“We are ready for the final series” – Hockey-News.info
As of yesterday evening, it’s certain: The Red Bulls will meet Hydro Fehérvár AV19 in the final of the win2day ICE Hockey League. The Hungarians won the semi-final series against VSV with 4:1 victories and thus qualified for the ICE final round for the first time. They had previously beaten Pustertal 4-0, so they have only lost one game in the playoffs so far. The Red Bulls reached the final without a defeat.
One who knows about playoffs is Vincent LoVerde. The 32-year-old American joined the Red Bulls in the summer and has experience from seven knockout stages in the American Hockey League. ‘Vinny’ also won the AHL’s Calder Cup twice, in 2015 with the Manchester Monarchs and in 2018 with the Toronto Marlies.
In addition, he wore the “C” or “A” on his chest in the last seven seasons in the AHL, i.e. until his move to Salzburg. The seasoned defender was also part of the Red Bulls’ team captains from the start.
Vinny, the Red Bulls got their ticket to the final on Wednesday, how are you?
The mood is obviously good after we beat Vienna in four tough games. You can feel a good energy in the dressing room.
For you it’s right up to the final in your first year in Salzburg. How does that feel?
Of course that feels good. We played a successful first half and were then able to concentrate fully on the playoffs. And now we are ready for the final series.
Already in the regular season, but probably especially in the playoffs, it depends on a strong team cohesion. What sets the Red Bulls apart this year?
One reason for our success is the depth of the squad. We have a lot of players who could be high up the lineup on other teams. And we have players who understand their role in the team and are willing to give their all in every single game. All of this forms the basis for success.
You’ve already won the Calder Cup twice in your career. How can you bring this experience to the team here?
Each championship has its own character. But it’s not just me who has playoff experience, many other guys in our team have already played in a number of championship finals. We’re all just trying to play our best game together, using those experiences to help each other a lot.
What is particularly important now?
It’s important to stay calm. Especially when things don’t always go the way you imagine. We talked about it a lot in the dressing room and so far we’ve done it well. It will definitely be a lot tougher in the finals, but staying calm, staying calm during pressure phases and playing your own game are important factors in order to be successful.
What’s your gut feeling going into the finals when you come into the dressing room?
We’re a strong community, from good leaders to the young guys in the lineup. All of us together have done a good job so far and have mastered difficult situations well. We want to continue to focus on ourselves and our game, as we have done up until now. Then we can also be successful in the final.
www.redbulls.com, photo: GEPA pictures/ Daniel Schoenherr