses the frame. On the bench, Sutor does not believe it. Bonvalot has work to do against more enterprising Rouennais. He is obliged to take power twice to avoid the opening of the mark. The first ten minutes are a continuation of the first period. Gueurif close to the enclave fell on decisive Bonvalot, at close range. His upper body is blocking, once again. Nesa has the opportunity to go against, alone. This is without counting the determination of Bonnardel who also made an excellent defensive comeback just before Nesa could arm.
Nice scoop of the first penalty at 32’13 for overcrowding, the fault of Valtonen. The penalty is immediate. Rouen rotates the puck, from right to left before transplanting in the center. Flood manages to find Caron-Belleville who stood out well from any opponent to deflect the puck intelligently in the Nice goal (33:46; 0-1).
Rouen takes the lead and is close to scoring a second goal. Vignerons found Bedin and despite being alone, failed to score the goal. This will have an immediate consequence. Vrielynck is on the left and passes for Crête who shoots from a distance. Instead of freezing the puck, Duquenne revives directly on Vrielynck in an incomprehensible way. The latter equalizes easily (36:08; 1-1).
Bonnardel, alone in the axis and perfectly served, shoots towards the cage but Duquenne is on the trajectory. Too bad because he was in an optimal position. Duquenne is again decisive on a long shot by deflecting Brincko’s shot. The Rouen doorman makes up for his mistake.
Nice and Rouen are equal during this match. Despite the visitors’ opener, the locals were not fooled by the disappointment of the goal. The Eagles can still regret the missed face-to-face against the opposing goalkeeper.
Shots: Nice 6 / Rouen 9
Photographer: Patrick Giaume (archives) |
Carron-Belleville & Dorion, the third power
Bonnardel’s engagement followed by the first charge is disputed by the visitors. Officials won’t go their way. The young and talented Tomasino is very close to registering a beautiful but in an individual way. Going around the cage, he stumbles once again on Bonvalot. He hangs on to be on the rebound but he is caught by the Nice patrol. Bedin, on the right tries to slip the puck into the small net of Bonvalot then Salve, from the lunge, shoots hard but the Riviera goalkeeper ensures. He is not content with taking his shoot. Tomasino again, really wants to register his but of the evening but Bonvalot removes the puck from the skylight. Rouen absolutely wants to win in regulation time but all the local players are determined to take if not a point against a cador. The double numerical inferiority reduced to Crête will have a consequence for the local club. Winemakers procrastinate on the right to find a solution. She is found by Carron-Belleville who takes the pass from his partner in front of the but and without difficulty (49:09; 1-2).
For long minutes Nice will try to come back but the Dragons will bend the game. Bedin and Carron-Belleville go against. With a nice one-two, Bedin offers help for Carron-Belleville to go and score his hat-trick and his 8th but of the season (56:09; 1-3). Bedin will score the last but of his training in an empty cage (56:56, 1-4). Note the triple assistance of Dorion in this meeting.
Shots: Nice 1 / Rouen 13
Logical victory for Rouen over Nice. Despite a resistance of 40 minutes, the Eagles could not hold physically in the last third. Carron-Belleville was logically elected MVP of the meeting with his hat trick. The two teams will go head-to-head on January 25 at Ile Lacroix. Rouen remains 3th while Nice is 8th and chained a fifth consecutive loss. Worrying.