Penguins at the last shot

A useless game? Don’t tell to Bremerhaven fans!  That packed the arena for the last act of Superfinals like it was the match for the title. Without defender Ryan Martinelli  injured, the Penguins give immediately a goal to continuing the celebration: Bjorn Bombis receives from Felix Stokowski and beats Aubin after 01:44. Brendan Cook aims the angle shortly after but Aubin says no with a split. At 10 a nice attack by Angers sees Michael Busto late to deflect the final pass by Yannick Tifu. Cody Campbell shots on Meisner a good chance and same goalie blocks then on Gaborit during the central part of the period, well played by Angers. Again Gaborit could score but he shots on Meisner body. Vital signs from Penguin, a shot by Cook deflected and a chance for Hooton, Aubin deflects with the mask even if Angers continues to control the game and finally manages to score at 17:03: Meisner rebounds the shot by Cody Campbell but can’t avoid the easy tap-in of Dimitri Thillet, sealing a clear supremacy of French team.

Other story in the second period: Penguins take the lead of the game and Angers is in difficult even if  the best chance is for Johan Skinnars on counter-attack, his shot hit the bar. Hooton wastes a good chance deflecting on Aubin

The injury of Angers captain Julian Albert

At 32:23 a check on the head of Julien Albert costs a major penalty to Tim Miller and some minutes on the ice for Angers captain. After the penalty Angers turns the momentum and after some chances wasted scores with Cody Campbell and a bit of luck: the shot of Tim Crowder is stopped by a defender exactly on Campbell stick, shot and no chances for Meisner. Penguins need another penalty to tie the game: after a brawl involving several players Penguins is on power play and doesn’t’ t miss the opportunity: Bombis finds Pavel Dronia well placed, the shot from the Polish forward land in the opposite angle flaming the arena.

Cook misses the net after a nice wrap-around by Hooton and Tifu hits the bar deflecting a pass  of Robin Gaborit in the opening of last period. Great opportunity for Penguins at 45 with almost two minutes of double power play: Cook hits an incredible post with Aubin immobile but Angers survive. Meisner rebounds with some difficult a shot by Mrena at 50 during a power play but no-one takes the rebound. At 56 Aubin has to save on a deflection of his teammate Busto . Last two minutes with Bremerhaven on power play are a show of goalie Aubin, denying twice on Marjan Dejdar and on Brendan Cook with a great dive.

In the overtime Angers dominates, taking advantage of a power play, wasting a great chance with Crowder, not able to score with the cage empty after a mistake of Meisner. With the board clock out of order the last minutes are heart-pounding for the fans, but the German wall resists until shoot-outs

Also the penalties are thrilling: Bremerhaven scores with McPherson

MCPherson x and Hooton, while Skinnars misses for Angers. The victory seems handy but Kopecky misses while both Tifu and Campbell scores. More shoots: Tim Crowder shots on Meisner, McPherson is the hero of last shot.

The decisive shot-out scored by Andrew McPherson

Very good game even if the cup was already assigned, both teams battled hard and can leave the ice head-on

MVP: Meisner - Campbell

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