Bronze for SønderjyskE

The game between Rouen and SønderjyskE was the last commitment for the two teams in the Superfinals, both team coming into the game still without a win. A good crowd in the stands, Danish and French fans fraternizing and a good game on ice. Rouen had Julien Desrosiers on ice, despite yesterday's injury, and dressed also Ilpo Salmavirta, recovering after missing one game, but has Marc Andre Thinel still undressed, along with defender Daniel Babka. An absence also in Mario Simioni’s team: forward Rene Holm is injured. First period had good hockey with two equal teams, fast and aggressive style by the Danish team, more stiff play by Rouen, but goalies Lhenry and Michaud made a good effort with a couple of good saves each to keep the period goalless.

The second period saw more action. SønderjyskE has a bad start with a lot of consecutive power plays surviving until 28:55 when Ilpo Salmavirta scores in a 5 vs 3 situation. This is strangely the best and last Rouen chance in the period. After the goal  the Danish team leads the game producing several chances: at minute 30 Jason Guerreiro steals a puck in short hand situation and forces the Rouen defense to a penalty shot that he brilliantly converted. Minutes after Mads Lund has a chance but Lhenry saves, and French goalie made another amazing save on Holten-Moller at 36:30. To seal SønderjyskE superiority, Matt Mac Donald hits the crossbar before the final horn.

The Danes reaps the fruit of the superiority showed in the second period at the start of the third: Nichlas Carlson scored 2-1 with a individual effort at 41:25. The rest of the game was more balanced, with the French side trying to equalize, missing  out on a shorthanded chance by Julian Desrosiers. But Rouen took some unnecessary penalties. In one of this Jason Guerreiro sderved a good assist to 3-1 by Kim Likkeskov. A decisive goal, Rouen scores at 56:04 with Mathieu Brunelle served on power play by Desrosiers, but the same number 42 wasted a capital chance to equalize game with 35 seconds to go, shooting the puck over Michaud's crossbar.



A well deserved victory for SønderjyskE, leading the game and with a bigger will to win an historic bronze for Danish hockey, overcoming last experience in Superfinals done by Aalborg, finished fourth in 2007\08. Coach Mario Simoni commented on his team's effort “We did a great job winning the semifinals in Asiago and scoring 5 goals here against top teams. This afternoon we had a great first period and then scored beautiful goals, I’m very proud of guys. Now we have a domestic league game on Wednesday, I try to keep team concentrated on this.”

Rouen doesn’t repeat the great campaign of 2008 home Superfinals, leaving a good impression in term of style but with limits on experience. Also Rodolphe Garnier already think about Magnus Ligue match: “we did many mistake today, taking unnecessary penalties and conceding a lot: I’m satisfied with our penalty killing, it works well, but we have to work on our aggressiveness. I hope the team won't be tired for our next league game and stay concentrated”



MVP of game, the Rouen goalie Fabrice Lhenry and SønderjyskE defender Darryl Andrews.

 

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