Ice Hockey. The Rouen Dragons carry out a bad operation in the classification
By Alexandre Canivet
Published on
updated on 5 Mar 22 at 14:13
It was a appointment not to be missed pay the Rouen Dragoons, Friday, March 4, 2022, in their lair on Ile Lacroix. Unfortunately for them, the Dukes of Angers were the strongest last night and logically imposed themselves on the score of 2-4.
This match between the second and the third of the classification was crucial in the perspective of the second step of the podium since before the start of the game, only one point separated the Angevins, the dolphins of the leader Grenoble and Rouen, in search of the place occupied by their evening opponent.
A decimated workforce
Already diminished by the absence of Guttig and Suoranta, the people of Rouen were also deprived of Gueurif who announced his departure at the end of the season and will no longer play in the first team until the end of it. Dorion a, he was caught by the disciplinary committee and suspended seven games, four of which are closed. As for Johnstone, he was the victim of a puck received on the upper body during the warm-up.
It is therefore with a diminished team that the players of Fabrice Henry start this game. The Dukes quickly take matters into their own hands and dominate the start of the match. A welcome penalty in favor of the Dragons, however, allows them to open the scoring, for Lamper (1-0, 7’49), against the run of play.
Nevertheless, this but will not push the Normans to grow bolder. On the contrary, the visitors accentuate their grip on the match. After three penalties conceded in a row, the Rouennais ended up abdicating against Bouvet who deceives Pintaric (1-1, 17’20). A rather logical equalizer, even if it was due to a refereeing error, the puck having touched the protective net before returning to the ice without the referees stopping the game.
Justified justifications
The second act resumed on the same bases and the Angevins taking control of the meeting on a new but in numerical superiority of Sarlieve (1-2, 21’40). The Dukes even make the break on a badly orchestrated change of line by the Dragons, which sees Bouvet achieve the double (1-3, 32’41).
Overwhelmed in the game the Rouennais are again sanctioned after an altercation between Size and yeo which sees the Canadian defender take a five-minute major penalty. Once again, the sanction falls and llorca drives the point home for Angers (1-4, 37’30).
Burst of pride
With a delay of three goals, the mission seems impossible for these Dragons even if, certainly wounded in their pride, the proteges of President Chaix will achieve a good last period. David Gilbert, on the power play, restores color and a little hope to the ice by using the score a little less than a quarter of an hour from the end of the match (2-4, 47’09). However, this will not be enough to destabilize the Dukes of Angers who were the strongest on Friday, despite the repeated assaults from Rouen until the final siren.
With this setback conceded, the Dragons are now four points behind their evening opponents. They will have to hope for a misstep from the Angevins, who only have two games left to play, while the Rouennais still have three but no longer have the right to make mistakes if they want to obtain this second place.
With in particular a trip on Saturday March 5, 2022 to Anglet, for a match to replay, in a complicated and tense context after the latest controversies between the two clubs. Then the next day at Bordeaux, before concluding this marathon with the reception of Cergy-Pontoise Tuesday March 8, 2022, before the start of the play-offs on Friday March 11.
Post-match reaction:
Fabrice Henry Rouen coach: “It’s a shame to have been so undisciplined and to concede so many penalties. We knew that Angers was very good in superiority, they were able to score three times, on an error on our part on a change of line. From there, it is not possible to win matches like that. Lack of players is no excuse. Everyone has injured players. It comes at the wrong time but that’s how it is and you have to deal with it to fight like in the last third time. Tomorrow’s match in Anglet should take place within the rules, there will be referees to ensure the match. I hope there will be no overflow, that it will go well and that the best will win. »
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