Continental Cup: Rouen is champion as in a dream

Last act of Continental Cup Super Final 2012: Rouen, in front of its passionate public, packing Ile Lacroix Arena, tries to write a historical page in its story: the host not only have to win but they also need to score at least three goals more than Donbas to secure the first ever time the coveted trophy. But this isn’t the only problem: the biggest one is named Donbas Donetsk: The Ukrainian team is undefeated in the tournament and the great favorite for final victory. Coach Rodolphe Garnier bets on experience and move promising young Anthony Rech from first to third line, promoted Finnish Teemu Elomo near Mallette and Desrosiers. A change also in the Donbas roster: fourth line – Materukhin/Shafarenko/Donika – switching to third. In the cage Fabrice Lhenry as usual and Evgeny Tsaregorodtsev is back for Donbas.

Despite the amazing support by fans, on ice the Ukrainian team soon raises its voice and Lhenry has a lot of work already in the first minutes on fast Zhurun and expert Varlamov. The first host chance comes after 10 minutes, but Tsaregorodtsev needs all his experience to deflect a dangerous shot by Thinel and an insidious one from the blue by Manavian during first French powerplay. At 13 a great chance, but Thinel shots on Tsaregorodtsev's mask. Materukhin breaks the Rouen momentum, but Lhenry is ready. The French goalie is amazing in stopping Piskunov's one-time shot at 17 and on Pobedonostsev long-range shot seconds after. The first period finishes scoreless but well played by Rouen: the French team is weaker than Donbas so have to play trying to hold back the opponent and bite on counterattacks with fast Thinel and Desrosiers.

A promising start in the second period for host, able to box Donbas in its quarter, even if without many finalizations. Rouen needs a power play to set the arena on fire: very well action built by the power play unit, smart pass by Desrosier for Guenette, the Canadian has time to zero in and beat Tsaregorodtsev in a incredible enthusiastic atmosphere. Donbas seems unsure and plays in a shy mode, even if Lhenry is outstanding on a Tatarinov finishing, with the Donbas bench already celebrating. The French goalie plays an encore on Kochetkov seconds later, deflecting the shot with the shoulder. Dragons fault is not be able to finalize all the created, a dangerous risk against an expert team as Donbas: incredible the goal wasted by Mulle, alone against Tsaregorodtsev at 32. But at Thinel literally invent the second goal, skating behind Donbas net, waiting for teammates settling and get into goalie zone beating him with a wrist shot. Now Rouen dominates, the Ukranian team seems groggy and Mulle again has a great chance but shot on Tsaregorodtsev. Many wasted chances can’t remain without consequences: on a power play defender Valeri Dydykin finds an hole in Rouen's defense and beats Lhenry, for the first time not perfect. But this is Thinel's night: at 38:37 he repeats the move of his first goal and again punishes a distracted Donbas defense. The second period finishes with Rouen as winner but Yunost as Cup champion thanks to the goals difference. But a French goal could change all and bring the Cup on the Seine bank.

Tsaregorodtsev is perfect on the unstoppable Thinel in the first chance of last period but Lhenry has the toughest job against the Materukhin/Shafarenko line and blocking a dangerous shot from long distance by Egin. On the other side Thinel again keeps Tsaregorodtsev busy. Donbas pressure raises, Rouen stamina – the French play with three lines – gets down. Salmivirta has a good chance but Tsaregorodtsev deflected his sharp shot, but all the pressure results in a second Ukranian goal at 49:52, scored by Denis Kochetkov on a power play with a perfect shot passing among the traffic in front of Lhenry's cage.

At 52 Manavian makes the decisive interception saving his goal and an outstanding Lhenry stops Materukhin one minute later. A deflction by Zhurun again shows the incredible Lhenry night. When Varlamov receives two minutes at 55, all arena can finally breath and a shot by Elomo deflected signals Rouen is still alive. And who can be the oxygen mask for French team if not Thinel: a perfect pass let Mallette scores the fourth goal and as in an incredible tale, while Malevich breaks his stick for the rage, the Canadian line finds another goal, the one bringing the Cup to Rouen: Mallette passes for Desrosiers that pass the goalie and in a volcano scores the fifth goal. From the coffin to the paradise in two minutes. Incredible!!! Rouen wins its first trophy in the two final minutes, with an unbelievable final, totally deserves and playing a very smart games against a stronger team.

This Cup definitely has the name of three people: Fabrice Lhenry, Marc Andrè Thinel and the coach Rodolphe Garnier. After years of preparation, this season Rouen's president promised the Cup for the fans: probably even the most passionate of them thought he was a visionary, but the patient process of building a winning team passed for a lot of defeats in Europe and has its finishing line tonight, in front of its passionate crowd, the sixth player on the ice. Donbas Donetsk incredibly wasted a trophy already won, playing a horrible game, very arrogant and lazy, after being dominate this weekend, beating champion Yunost, finishing as runner up, and destroying Asiago. But be the best on the paper not necessarily means be the best on the ice and tonight Donbas dominates the stats but not the final score. Yunost atones for a period bad played in all tournament, frankly the Belarusian team deserves the trophy for what was showed in all tournament, but the perfect and maybe impossible to repeat, thrashes Zakharov's dream. One Cup and two silver medal in the last three season are, anyway, a great result for the Minsk team
MVP: Valeri Dydykin – Marc Andrè Thinel

All Star Award:
Best Goalie: Mika Oksa
Best Defender: Vladimir Malevich
Best Forward: Marc Andrè Thinel

 

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