Yunost ready for revenge

Yunost Minsk opens the Continental Cup superfinals second day challenging Rouen in a catchy match, just apparently easy. The French team lost very badly yesterday and wants revenge, playing at the same time without pressure. The trophy seems already like a mirage for the Bretons, on the ice without two key players, Marc Andre Thinel and Ilpo Salmavirta, both injured. Minsk has the same roster and are unsatisfied with the last game that was dangerously played against the Danish team SønderjyskE.

The technical superiority on ice is evident, but Rouen managed to resist the Belarusian attacks without many problems in the first period, with goalie Fabrice Lhenry alert and brilliant especially on the Yunost power play situation. An excellent save on Artem Senkevitch and then on Maksim Slysh testified his good presence on the ice.



Mika Oksa was ready to pass a quiet afternoon in the first 20 minutes, but at 18:41 Andrei Bashko decides to spice the match, literally assisting Julian Desrosiers in front of Oksa´s cage. The French player thanks and lands a perfect assist for 1-0 Rouen by Carl Mallette. The period records a Yunost reaction but Lhenry is ready to deny a quick tie.

A sudden penalty called to Bergström in the second period preludes a Yunost tie: a perfect power play move and a goal by Aleksei Baranov on a Slysh assist. Yunost leading the game? No way, Rouen wasted a capital chance by Guenette seconds after the goal, an incredible mistake by the Canadian forward, but the French scored again at 24:28 when Anthony Rech finished a counterattack while Yunost tries to increase home team score. The Belarus team risk to capitulate 30 seconds later and have to thank the inaccuracy the French attack again. Carl Mallette doesn´t finalize another incredible chance. All this waste couldn´t pass without consequences: at 25:37 a shot in the traffic by Vladislav Klochkov finds the net for 2-2 and many sighs of relief on the stands. Fear passed for the Zakharov troop and Yunost can play with more tranquility, creating their favorite style of hockey. Approaching the defense and waiting for creating space. Plenty of chances: Senkevich and Klochkov had notable ones. Experience certainly lacks for the French. It´s evident when Rouen takes 2 penalties in few minutes, giving Yunost a big chance to score.

At 39:10 Julien Desrosiers was hit by a puck and while falling is tripped by Deniskin. He was forced to leave the ice and not coming back due to an ankle injury, a big loss for Rouen.

The last period begins with 2 consecutive penalties for Rouen, but Yunost once more can´t profit. The game is becoming a brainteaser for Yunost, but luckily for the home team Rouen, as in the previous game against Salzburg, suffered mental blackouts, conceding two goals in a minute.  Aleksandr Ryadinski finds the net from long distance and Oleg Timchenko finalized a good 1st line move. Again Yunost has to suffer a lot but earns another 3 points, coming to the last decisive game against Red Bulls, if the Austrians will do their job in the night game.

Rouen showed again to be a good but mentally fragile team, as coach Rodolphe Garnier admits in press conference: "We took too many penalties and most important two stupid goals, showing lack of concentration and probably a too short roster for this kind of competition.”

Mikhail Zakharov praised his team: "We knew Rouen is a strong team, yesterday’s loss was a coincidence, but we worked well. We had some problems with power play situation, but in compensation we did well in 5vs5 situations. Now we have some additional rest before tomorrow’s decisive game. I´m very satisfied with Mika Oksa (awarded as MVP along with Julien Desrosiers), he is playing a good tournament, helping us a lot".

 

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