HC Caen had a desire and a challenge at the moment when the taste of competition finally returned to their mouths. Six months after their last official match, on an evening of elimination in the quarter-finals of the D1 playoffs against Chambéry, there was the desire to reconnect with its supporters and to write a first page which makes you want to read the following.
Faced with Dogs de Cholet who were also stopped at this stage in the championship during the previous year, the Drakkars also had to reconcile themselves with the Coupe de France, a competition which can give you some thrills if it does not disappear as quickly as ‘she appears. This has been the case for too long in Caen, leaving in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.
After a parity score in preparation (one victory each), before finding themselves in D1 at the same place on November 30, the Normans and the Ligeriens had a first stone to lay.
Auvitu scores a double, Caen lacks realism and creativity
Starting strong, Caen marked its territory, dominated the first period, but lacked efficiency (4′, 7′, 8′, 16′). Its captain Alexandre Mulle had a golden opportunity to open the scoring, after a failed restart from Grametbauer, but the Cholet goalkeeper made up for it by diverting the opposing attempt (14′).
In terms of realism, however, Maxence Auvitu did not need to be asked. Arriving this summer, the striker took advantage of an error from Carminati and adjusted a hitherto perfect Quemener (0-1, 19′). Returning from the locker room, Tremblay (24′) and Auvitu (25′) had the opportunity to make the break, then Cholet inherited the first numerical superiority of the evening. Not used well enough to fool an inspired Quemener.
Without Janil (knee) and Allen (family bereavement), Caen was then forced to turn its back, before showing itself to be messy or clumsy in its play of superiority, Grametbauer doing the rest against Mulle (33′, 36′) . In this exercise, Cholet was clinical at the start of the third period, with the untenable Auvitu still at the conclusion (0-2, 41′).
Caen then threw all its strength into the battle, had several face-to-face encounters to reduce the score and revive hope. But the finish was not there against a Grametbauer determined to sign a shutout and the Drakkars also lacked creativity in the game. The Dogs killed the suspense with a goal in an empty cage and on the other end of the ice, signed Karsh (0-3, 57′).
It’s time for the resumption of Division 1 for both teams, Saturday October 5 and on the road, in Chambéry for HC Caen (8 p.m.), at the Ibex of HCMP for Cholet (7:30 p.m.).
HC CAEN – CHOLET : 0-3 (0-1, 0-0, 0-2).
Referees: MM. Levasseur, Ernecq, Maillard and Honoré.
BUTS. Cholet: 18’18”Auvitu (ass. Belisle and Bastille), 40’49”Auvitu (Bastille and Tremblay), 56’45”Karsh (Grametbauer).
PENALTIES. Caen: 10′; Cholet: 10′.
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