The Rouen Dragons have repeated as French hockey champions, winning the Magnus Cup finals in six games over the Bordeaux Boxers. In the last game, the Dragons won 3-2 in overtime, with the decisive goal coming off the stick of Canadian left winger Christophe Boivin.
“With what I've been through, it's just incredible to score this goal,” Boivin told Théo Ganiage of Planète Hockey.
Boivin was a key member of last year’s championship team in Rouen as well, but shortly after the end of the season, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Boivin missed the first four months of the season getting treatment before returning to the lineup in mid January, a month before his 28th birthday.
“I am very happy that it was Christophe Boivin who scored the winning goal. He's had other battles to fight,” Rouen captain and playoff MVP Florian Chakiachvili told Olivier Paquereau of L’Équipe after the game.
“The story of Christophe Boivin united us,” said Dragons coach Fabrice Lhenry. “We saw him in good health. We followed him through this ordeal, his chemotherapy, he sent us photos. We helped him not to lose hope. I am very happy for him.”
Boivin didn't lose a step after returning to the lineup with nine points in just seven regular-season games. He then recorded 16 points in 15 playoff games, which was second on the team, and his nine goals led the playoffs.
Born in Quebec City, Boivin played four QMJHL seasons for the Acadie-Bathurst Titan and then three years of Canadian university hockey for UQTR. He then played a season and a bit for the Nottingham Panthers in the British EIHL before joining Rouen in 2022.
As for the Dragons, they’ve been by far France’s most successful hockey team over the past few decades – the recent back-to-back titles give them 18 since 1990. Aside from Boivin and Chakiachvili, other key players include Latvian Rolands Vigners, French national team veterans Anthony Rech and Loïc Lampérier, Canadians Francis Perron and Alexandre Maillet, and Slovenian goaltender Matija Pintarič.
In repeating as French champions, the Dragons return to the Champions Hockey League next season.