ice Hockey
Dethroned DEL champion: Munich frustration after playoff knockout
The elimination in the playoff semi-finals against Bremerhaven ended an already mixed season for the Munich star ensemble. photo
© Carmen Jaspersen/dpa
Munich’s manager Winkler announces an analysis after a weak DEL season with a knockout in the playoff semi-finals. The coach doesn’t have to worry.
The disappointment of being dethroned Ice hockey champions EHC Red Bull Munich were big. Former national coach Toni Söderholm’s defending champion clearly lost the semi-final series against the Fischtown Pinguins from Bremerhaven by a score of 1:4.
A 3-0 defeat on the North Sea resulted in the final knockout. “We didn’t find a way,” said national player Maxi Kastner at MagentaSport. The elimination in the playoff semi-finals against Bremerhaven ended an already mixed season for the Munich star ensemble. Söderholm’s team disappointed with fifth place. The Finn will also be on the boards in the new arena next season. “That’s our plan, one hundred percent,” explained EHC manager Christian Winkler.
In the first year after coach Don Jackson, who won the title four times with Munich, Söderholm “had a very good first year,” according to Winkler. “Don’s footsteps were very big. But you also have to give Toni time to develop something,” explained the Munich manager.
Kastner: We didn’t find any consistency throughout the season
Only the quarter-final series against the Grizzlys Wolfsburg (4-0) gave hope for a short time, then followed the surprisingly quick exit against the first in the main round from Seestadt. “We didn’t find consistency throughout the season and weren’t able to start a winning streak,” complained Kastner.
Manager Winkler now wants to analyze the season and starts with himself. “First I look in the mirror and see what was done right and what wasn’t done well,” emphasized Winkler. “We will attack again next year with 100 percent certainty.”