In a case of role reversal, Moscow Spartak took too many penalties Monday and was shelled by mighty Paris 5-1 in the opening game of the EURO Cup finals. Three Paris defensemen scored in the game and the Rouges Eiffels’ powerplay was masterful, clicking on 4 of 9 opportunities. Paris kept feeding the puck to the point and Alex Pietrangelo, and the defensemen managed to fire 7 shots on Jaro Halak in the Moscow goal. And with Moscow’s penalty killers on the ice so much, the Spartak offense couldn’t get rolling, which allowed the Paris assault to remain relentless. The Eiffels outshot Spartak 20-6 in the first period and 44-22 in the game. David Perron led all scorers with three points (1 goal and 2 assists), while Pietrangelo, Kris Letang, Corey Perry and Evgeny Malkin all had 2-point games. Anze Kopitar played well for Moscow, scoring their lone goal, leading them in shots with 6 and tying for the team lead in hits with 4.

No one is expecting Paris to have it so easy in upcoming games. Back home in Russia, the result led to some interesting backlash. Fans started fires near the Kremlin and coach Glen Gulutzan was burned in effigy.  President Vladimir Putin said “France is no longer a friend,” and reports of Russian naval vessels congregating north of the Belgian coast have French military leaders in an atypical serious mood.