It’s the same story. Last year in the semi-finals of the Ligue Magnus playoffs, the Brûleurs de Loup de Grenoble won their first two home games against the Jokers de Cergy-Pontoise before qualifying for the final by winning 4 sets at 1. Bis repeated this season at the same stage of the competition. After crushing the Val-d’Oisienne formation 24 hours earlier in their ice rink during the first match (9-2), the Grenoble residents confirmed their grip on the series by winning again in Isère this Wednesday evening (4 -2) at the expense of the Jokers.
The reigning French Champions are therefore on a favorable ballot before the two trips this weekend in Val-d’Oise to Aren’Ice this Saturday evening (8:30 p.m.) then Sunday afternoon (5 p.m.). The series is played best of 7 games.
Revanchists after the punishment of Tuesday evening, the Jokers carry out a solid first third. The young goalkeeper Antoine Gilbert (22 years old), holder since the injury (ankle) of Sébastien Ylonen in January against… Grenoble, multiplies the parades on his line and allows his formation to remain on a scoreless draw. Better, the Jokers, then in numerical superiority, opened the scoring during the following period after a shot by Baillargeon (0-1, 27th). A very short lead since on the engagement, Markus Poukkula, barely out of prison, equalized for Grenoble (1-1). At the start of the last third, Brett Aubin gives the advantage to the reigning French champion (2-1, 43rd). Nineteen seconds later, Adel Koudri made the break by deceiving Antoine Gilbert. The Finnish Jokers Samuel Salonen reduced the score at the end of the game (3-2, 51st) before Brent Aubin offered himself a double and gave his people some air (4-2, 55th).
Beaten for the second time in as many games, the Cergyssois are now back to the wall before the next two games. In the warm atmosphere of the Aren’Ice, they will have to win twice in less than 24 hours to keep a chance of qualifying for the final. In the other semi-final, Angers won in Rouen (1-2). The two teams are tied one inning everywhere.