The polar bears usually come to the VIP room in the Mercedes-Benz Arena after every game. Eating and drinking, talking to friends and fans of the club. Not so on Thursday after the final against Mannheim. The first final is only around 22 hours later.
“We can enjoy that for half an hour and then we have to switch quickly,” said Trainer Serge Aubin. Finally, after the well-deserved 3-0 win in the decisive fifth semi-final game against Adler Mannheim, the defending champion will welcome EHC Red Bull Munich this Friday evening (7.30 p.m. / Magentasport and ServusTV) to kick off the final round in the Arena am Ostbahnhof.
The fact that Munich had a four-day break after their 3-0 series win against the Wolfsburg Grizzlys, while the polar bears had to go the full distance in the semifinals, doesn’t worry Aubin: “We can’t influence the game plan, and that doesn’t matter “, he said.
Aubin promises: “We will be ready. The guys are fit, they can get a good night’s sleep and then we’ll get back on the ice. I think that will be absolutely no problem.”
captain Frank Hoerdler relies on the momentum after the success in the high-class series against the Adler: “You have to pay a lot of respect to the Mannheim team. It was certainly a tough fight. But we’re euphoric now, we’re hot for the final,” said the 37-year-old defender, who was on the team for all eight DEL titles of the record champions.
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“We don’t even have it in our heads that there are quite a few games coming up in a few days. We have to fight our way from game to game. Friday is the first day in the final, and then we’ll see what’s next,” said Hördler.
dpa
