When Eisbären pros wear a white jersey during training, that’s usually a good sign. After an injury, something is still missing to race over the ice with your colleagues. But at least there is a realistic perspective of a timely comeback. This obviously also applies to Leo Pföderl, who played to a reduced extent on the training ice in Hohenschönhausen on Thursday morning.
So there is hope that the Berliners can go into the decisive phase of the season with almost the best players. With the exception of the striker, the coaching team was able to gather all the professionals around them at the unit before the final weekend of the main round.
“So I will only make some personnel decisions at short notice,” said head coach Serge Aubin. In the renewed duel with the Straubing Tigers on Friday (7.30 p.m.), who had taught the polar bears a bitter 3:6 defeat on Sunday after a 3:1 lead, two of the eleven players with foreign passports have to watch. Recently, the selection was easier because some professionals still had minor ailments to cure.
Attacker Kevin Clark is of course convinced of his commitment, also because he is looking for compensation after the 0:5 in the last third on Sunday. “This game is extremely important for us. We only have two games left before the playoffs. They are a strong team that consistently exploited our mistakes.”
Face masks no longer have to be worn in Berlin
The game in the stadium at the Pulverturm will also give a foretaste of the mood that will prevail in the German ice hockey stadiums in the next few days. On Thursday, the polar bears announced that the arena could again be used to full capacity for the last home game of the main round against Bietigheim on Sunday (2 p.m.). Vaccination and test certificates are eliminated, as is the obligation to wear mouth and nose protection. Even if the polar bears strongly recommend putting on the mask.
It is a worthy, albeit controversial, setting to crown a main round that has set standards, especially on foreign ice. After 20 of the 26 away games, the polar bears left the ice as winners. Overall, Aubin’s side have picked up just 16 points short of the maximum haul of 78 points here.
“That is a very decisive factor in our success,” the head coach knows. “It’s not easy playing away with travel. But this team is one big family that also sticks together on the road.” Sporting director Stéphane Richer adds: “The away record speaks for the leadership quality we have in the team.”
If everything goes well, Leo Pföderl will soon be able to play his part again and leave the white jersey in the dressing room.
