Goalgetter who are not (yet): These are the problem areas at EHC Kloten

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Do you have any concerns about the EHC Kloten? In the second season after promotion, some problem areas came to light that could not have been expected after the last championship. The Zurich Unterlanders are getting nowhere and haven’t even scored a goal per game in their three straight defeats lately.

Goalkeepers who are not (yet): Ang and Ojamäki

Jonathan Ang scored twenty goals in his first NL season last year. The Canadian was Kloten’s trouvaille, he came over from Swissliga club Thurgau. But right now, the 25-year-old is just a shadow of his former self. His third goal of the season (in the 1-2 win against Bern) was “a little relief” for him after six goalless games, as he says.

He tries to think as little as possible about his personal bear market or the fact that his contract expires at the end of the season and his future is still open. “Otherwise it will stick in your head.” Does the situation still bother him? He only gets worried when he can no longer create chances. Nevertheless: his irresistible solos are no longer a surprise for opponents, Ang’s influence on the game is far from that of last season.

But the offensively acclaimed Niko Ojamäki (28, from Tappara) is not yet up to speed. The Finn was one of the top scorers in the Finnish Liiga last season, scoring just twice for Kloten. His compatriot Miro Aaltonen (30) cannot yet show him as he had hoped.

Goalkeeper Metsola attacked

Because the Kloteners score on average only two goals per match and the average goal conceded by Juha Metsola (34) is three, the calculation is simple. In top form, the Finn gives the team the chance to win a match at any time. Since last season he is used to being shot at a lot. Yet he doesn’t always look stylish behind the more unstable defence. In addition, his replacement Sandro Zurkirchen (33) is currently injured, meaning Metsola is doomed to play.

Gerry Fleming, the new coach

New coach Gerry Fleming has not yet found any top lines. Also because the Canadian has to change regularly due to injury-related absences. “It’s difficult to find the right chemistry,” says the 56-year-old, who has only really disappointed in four games so far. Fleming does not think comparisons with last season (16 points after 16 games, now 14) are that important.

He prefers to stay in the present. “We need to fix the construction sites and move forward to pull ourselves out of this hole.” He has no doubts about the commitment of his players. However, he did himself no favors with his position in the team by deciding to let defender Lucas Ekestahl-Jonsson (Sd, 27) languish in the stands.

The power play

Even in the power game it doesn’t click at all. Last season with a success rate of 24.6 percent with the best power play, Kloten achieved 13.7 percent (6 goals) so far. ‘That’s true,’ says Fleming, ‘it has to be better. With the power play you can also create energy and gain momentum.”

Source : Blick