As the currently ranked 20th team in the Champions Hockey League Regular Season Standings, the Rouen Dragons are not able to qualify for the Playoffs. Their current tally of three points comes from a single 1-0 win against Swedish side Skellefteå AIK and is in stark contrast to their 2021/22 campaign which saw them reach the CHL Quarter-Finals. 

Unfortunately for the reigning French champions, they were unable to secure any further wins, although their last game was a close 3-2 loss against second-ranked Adler Mannheim. That aside, Rouen have one of the best powerplays in the league, converting nearly 28% of their man advantage minutes. 

Head Coach Fabrice Lhenry’s team will line up against fourth-ranked Ilves Tampere for their final Regular Season game. “Ilves are a team that have been competing for the top spot in Finland for a few years now. Despite a dozen players leaving, they remain a very competitive team that want to go far in the CHL. It will be a chance for our supporters to see them play in Rouen,” said Lhenry, who couldn’t have been more accurate.  

With 12 points in their Regular Season tally, Ilves are just two points behind CHL leaders the Växjö Lakers. The Finns kicked off their CHL campaign with a four-game winning streak, including a shootout win against Vítkovice Ridera, but Färjestad Karlstad would put an end to that run, besting Ilves 4-3 in OT in their last game.  

Czech Forwards Šimon Stránský and Petr Kodýtek have been weapons for the Finns notching 8 points (1G, 7A) and 7 points (2G, 5A) respectively, while 28-year-old American Les Lancaster has been offensively superb from the blueline amassing 7 points (5G, 2A). Described as a “highly skilled and creative defenceman”, Lancaster shares the honour of top-ranked goal scorer along with Innsbruck’s Corey Mackin, and surpassed his previous season’s performance where he recorded three assists over six games. 

Quality netminding from Jonas Gunnarsson and Jakub Málek has also been a strength of Ilves who are one of only two teams (the other being Oceláři Třinec) which have multiple goalkeepers ranking in the top 13! Ranked sixth among goalkeepers, Gunnarsson has given up just 3 goals in three games for a save average of 94.74%, compared to Málek’s 9, in four games, for 92.74%.   

With a ticket to the Playoffs already secured, Ilves’ Head Coach Antti Pennanen’s team stands in a good position, and is embracing gaining experience against a new team: “Rouen are going to be a new opponent for all of us. We’re excited to get to know yet another culture and style of hockey. I’m really looking forward to playing against them.”