The EHC needs the “Miracle of Zug”
Munich – The German likes to go to Switzerland for miracles. The footballers in 1954 on the “Miracle of Bern”. Over the years, one or the other money porter for wondrous tax savings. Anyone who needs divine assistance should make their way to Einsiedeln. And just 18 km as the crow flies from this Marienkapelle dedicated to Christ himself, the EHC Red Bull Munich needs a small, earthly miracle this Wednesday.
Game against EV Zug
Don Jackson’s team have to make up four goals from 7.45 p.m. (live on sport1.de) at Swiss champions EV Zug and one more shootout to make it into the quarter-finals of the Champions Hockey League (CHL). The damned first leg is to blame. In the first game after the international break, the EHC couldn’t get a foot on the ice for 40 minutes. In the final section he missed the big chances to improve the result (1:5).
Attacker Justin Schütz now says: “Of course it will be difficult, but they also have a four-goal advantage here, so we can also win with them.”
Trevor Parkes is injured
What makes the miracle – if it happens – appear even bigger: The EHC will be without Trevor Parkes for the next few weeks. The goalscorer on duty! He inflicts a lower body injury. The Eishackler couldn’t find a miracle healer like Braco (the one with the giving look) in a short time.
The eternal CHL statistics are not kind to the EHC either. Anyone who loses the first game, even if only by a goal, has poor chances in the European Ice Hockey Cup: In 128 playoff fixtures with a return leg, only 27 times did a team that lost the first game progress. But if not for the impossible, then what are miracles for?
Zug’s defense has shown itself to be shaky
Three points give the EHC hope of progressing. On the one hand, the experience of the past season. Patrick Hager & Co. had a decider in Zug – and won it 6:1. A distance that would now reach the quarterfinals. One learned from the game: It doesn’t just need the top scorers for a number like this. Schütz, the young man, double traffic. Zach Redmond, the defenseman, played big and scored four times.
Basically, that’s glimmer of hope number two, the number of goals seems possible this year too. Because Zug’s defense (stabilizer last) has often shown itself to be shaky this season. And when star goalie Leonardo Genoni has a bad day like last year…
There is also the third glimmer of hope: If you want to know how the miracle can work for the EHC, you have to look to central Sweden. In the crispbread factory village of Leksand, there used to be one like this. A year ago, after a 4-0 loss at Klagenfurter AC, the local club turned the round of 16 with an 8-1 triumph.
Maybe the EHC doesn’t even need a miracle. Just a whole lot of crispbread.
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