Neman blanked Angers in Continental Cup Superfinals opening

Less than two months after the last meeting, Neman Grodno and Angers  cross again the sticks in the opening game of Continental Cup Superfinals in Bremerhaven, Germany. In France the clash had been hard-fought, here Neman score twice in the first two minutes: with Aleksandr Malyavko after 57 seconds and with a precise shot diagonally by Andrei Korshunov on the first power play. Angers needs minutes to recover from the shocking start and has first chance on power play with Yannick Tifu, his short, well prepared by the attacks, lands on Samankov pads. Neman controls the game with a better skill: Aubin is reactive closing the net on a one-timer by Kopylets but the Canadian goalie has no chance at 13:11 on the lethal shot from the blue of Ilya Nazarevich. Angers earns a power play but risks to suffer the fourth goal: only a great save by Aubin on Konstantin Lastovetsky keeps the French hopes alive. After another save by Aubin on Lastovetsky, finally Angers has two chances with Busto and Skinnars, but Samankov is ready to block. Another power play for Belarusian closes the period.

Shots from the distance were lethal for Angers

After 20 seconds in the second period Neman has a great chance: Aubin deflectes the shot by Nazarevich with Boyarchuk not ready to tap-in the puck. Samankov rebounds with the body a shot by Tifu after a nice solo by the French player. At 28 Kristek misses the decisive deflection in front of Aubin beginning a period of superiority of Belarus team, dangerous mainly with shots from the distance with excellent snipers as Nazarevich and Korshunov.  Angers suffers the better general level of the opponent, has a chance with Tim Crowder shooting on Samankov’s pad before to be punished by Lastovetsky, finalizing a speedy counter-attack. The fifth Neman goal is a summary of the different skills on ice:  nice pass from Nazarevich to Sirokovs, the Latvian forward is forgotten on the blue line by French defenders, easy to skate towards Aubin and beat him. In the goal action Yannick Tifu received ten minutes penalty for an unnecessary and dangerous checking from behind on the same Sirokovs. Te n seconds before the siren, Samankov bravely anticipating the French sticks to recover a puck dancing in front of his cage. Coach Paiement decides to replace Aubin with back-up Alexis Neau for the last period. After a crossbar hit by Crowder and a chance for Walls, Neau has baptism of fire saving on Khomko and Sirokovs, before to face a bombardment during a double power play for Neman including a post hit by Boyarchuk. At 58 Stepanov wastes a good counter-attack; Angers finishes the game with a man more – out Khomko for interference – trying to score a late consolation goal but Samankov want to protect his shoot-out and denies with a brilliant save on Tifu.

Neman earns first three points with an easy win, built in the first period and administered in next 40 minutes: honestly if this was Angers at its best, it will be a difficult tournament for French

MVP:  Tim Crowder - Andrei Korshunov

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