3 points weekend in Normandie.


17 October 2017

This weekend, the players from Tornado Luxembourg were in for two back-to-back games. On Saturday, Tornado Luxembourg headed to Normandy for its second away-game against Caen 2. This meant getting up early as over 600 km separated the team from its destination. Not all the team members made it on time. After its victory against Courbevoie last week, the team was going into the game with high expectations, ready to secure its spot in the 3D B Group.

But what started as an incredible road trip ended in a painful defeat. Fifteen seconds into the game, Caen 2 scored its first goal, thereby setting the pace for the rest of the game. Three minutes later, Luxembourg drew even. After a pass from Ossi Uotila (2) and Steven Minden (42), Thierry Beran (33) scored the first and, unfortunately, last goal for Tornado. Other than hoped, the French team turned out to be really good. They were quick, strong and made good passes. Luxembourg, on the other hand, struggled to make its chemistry work. As the first period came to a close, Caen was leading 4:1.

Still, the boys weren’t ready to give up. There was still a chance to turn the table on the French. And so, as the clock started ticking once again, Luxembourg gave its best to take the puck to the opposing team’s net. Without success! But Caen 2 didn’t just prevent Tornado from scoring. It also scored three additional goals. By the time Tornado headed back to its locker for its second break, Caen had improved its lead to 7:1. Halfway through the second period, Caen 2 decided to replace its goalie. Tornado Luxembourg did the same, but only after the start of the third period, Gilles Mangen (30) replacing Jesper Miquel (30) in the net. Just like his predecessor, Mangen (30) tried to cope with the French team’s shots as best he could. In the end, Caen scored two more times, winning the game 9:1 (4:1, 3:0, 2:0). It was during this last period that one of the French players, Jéré Bigot (6), received a major misconduct. Disagreeing on a penalty being called on him, he decided to argue with the referee with earned him 30 minutes (20 +10) on top of the 2 minutes for tripping.

That night, nobody on team Tornado felt like celebrating and the bus ride back to the hotel was very quiet. The defeat was still on some player’s mind as they went for breakfast the other day. But, as morning faded into midday, regrets were replaced by a new kind of hope. Needless to say, that Coach Petr Fical decision to go have lunch at the beach was the cut the players needed. It allowed them to leave the past in the past and focus on the game that lay ahead.

After over 200 additional kilometers, Tornado Luxembourg was back on the ice to play against Cergy 2 in their brand-new ice rink. The players from Luxembourg had made it just in time for the game, just like in Courbevoie the week before. And just like in Courbevoie, they were ready for the game. There was an energy amongst Petr Fical’s boys unfelt the day before. The players felt like a team and acted accordingly. At 03:59, David Müller (69) shot the first goal. He was assisted by Thierry Beran (33). Roughly three minutes later, Ossi Uotila (2) scored the second goal for Luxembourg. One minute later, Thierry Beran (33), after a pass from his father Robert Beran (11), scored the third goal for Luxembourg. And at 10:33, Steven Minden (42), after a pass from Ossi Uotila (2) and Ronny Scheier (14), scored the fourth goal for Luxembourg. Only ten minutes had passed and Tornado was already leading 4:0. Then, Michael Cannon (4), who joined the team and his elder brother on this weekend trip, received two minutes for obstruction. One minute later, goalie Gilles Mangen (30) received two minutes for slashing. David Müller (69) had to substitute for him and joined Mike on the penalty bench. 3 against 5, Tornado did its best to kill the penalty but failed to prevent Cergy 2 from scoring its first goal at 13:28. Almost three minutes later, Tornado got its revenge. Colm Cannon (9), taking advantage of a powerplay, scored the fifth goal for Luxembourg. He was assisted by Ossi Uotila (2) and Olivier Biver (25). One minute later, Cergy 2 shot its second goal. But Luxembourg replied just as quickly. At18:28, Ossi Uotila (2), after a pass by Steven Minden (42), scored Luxembourg’s sixth goal. By the end of the first period, Luxembourg was leading 6:2 and Cergy 2 decided it was time to replace its goalie in the net.

It was during this second period that Robo Beran (11) crashed into the boards. The impact was so violent that he needed to be escorted off the ice and taken to the hospital. Gone was one of Tornado’s most talented players. And gone was the team’s mojo. But the game needed to go on. It is in moment like these that one realizes what it takes to be a true hockey player. At 30:19, Cergy 2 scored its third goal. One minute later, a fourth goal followed. For a moment, it seemed like Cergy would be able to tie the game. But the team wasn’t ready to give up. Not after all they had gone through. At 35:27, Maxime Cid (15), after a pass by Ossi Uotila (2), scored the seventh goal for Tornado Luxembourg. It was his first goal with the Tornado team. And his father, who was watching from the bleachers, couldn’t have been prouder.

There were several penalties in the last period. But no more goals and so the game ended 7:4 for Tornado Luxembourg. After a quick shower, all the players headed back to the bus to pick up Robert Beran (11) from the hospital and head home. Robo will need time to recover but his spirit is undiminished. “We’ll see each other on the ice … in ten days I’ll be there,” he said. Next game will take place onOctober 28th. It will be a home game and Tornado will play Reims.