This shows how netting is used to replace glace behind the net. Interesting....
We did not play very well and some costly turn overs lead to a few goals for the home side. Penalties were also a factor in our demise as we sent many players to the penalty box/area. You will understand when you scroll down to the pictures. We end up losing the game 4-1, even though we out shot them 44-22. I think I had about 5 shots myself, hitting the goalie in the mask twice. In Europe, if you hit the goalie in the head with a shot, it is an automatic whistle. Finally I was able to convert on a nifty pass from Ilpo Salmivirta to get our only goal of the game, but it was too little too late as there was just over 3 minutes left to play in the game.
If this sign was not posted indicating that this designated area is the penalty box, things would have been very confusing.
Where is our team bench? I guess we'll just sit in Detroit's old Tiger Stadium bleachers
I have to give them credit here though, nearly all of the arenas in France have natural light coming through.
The only thing that you can take away from losing on the road is that you get to have a nice meal afterwards in a french restaurant. Win or lose, it is always a salad, main course which usually depends on the region we are in. In the Alps we often have a tartiflette, but other times we have pasta, chicken, beef etc. Finished off with a nice dessert, I always hope for Creme Brulée, but it seems the staple here is "Tarte aux pommes" (apple pie). However, in Neuilly, we get right on the bus and are provided with these lame sandwiches, and I mean lame! We are allowed 2 and have the choice of jambon (ham) or fromage (cheese). You may think I am forgetting to mention what else is on these baguettes but I'm not, that's it! So to save carbs, I take the cheese out of the one baguette and put it with the ham on the other. for 1 ham and cheese sandwich. By the way I was kidding about the carbs.
So there you have it, instead of this nice french style meal after the road game, we are stuck with losing to one of the worst teams in the league, playing in the worst rink in the world, and eating the worst post game meal. Oh and did I mention we had to watch, Borat, and Fight Club on the bus? I am still shocked how well Brad Pitt speaks french!
5 comments:
Faire avec les moyens du bord... lol
This rink is a shame for Magnus, even tough they've won the right to play in Magnus, they SHOULDN'T have been allowed to play in such a crap arena!
Interesting blog. Good luck with Les Dauphins:)
As a fan of Neuilly my first reaction was anger and dislike to your article. The first thing you usually learn in sport is respect of your team, of the referee, and of your adversary. Your comments are not exactly the best example of respect to give to our kids.
Yes you are right, our arean is not as large nor modern as we would like. But we are proud of our team and of theri results.
And your article just give us extra motivation to work harder to remain in magnus
Greeting Stephane,
When I began ice hockey in the age of 8 years in Briançon, the ice rink there was not covered and when snow started to fall we began the entrainement with a session of clearing of snow.
Illumination was assured by hanging light bulbs sons in 3 metres of the ice...
In this epoch, the club of Epinal did not exist ; while Briançon has already evolved in elite...
Today, in Neuilly I find the same will to work to develop the nicest of sports in spite of rigour of environment.
Perhaps that in Epinal this will to make well does not exist any more (safe against Rouen).
Good continuance in the luxury!
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