Fans were not admitted to this strange conclusion of the Regular Season. But perhaps the biggest ZSC-Fan, surely the most influential, was on Saturday at the indoor stadium: President, Walter Frey took for once not in his box seat, but right in the middle of the empty stands. And, of course, he was one of the first well-wishers for the qualification victory. There was exuberant joy, but satisfaction with the Reached, mixed with the uncertainty of how it goes.

rank 1 after 50 Games is looking at the bigger picture, a Mature performance in the season after the fall into the Playout. From 2014 to 2016, the Lions under Marc Crawford seemed to have a subscription to the qualification victory. And it is no coincidence that you have found back under Rikard Grönborg there. He is like Crawford is your greatest strength play: He makes you run. That is not only effective, it also makes more Fun and is more entertaining. The Zurich is not only achieved the most goals (166), they shot clear to the majority of the opponent's goal, nearly 35 times per game.

Never three times in a series

Grönborg lost points, all Coach, first of all, on a different circumstance, and not without Pride: "We have lost in the whole qualification never more than twice in a row." As the only Team in the League, would be added. Thanks to their constancy, the Zurich alleged, just before train, Davos and Servette. "We were never in a panic," says Captain Patrick Geering. "There's always worse phases. With us, especially the December was moved by. But we always knew that we can hold on to our tactics."

Grönborg radiates as the head coach of peace and Confidence. Man has in him the feeling that he knew exactly what he was doing – that has rubbed off on the Team. And in the Finish it was back again to his dynamic style of play that had earned him the excellent start to the season. With six Wins from the last seven, the Zurich Play began the EVZ, on the finish straight.

On Friday, at 1:5 in Biel, should be considered a mitigating circumstance credited, that at first simply seemed to the Scenery overwhelmed in the empty Biel hall. On Saturday during the Showdown against the Zuger you were so professionally right from the start.

The Zurich made the Best of a bizarre Situation. "I told the DJ that he should make the music louder," said the League Topskorer Pius Suter with a grin. "I can't do otherwise because of the viewers. He turned full on. But clearly, several times, the do not need to be."

"of Course, we deserved rank 1. But the title we have to develop still."ZSC-Captain Patrick Geering to the Coronavirus.

the ZSC Lions and the EVZ, not like, you feel as an opponent for the title, by flashed in the course of the Evening, also without an audience. Especially after a rough attack of Diaz. Could meet the two Teams in the Playoff, however, only in the Final.

this Is the title?

But who knows, maybe given the people of Zurich this Saturday's 4:1 on the Zug, or even the title. Then, if in this season will not be played because of the measures against the Coronavirus. "I don't like to think at all," said Geering. "Of course, we deserved rank 1. But the title we have to develop still."

In the quarter-finals, it would have to do the Zurich to Lugano, the you in the skill, with his disciplined game prepared in accordance with the change of coach a lot of effort. It might come for you also to a reunion with her Ex-Goalie Schlegel, who was most recently the number 1. ZSC against Lugano is a classic, in the in eight series, seven times the away team was the last to 2018 in the Final of the ZSC Lions in the seventh game in the Resega.

The Bianconeri have since lost key figures such as Merzlikins, Furrer, Lapierre, or Hofmann, Zurich, seem to be rather even more busy. However, Geering says: "Against Lugano, there is always a big cramp." In 2018, the Captain shot in game 7, the ground-breaking 1:0, now he wants to write a new Chapter in this multi-faceted rivalry.

at some point, when it starts.

icebreaker – Hockey Podcast by Tamedia

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Created: 02.03.2020, 07:19 PM