Herning knocked out Asiago

Both Herning and Asiago needs a clear victory to keep alive the hope to grab the silver plate of Continental, after the unlucky debut yesterday. Herning not dresses Swedish defender Elias Granath after the tough charge suffered yesterday by Tychy’s Maxim Kartoshkin, while Asiago coach Pat Lefebvre decided to mix up the lines, splitting the 4^th line players in the others, after the good impression left yesterday by Fabrizio Pace – today in the 2^nd – and Jose Magnabosco, promoted in the third. Mirko Presti and Diego Iori are up in the starting five, while Sean Bentivoglio and Layne Ulmer compose the third. In Herning, Sebastian Andersen replaces Granath in the third line.

After some minutes of predominance by Asiago, with a chance for Miglioranzi, Herning creates problems with the speed of his forwards and the pressure on opponent already in the defensive zone: Smithson and Frank call Carrozzi to a couple of saves. The game is fast but without real chances and both goalies pass a quiet first 20 minutes.

The central period begins with a suddenly goal by Herning, scored unassisted by Canadian Kyle Esserly at 21:18, followed by a double power play for Asiago for two consecutive delaying of the game: the superiority produces two saves by Simon Nielsen on Lutz and Bentivoglio, the latter with a good coefficient of difficult. Sinisalo, on the other side, calls twice Carrozzi to a save with the pad at minute 30 and 32. Asiago has another two consecutive power play at the begin of last period but Italian team is very confusing in organizing the power play unit and goalie Nielsen doesn’t run a real risk.

Asiago sieging Daniel Nielsen cage

Asiago is more active but Herining cynically takes advantage of a mistake by Nigro in getting out of his defensive zone, Martin Sagat steals the puck and beat Carrozzi at 50:27 breaking the best momentum of Asiago. On a double power play Herning triples: the puck runs quickly around Italian defense until the final sentence of Daniel Nielsen. Hernng now plays more relaxed while opponents feel the elimination approaching: coach Lefebvre bravely pulls out goalie Carrozzi with four minutes to play risking everything: despite the siege at Nielsen cage, the logical consequence is the fourth goal, scored empty-net by Joachim Linnet.

Joachim Linnet is about to score the fourth goal on the empty net

Asiago probably feels the fatigue after the game against Rouen and was incapable to show the determination put on ice against home team, saying goodbye to the dream of silver plate already after the second game. Dream still alive for Herning, much more determined than in debut game, now waiting for the result of tonight clash Rouen - Tychy

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