Angers in, Ertis out

Last call for Angers and Ertis to stay alive in the tournament after the defeats in the first round.  Ertis coach Julius Penzes mixes the lines putting experienced Miroslav Zalesak in the first, after the injury of top scorer Alexei Vorontsov, scratched for this game. Also the cage has a new owner: Jan Chovan replaces Marek Pinc after the unconvincingly performance against Bremerhaven.  Kazakhs begin at full speed and goalie Jean-Sebastien Aubin has its work cut out to stop the vehement assaults of the opponent.  Both teams survives to a power play, with Ertis more dangerous and Angers with more difficulties to organize its chances. The first real danger is a secure save by Chovan on captain Julian Albert, coming in front of Kazakh cage with a nice move. At 15 another spectacular block of Chovan, closing the door on Skinnars. Angers increases the pressure and opens the score with Tim Crowder, well assisted, found alone in front of the net by Michael Busto. Aubin saves his net on Bellus and on Troshinski ‘s rebound at 18. Another save by Aubin on Rehak closes the period.

Ertis equalizes the game after two minutes of the second period with a nice finishing by Richard Huna served by Rehak on the wing. Ertis has immediately another chance from long range with Cakajik, Aubin saves with the pad. Big chance for Fabus at 26, after a mistake by Angers defense, Aubin blocks.

The beginning of the period is dominated by Ertis and the goal is the consequence:  speedy action coming out from the defense, perfect assist from Klemeshov for the easy finishing by Richard Huna. At 30 violent charge of Brian Henderson on Martin Cakajik, the Slovak defender of Ertis remains some minutes on the ice but without any further consequence.

Martin Cakajik on the ice after the boarding by Brian Henderson

Also Samuel Mlynarovic  suffered a charge resulting in a penalty for Lahesalu and during the double power play Ertis earns a penalty shot, missed by Tomas Vak. Plagued by the penalties, Angers lost energies and lucidity, suffering the speed of Ertis players. For all the period Chovan is almost inactive.

Things changes at the begin of third period, a more active French team manages to score twice in 50 seconds : Gary Leveque finds Julian Albert near the cage for the tap-in of the captain and a nice pass from behind by Campbell puts Skinnars at inches from the line of goal, too easy to finish.. One minute later Ertis scores but the goal by Miroshnichenko is not allowed because referee  whistles a penalty to Fabus before the shot.  During this power play Angers scores again with a persistent action of Yannck Tifu. At 49 Angers coach Real Paiement is hit by a puck bouncing in the bench without consequences. The rest of the period is quite confused, with Aubin saving his cage twice on Svitana and Rehak but without real dangers. Once again Ertis gives the impression to be the best team on ice and once again getting out of the rink empty-handed.  Competition is over for Kazakhs, while Angers could have again some chances

MVP: Sergei Miroshnichenko - Julian Albert

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