ice Hockey
Munich DEL stuttering start: Söderholm expects improvement
EHC Red Bull Munich defeated Düsseldorfer EG 4-2 at the start of the DEL season. photo
© Sven Hoppe/dpa
Red Bull Munich starts the new DEL season with a win. But the favorite made a lot of mistakes against Düsseldorf and had to tremble. Coach Söderholm finds critical words.
At least the result was right for Toni Söderholm on his debut as a coach in Germany Ice hockey league. After his EHC Red Bull Munich’s 4-2 win in the opening game of the new season against Düsseldorfer EG, the former national coach knew that the team still had to improve.
“We can consider ourselves lucky to have won the game in the end,” said the Finn, criticizing many of the championship favorites’ negligence.
Two late goals from Trevor Parkes and Maximilian Kastner secured victory for the hosts on Thursday evening after the Düsseldorf team had also surprisingly managed to equalize 2-2 with a double strike in the final period. The key to Munich’s success was the power play, which enabled the EHC to score the first three goals. “We didn’t deliver well in the five-a-side game,” complained Söderholm.
“Do we want to be champions again”
The negligence must be remedied, said the coach, who succeeded DEL record coach Don Jackson before the season. The reigning champion will be visiting the Mannheim Adler on Sunday for the first top game between two title candidates this season. Two motivated teams, a lot of speed and tough duels: all that awaits Söderholm. “It will be advertising for German ice hockey.”
“Of course we want to be champions again,” said match winner Parkes after the game in the Olympic ice rink – that is always the goal for a club like Red Bull Munich. Bayern are also aiming for a successful season in the Champions Hockey League. In order to be able to hold its own in the decisive games there, especially against the elite teams from Scandinavia, Munich still has work to do.