The Norwegian wall

Continental Cup Superfinals started today at Patinoire Ile LaCroix in Rouen, France where reigning champion and super favorite Donbas Donets’k want to forget one of the most incredible game of icehockey, played here two seasons ago when Rouen Dragons incredibly defeated the Ukranian armada in the last game of Superfinals, winning a trophy already put in the bag by Donbas.

Much water flowed under the bridge from that shame, Donbas captured Continental trophy last season at home and again disembarks in Rouen in the role of favorite. First opponent: the Stavanger Oilers, Norwegian champion and first team from Nordic country to reach the final in Continental Cup.

In front of a crowd where stands out the fans from both teams, the Oilers immediately show that they aren’t in France on a trip and even less as a sacrificial victim, mainly thanks to a stellar performance of their goalkeeper Ruben Smith: in the first period the 26^th year old was literally bombed by Ukranians, stopping everything passing in front or in direction of his cage: in the middle of this rain of pucks, Finnish Juha-Pekka Loikas finds the way to beat Jim Leighton for a surprising 1-0 Stavanger at the end of first period. In the central period after 7 minutes finally Jan Kolar beats Smith with a long-range shot and it seems the begin of Donbas recovery, but Smith again is unbeatable. At 48:43 the Oilers fairytale seems ended: Evgeny Dadonov scored with a beautiful move, completing an intelligent movement by Yakutsenya to open the way for goal to Dadonov. Everything seems to be going according to plan now, but with 3 minutes to play Tommy Kristiansen ties the game silenced Ukranian fans. After a goal-less overtime also penalty shots are full of emotions:  Christian Dahl-Andersen, Evgeny Dadonov and Peter Lorentzen all score, Lukas Kaspar missed his penalty, so Martin Strandfeldt has the chance to put Oilers in the history but Leighton stopped his shot: some chances pass once: Yakutsenya and Vaclav Nedorost both scores, while Dahl-Andersen missed the decisive one: Donbas earns the first points but Stavanger can be proud of this debut: “Ruben,Ruben!” cheer the Oilers fans in the stand to celebrate the true hero of the day

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