The Straubing Tigers are hot for the Champions Hockey League. The Lower Bavarian ice hockey club wants to shine on international ice. After a corona-related delay, the Tigers now want to know and are aiming for group victory.
On the second try the Straubing Tigers celebrate their ice hockey premiere in the Champions Hockey League (CHL). First Corona slowed down Lower Bavaria, now they finally want to shine on international ice. The first goal is clear: winning the group.
Tigers: Playoffs and European Cup fell victim to Corona
“We’re just up for it,” said striker Tim Brunnhuber before Friday’s opening game against twelve-time Polish champions Comarch Kraków, “the CHL has become a real house number and we want to achieve something there”.
In 2020, the Straubingers had already qualified for the CHL as third in the main round. But not just the playoffs fell victim to the corona pandemicbut also the European Cup in the following season.
Head of sport aims for group victory
Fourth last season, the Tigers bought their CHL ticket again alongside champions Eisbären Berlin, Red Bull Munich and Grizzlys Wolfsburg. The late debut not only sparked great anticipation, but also hope for sporting success, because the group F is solvable: Kraków and Austria’s Villacher SV would need to be overtaken by coach Tom Pokel’s team to join Swedish champions Färjestad BK in the knockout stages.
Sports director Jason Dunham had loudly demanded the “group victory” at the team presentation at the Gäubodenfest.
Vice-champion Munich wants to “attack again”
Clearly Vice-champion Munich has more experience in the CHL, which was the only German club to reach the final in 2019. Last season, Bayern were eliminated by Finnish champions Tappara Tampere in the semi-finals – not least because their internationals were already preparing for the Olympics.
Even in the preliminary round there is a chance for revenge. But first on Thursday we go to the Rapperswil-Jona Lakers in Switzerland. “It’s a sign of our quality that we’ve been consistently up front,” said national player Patrick Hager. “We’ll attack again.”
Also at the start in the CHL: Berlin and Wolfsburg
Master Berlin, who has never made it past the round of 16 in five appearances, has some catching up to do. Before the start on Thursday at the French champions Bruleurs des Loups Grenoble, coach Serge Aubin calculated that you have to win at least one away game, “and of course all three games at home”. Wolfsburg starts on Friday against the Swiss champions EV Zug.
Source: Regional news from Lower Bavaria 09/02/2022 – 06:00 a.m
