In their last game of the Group Stage of the 2015 IIHF World Championship, France came from behind to win in a shootout to avoid relegation. Afterward, IFK Helsinki defenceman Yohann Auvitu was still full of emotion.
by Derek O'Brien
PRAGUE – The 2014 World Championship in Minsk was a success for Team France, as they scored a couple of upset victories against some of hockey's top powers and made the quarter-finals. A defensive defenceman, Yohann Auvitu played a big part in his national team's success.
“I’ve been working very hard on my on-ice abilities, I've improved my physical conditioning and now I am where I am,” he said during last year's tournament. “I can use these experiences also with the national team now, which I'm very happy about.”
This 2014–15 season was Auvitu's seventh in Finland, but his first with IFK Helsinki. There he also played a key role on his team's defence, both in the Liiga and the Champions Hockey League – where he recorded six assists in eight games.
His season was good enough to earn a spot in his sixth straight World Championship. This year it didn't go so well for France, though, and the team faced relegation in its last game against Latvia. Trailing 2–0 in the third period, they scored twice and eventually won in a shootout to remain in the top group. It was a dramatic victory, and the 25-year-old blueliner was still full of emotion in the moments following the game.
Yohann, could you possibly find the words to describe that victory?
Oh my God, unbelievable! It was really hard to believe we could do it, but we showed some good character. They were leading 2-0 but we knew we could do it – we did it before. Emotionally it's a rollercoaster and you've got to manage that during the game.
Was it frustrating for the team to have so many shots but still no goals into the third period?
Yeah, of course. When you see that you're out-shooting them 2 to 1 but you don't score, you start to wonder what you're doing wrong. But we truly believed that with hard work, the goals were going to come at some point.
In the dying seconds of the third period, your teammate Julien Desrosiers had a breakaway with a chance to win it in regulation time. What were you thinking when you saw that?
Oh my God! (laughing and after a pause) . . . I was watching from the bench and, you know, it happened so fast. As I said before, it's a rollercoaster. I was up and then down and then up again.
Last year your team made it to the quarter-finals. What was the difference between last year and this year?
I believe that between going to the quarter-finals and being relegated, there is very little difference. These teams are so close together and the games are so close, it's just a matter of getting the bounces sometimes. Last year the bounces were with us and this year, not as much. It's really tight, you know, not very much between these two positions.
France is set to co-host the 2017 World Championship. How bad would it have been to get relegated?
Let's be honest, it would have been terrible! For us as a team and for the federation. Now I don't want to think about that anymore. We made it.
Now that it's over for you, what are your thoughts on this World Championship overall?
Of course we're not happy about our tournament – we think it could have gone better. But right now we're happy to win that last game and to stay up in the top group. It's a nice feeling to end the season.
Now looking ahead to your summer, how are you going to spend it? I suppose you're heading back to IFK Helsinki next season?
Yes, I have another season there on my contract. I enjoy it there and I'm happy. Now I have some time to relax a little bit but soon it will be time to start summer training and looking ahead to next season.