Pwhy did the Boxers wait until the last quarter of an hour of the final third to inflict constant pressure on the Brûleurs de Loups de Grenoble, the defending champion of this Coupe de France? The damage was done with the visitors leading the score (1-2) and preparing to repeat Sunday's attack, in the same place (3-6 victory in the league).
It was precisely this opposing advantage for Olivier Dimet's players to take the Isérois by the throat and shoot with all their might (26 against 3 for Grenoble). In vain. The regrets will come (again) from a game which does not play much against the Pintaric wall (50 saves), and from the cold efficiency of the current best team in the championship. An efficiency that is (still) lacking in Bordeaux.
Boxers bite first
Boxers and Brûleurs de Loups had just parted ways on Sunday in the championship (Grenoble's 3-6 victory), when they met again on Tuesday for the Coupe de France. And it showed. The material can bear witness. Plexiglas to be repaired at the first shoulder blow to Quentin Papillon's cage which had to be refixed with a little ice.
On their favorite playing field, men play the puck as much as the physique of their counterparts. The pace is brisk, the lifts a bit faster on the Isère side – “Where did the puck go?? » we ask ourselves in the stands – but the Girondins ardently defend Papillon's cage. Him too. As per usual.
And as we have looked at each other enough, the Boxers bite first. Despite the crowd in front of the Slovenian Matija Pintaric's cage, Rambelo puts the puck back from behind the cage for the young Ragot (21 years old) who sends it into the net (1-0, 8'47''). The Tours player “loaned” to Bordeaux scores his first goal for his host club.
The Butterfly Minute
Already on Sunday evening, the Grenoble residents had relaxed before releasing the flame thrower worthy of their name. While the numerical inferiority of the first third had no impact, that of the start of the second will hurt. Deschamps and Hardy agree without pressure and without pressing, find Bachelet who sends the puck under the bar (1-1, 25'34''). In case we have forgotten that there is a magic ticket to be won to reach the quarter-finals – where the Bordelais left off last season against Chambéry – the tension is rising. Papillon was just waiting for this to do his show. Three decisive saves in just over a minute saved his team.
The local attack tries to reward the effort of its goalkeeper. However, the centers behind make Mériadeck shiver but do not fit (30th and 31st). Opposite, Grenoble is more clinical. Hardy finds himself alone in front of Papillon and does not hesitate (1-2, 31'46''). When it doesn't work, Salonen finds the post (35th) and Jevpalovs catches the goalkeeper with cross-leg movements but misses the last move. By keeping the danger lurking but not realizing it, doubt ends up setting in. For its part, Grenoble remains perfectly in place defensively. Like Sunday, Olivier Dimet's players are skating behind the score. Like Sunday, will they find the resources to get back on track? Who will break? You already know the answers.
Bordeaux – Grenoble
Lieu Bordeaux (Mériadeck ice rink) Spectators 2 920 Referees MM. Rohwedder, Garbay Third-time 1-0 ; 0-2 ; 0-0. Penalties Bordeaux : 6 min (2-4-0) Grenoble : 10 min (2-2-6).
BORDEAUX Ragot (8'47'') ass. Rambelo, Guillaume.
Guardian Papillon (24 saves, 59 minutes).
GRENOBLE Bachelet (25'34'') is. Shearer, Deschamps ; Shearer (31'16''), is. Schmitt, Deschamps.
Guardian Pintaric (50 stops, 60 minutes).
