The Rouen Dragons are an hour away from creating a new feat. But before thinking about qualifying for the semi-finals, there is this match this Tuesday night at Île Lacroix to play. Quarter-final return against Tappara, the best Finnish hockey team. But with the good result obtained in the first leg (3-3), the Rouennais can dream. Like the supporters.
The Finns are far from having abdicated
“When we started the two games, there weren’t many people who would have believed in us“, explains Sacha Guimond, one of the Rouen defenders.”We should not try to beat guys one on one. We must keep a simple game, not to make mistakes, even if it means clearing the puck so that it leaves our zone“, he continues.
– Eric Turpin
The Finns are far from having abdicated. They remain on two league victories last weekend against Saipa (4-2) and Kärpät (6-4). They came back up. “I saw their matches and we know it, it’s a team that plays well“, reacts Fabrice Lhenry, the trainer of the Dragons.
“What will be important for us is already to defend well without making mistakes. To be an opportunist as we were on the way there. We didn’t have many chances but we took them. We know their skating speed. It will be necessary to be well grouped in front of our guardian“, adds the coach.
The supporters, the 7th man expected
Unlike Tampere where the Nokia Arena was rather empty last Tuesday (a little less of 4,000 supporters for 13,000 seats) and where the atmosphere was sluggish, this time the Dragons will find the cauldron of the Nathalie Péchalat rink. It is complete. More than 3,000 supporters are expected.
Tickets went on sale November 27. In a few hours the seats were sold. “I quickly saw on social networks that the ticket office was open. So I took out my credit card and took three places right away. I did not hesitate for a single second“, smiles Victor, a young 19-year-old from Rouen, a supporter of the Dragons.
“The match is going to be complicated, Tappara is a great team with very high level players. But with the public and a great Pintaric in goal, we might have the chance to attend a great match, a close match.“, concludes Frédérik Vauthier, one of the supporters of the Dragons.
If the Dragons draw in this second leg, there will be an overtime period, 10 minutes, three players against three. The first team to score wins the match. If there are still no goals after extra time, a penalty shoot-out is organized. Five players from each team will shoot.