Heartbreak in the Shootout: Tornado Battles Back but Falls 5-4 to Orléans in Front of a Packed House

18th October 2026

An incredible crowd of 842 fans packed Kockelscheuer on Saturday night, creating a fantastic, electric atmosphere for a thrilling Division 2 matchup. Despite a resilient comeback and a relentless offensive push, Tornado Luxembourg ultimately fell 5-4 in a penalty shootout to the Renards d'Orléans.

A Game of Catch-Up
The first period belonged to the visitors, with Orléans capitalizing on their chances to jump out to a 2-0 lead. But Tornado came out of the first intermission with serious intent. Just 19 seconds into the second period, Félix Sigouin (assisted by Justus Haavanlammi) got Tornado on the board. Less than two minutes later, Nolan Eriksson tied the game, finishing a play set up by Dmytro Danylenko and Julien Vogt.
The teams traded heavy blows throughout a wild second period. After Orléans retook the lead, Vogt answered back for Tornado (assisted by Danylenko and Luca Faure-Soulet) to make it 3-3. The visitors managed to sneak one more past the defense before the intermission, leaving Tornado trailing 4-3 heading into the final frame.
In the third period, Tornado’s persistence paid off when David Church unleashed a clutch goal (assisted by Rowan Miller and Jan Shikera) to tie the game at 4-4, sending the Kockelscheuer crowd into an absolute frenzy and forcing overtime.

Depth Scoring and the "Bonsai Line"
One of the major highlights of the night was the secondary scoring stepping up in a big way. The line of Nolan Eriksson, Julien Vogt, and Dmytro Danylenko was absolutely flying, combining for two crucial goals. With their combined height barely reaching 4 meters, they might just be the new "Bonsai Line"—small in stature, but incredibly fierce, deeply rooted in the offensive zone, and packing a massive punch! 

Shootout Heartbreak
After a tense, scoreless 5-minute overtime period, the game was decided in a penalty shootout. Despite a valiant effort and solid saves from Clément Ginier in net, Orléans managed to edge out Tornado 2-1 in the shootout rounds, securing the extra point.

Coach's Take: "Frustrating Result, but Plenty of Positives"
Head Coach Christer Eriksson shared his thoughts on a game that slipped away but offered plenty of promise for the rest of the season:
"A frustrating result, but still plenty of positives! After a night of replaying the game over and over in my head, I still feel that this was a game we could and probably should have won. Throughout the game, we showed that we have the quality, intensity, and offensive potential to compete and take control. We had some really strong periods of attacking hockey, created opportunities, and showed great character by constantly fighting our way back into the game."

Eriksson also highlighted the areas where the team must improve to secure these tight victories:
"Of course, there are lessons to take from this performance. We need to be more disciplined, make smarter decisions with and without the puck, and avoid individual mistakes that can be costly at this level. The biggest challenge now is to find more consistency and raise our lowest level throughout the full 60 minutes."

He was particularly thrilled with the depth scoring and the massive home support:
"On the positive side, it was really encouraging to see more players contributing offensively and getting on the scoresheet, rather than just relying on the guys who have been producing in previous games. That's an important step forward for us as a TEAM! And perhaps the biggest satisfaction of the evening was seeing an almost full house and experiencing that fantastic atmosphere! The crowd was amazing, and I'm sure everyone watching enjoyed a thrilling, nail-biting hockey game with plenty of emotions and excitement until the very end."

Looking Ahead: A Tough Road Trip
The shootout loss earns Tornado one point, placing them 7th in the highly competitive 10-team group with 4 points.
Now, the boys hit the road for a challenging two-game stretch. Next weekend, they travel to face Évry-Viry, a strong squad that has started the season with two wins and a tight overtime loss to Reims who will host Tornado the week after.

The team returns to the Kockelscheuer Cauldron on Saturday 7 November, to take on Courbevoie [Get your Ticket Here!].
We are moving in the right direction. Keep working, keep believing, and keep pushing together! The results will come as a consequence of our daily work! 

Allez Tornado! 💙🤍❤️