Tight Loss in Overtime: Tornado Gives Fans a Nail-Biter
10th November 2024
Tornado Luxembourg
Photographed by Luc Cordebar
On Saturday evening, 417 fans filled the Kockelscheuer rink to watch Tornado face off against Renards d’Orléans. With both teams neck-and-neck in the standings, this game was anyone's to take, and Tornado fans were in for quite the ride.
Orléans came out swinging, with their top line striking twice in the first ten minutes for a quick 2-0 lead. But Tornado’s veteran Latvian, Juris Upitis, wasn’t having any of it. He answered back just two minutes later, narrowing the gap to 2-1 and giving fans a reason to roar. However, Orléans slipped one more goal in before the end of the period, finishing the first with a 3-1 advantage.
In the second period, Tornado shifted gears and took control of the puck. Midway through the period, Kevin Grönlund marked his comeback with a much-needed goal, putting Tornado within reach at 3-2. Then, in the final minute of the period, Orléans took back-to-back penalties, and Tornado pounced. Upitis struck again, followed by Julien Vogt, and suddenly Tornado had turned the game around, finishing the second period up 4-3. The crowd was electric, especially with the Tornado Ultras fangroup cheering their team on louder than ever.
The third period began with both teams hungry for more, and it wasn’t long before they each found the net. Tornado’s goal was an absolute beauty—Greg Holodkovs went bar downsky straight off the face-off, sending a shockwave of excitement through the arena. But as the clock ticked down, Tornado just couldn’t find that elusive game-winner, and the game slipped into overtime.
Overtime was heartbreakingly brief—just 14 seconds in, Orléans netted the winner, leaving Tornado fans on the edge of their seats and still waiting for that first home victory.
While the final score didn’t go Tornado’s way, the team continues to show moments of brilliance. One standout performance came from young defender Félix Konsbruck, who made an impressive home debut at just 17 years old. The young player held his ground and showed he’s ready to play at this level, earning respect from fans and teammates alike.
Next weekend, Tornado will head to Lille to face Wasquehal. After that, fans can look forward to two back-to-back home games as Français Volants and Courbevoie come to Luxembourg. The hunt for the first home win continues—don’t miss it!