Poland fell short to France and complicated their fight for salvation

France defeated Poland 4:2 in a rescue battle. The Gallic country was the dominant team for most of the match and Poland rarely got into scoring positions. More or less both goals scored by our neighbours fell after mistakes of the opponent.

The opening goal of the evening match at Ostravar Arena was scored in the ninth minute. Justin Addamo snuck into the offensive zone along the right boards and scored the opening goal with a shot almost from the goal line. Goalkeeper John Murray can’t have a clear conscience, the shot came from a great angle.

Addamo was also responsible for his team’s second goal. Seconds before the goal was scored, Addamo took a shot from a promising position, but Murray stopped it. However, when Vítkov’s Yohann Auvitu flicked the puck in from the blue line and Addamo set up his stick for a touch, the Polish goalie was short.

France then offered Poland two power-play opportunities, but neither was used. Poland didn’t even get the dangerous shots they should have gotten in the game against France. At the end of the opening period, Poland’s shot clock read 3.

The Poles didn’t have the best start to the second period as they offered France a power play. Stéphane Da Costa made space on the right circle, hesitated for a long time, but finally directed his shot under the crossbar of helpless Murray.

In the eighth minute of the middle part of the game, Pierre-Édouard Bellemare increased the gap to four goals, again on the power play. Poland’s goalie Tomas Fucik was already in front of the net when a shot by Seattle’s Da Costa was caught between his legs.

Poland got on the board thanks to a mistake by goalie Sebastian Ylonen. The French goalkeeper mishandled the ball and his opponent had a huge opportunity, which was capped by a Dominik Pas goal.

France’s defence made another mistake in the 18th minute of the second period. From a seemingly calm situation in the Polish team’s offensive zone, Bartosz Fraszek made an independent break. The Polish forward didn’t hesitate, fired over the crossbar and reduced the score to 2:4.

In the last part of the game, France kept the two-goal lead and took all 3 points from the game that probably decided Poland’s relegation. The game was decided mainly by a great start to the second period by France.

Source: IIHF