Nitra earns 2 points in a crazy game

Nitra put the hands on the plate

In a fantastic atmosphere at Ice Park , home side Les Ducs d’Angers faces HK Nitra possibly in the key game for the final victory. Nitra, struggling in the domestic league but one of favourite team here, hasn’t on the ice his seasonal best scorer, Latvian forward Filips Buncis, hit on the face by a puck in the opening victory against Asiago. Angers, pushed by the fans, begins very aggressively, creating the first great chance after 6 minutes with Tommy Giroux missing the net from a favourable position. Nitra controls the puck, while Angers tries to use the speed of its forwards. Slovak team survives a power play well played by Angers with a couple of good saves of American goalie Matt O’Connor, recently back in Nitra cage after an injury. The period ends with a 2+2 penalty gave to Phillipe Halley for a controverse high sticking.

Survived to the 4 minutes penalty, Angers takes the control of the game, creating chances with Harms and Ritz. In another controversial penalty, is Ewan Cowan to well defend the Angers’ cage against the aggressive Nitra power play. At minute 35 Cowley is decisive on Filip Knies, alone in front of the cage after a mistake of French defense. Just some seconds before the siren, Nitra finally finding the net with a beautiful goal scored by Jozef Balaz with a personal masterpiece, beating Cowley with a shot under the bar.

In the first part of last period Nitra secures the victory at 45:11 by Jake Elmer emerges from the traffic in front of the cage for scoring the 2nd goal of the night. It’s a real cold shower for home side and its passionate fans. Slovaks show to be a solid team controlling the angry but confused reaction of Angers without major risks, threatening Cowan and creating the best chances. When games seems in control of Slovak, the miracle comes: at 2 minutes  before the final siren on power play finally Angers finds the deserving goal with a one timer by Jonathan Charbonneau and 20 seconds later, when Angers pulled the goalie, it’s Gints Meija to find the incredible goal to tie the game, receiving a puck in the traffic in front of O’Connor and coldly beating the American goalie. In a crazy atmosphere Angers has even a chance to win the game in the regular time, but the shot of Giroux passes over the Slovak cage.

After an overtime without great chances, the game is decided at shootouts and Nitra managed to score almost all the shoots, winning a crazy game putting the hands on the plate

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