Despite their status as favorites and a brace by Fletcher Anderson, the Nice Eagles fell to the Mont-Blanc Yetis (6-3). Caught off guard by the Yetis’ efficiency, the Maralpin side’s Cup adventure comes to a premature end.
It was a real divisional clash this Tuesday evening for the Round of 16 of the French Cup. The Mont-Blanc Yetis, members of Division 1 (second national tier, Editor’s Note) hosted the Nice Eagles this Tuesday evening. For the Division 1 residents, backed by their home crowd, the opportunity was perfect to upset the hierarchy and pull off an upset against an elite squad. On the other side, the Côte d’Azur side, accustomed to Ligue Magnus matches, approached this encounter with favorite status, despite recent inconsistent results.
The opening saw a particularly balanced start to the match. Despite the divisional gap, the Mont-Blanc Yetis showed good intent and tried their luck. The home side proved more enterprising in the early stages, forcing Alexis Shank to make two saves in the first six minutes to keep his net clear. Less incisive in their attacks, the Nice side responded with a few shots on goal but well-handled by the Savoyard goalkeeper.
The Nice Eagles first failed to capitalize on a scramble in the opposing defensive zone early in the match, before increasing the pressure. It was the HC Mont-Blanc Yetis who broke the deadlock first at the 13th minute, forgotten by the Côte d’Azur defense, Thibaut Chatellard tried twice before finding the back of Alexis Shank’s net and opening the scoring. The Maralpin side did not give up, however. Two minutes before the end of the first period, Hugo Nogaretto assisted by Colin Morillon and Teemu Loizeau came to level the score at 1-1. A sluggish first period for Marc André Lévesque’s side who will need to do better.
Even game
Right from the restart, the Savoyards imposed a heavy pace and tested Alexis Shank right away with a decisive save on a hard shot after only 20 seconds of play. Stung to action, the Nice side reacted in the best possible way. At the 2nd minute of the second period, following a collective play, Fletcher Anderson sealed the action to give the Côte d’Azur side the advantage, assisted by Mathieu Gagnon and Nicolas Ruel. Dominant and freed up, the visitors then took complete control of the game, smothering the home side under constant offensive pressure without managing to put themselves out of reach.
As the Eagles seemed in command, the scenario turned at five minutes from the end of the second period. Taking advantage of a jittery Nice defense and a lack of offensive efficiency to open up the gap, Mont-Blanc seized its chance. Alexandre Gagné, set up by Joshua Van Unen, leveled the two sides and reignited the suspense. Despite one last push by the Nice side late in the period to try to regain the lead, the two teams returned to the dressing room level at 2-2 before tackling the decisive final twenty minutes.
End of the road
The final period quickly turned into a nightmare for the Nice Eagles. In the 3rd minute, Valérian Croz, assisted by Antonin Berruex, gave the home side the advantage. Reeling, the Maralpin side suffered a terrible blow barely a minute later, on an action started by Kahlil Fontana and Benjamin Douliot, Joshua Van Unen pushed the puck into the back of the net and scored the fourth Savoyard goal. Completely caught off guard, the Nice side completely collapsed early in the period. Facing this tidal wave, the Côte d’Azur bench immediately called a timeout in hopes of getting heads back in the game.
A tactical adjustment that seemed to bear fruit 15 minutes from the final buzzer when Fletcher Anderson, well set up by Samuel Regis and Rolands Vigners, scores a brace and gives hope to his teammates. The comeback seemed possible, but Nice’s illusions were definitively shattered ten minutes from the end. While short-handed, HC Mont-Blanc delivered the ultimate blow through Dawson Good, perfectly supported by Jacob Lafontaine before Andreas Fleutot sealed the score three minutes from the end. Backed by an imperial goalkeeper with decisive saves in the crucial moments, the Yetis sealed the fate of the match. Final score (6-3).
Eliminated on the eve of the Quarterfinals of the French Cup, the Nice Eagles will need to get past this defeat and react quickly. The Nice side still has work to do in Ligue Magnus.
It starts this Friday, the Maralpin side dive back into the championship with the reception of the Gap Eagles on the ice of the Jean Bouin Ice Rink. The Nice side will need to redeem themselves from the heavy defeat suffered last Friday against Grenoble (7-1). Puck drop at 8 p.m.
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