Rouen Extends Lead in Ligue Magnus with Victory Over Grenoble
Rouen defeated Grenoble 5-3 Thursday evening in a top-of-the-table clash in France’s Ligue Magnus ice hockey league, solidifying their position as league leaders. The victory came before the Olympic break for the upcoming games in Milan.
The game, played at the Rouen ice rink, saw a dramatic shift in momentum after Grenoble took a commanding 3-1 lead after two periods. Goals from Christophe Boivin, Valentin Grossetête, and François Beauchemin put the defending champions in a strong position.
However, Rouen mounted a remarkable comeback in the third period, scoring four unanswered goals. Vincent Nesa ignited the rally, followed by two goals from Chase Gresock, an American forward who ultimately scored a hat trick for Rouen. Patrick Holway added an empty-net goal to seal the victory.
Prior to the Olympic break, Rouen had already demonstrated their dominance by defeating Grenoble 6-1 in the Coupe de France final. Thursday’s win extends Rouen’s lead over Grenoble to eight points in the Ligue Magnus standings.
Several players with ties to the French national team participated in the game. Anthony Rech and Florian Chakiachvili skated for Rouen, while Pierre Crinon and Aurélien Dair represented Grenoble. Sacha Treille, the captain of Grenoble’s Brûleurs de Loups, was not in the lineup.
Elsewhere in the league, the Ducs d’Angers were scheduled to play, but their match against Gap was postponed due to severe flooding in western France. Other results saw Bordeaux and Marseille both suffer defeats.
The Dragons de Rouen are building on a successful recent history. They were the league champions in the 2022-23 season, defeating the Brûleurs de Loups 4 games to 2 in the finals. The Brûleurs de Loups had finished the regular season with the best record.
