“We had to set a good example”: Biel coach Matikainen takes out the baton

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After the 2:3 in Langnau, the 13th defeat in 18 games, Biel coach Petri Matikainen (56) has had enough. “I didn’t like the game at all,” he said the next day. And the Finn, who worked in the police after his active career, takes action. He was banished to the stands against SCB, Mike Künzle and Jesper Olofsson, two players who played a major role in Zealand’s fantastic run last spring, which only ended in the seventh final match in Geneva.

What was the idea behind this measure? “They are healthy and haven’t played. That’s it,” says Matikainen. «I don’t want to talk about individual players. It’s not the time for it and it doesn’t match my philosophy. I tried to put the best team possible on the ice.”

The move, which could have put Antti Törmänen’s successor in trouble if he suffered another defeat, surprised some people in Biel. And it does not go unnoticed. Despite falling behind early on, Biel showed a strong performance full of determination and passion, winning the derby against Bern 2-1.

“I did what I had to do”

“This whole thing has been going on for far too long. The season is already more than a month and a half old. Of course we have injuries. But there comes a point where we had to do something to make a statement. We as coaches and we as an organization,” Matikainen explains. ‘And we played a very good match. Solid, over four lines. Against a strong opponent. This is what we needed.”

Maybe this is the day when EHC Biel can leave the good times under the kind and very popular Törmänen, who had to resign his position because he was suffering from cancer again, and start a new era. “Things may be different under me than before. But the players have to learn it. Otherwise it won’t work,” says Matikainen. “I did what I had to do.”

The Biel coach has unpacked the stick. And his sign is clear. In his words it sounds like this: «There are no names. When you give, you get. If you don’t give, you don’t get.” This is called the performance principle: “It was a game, but I want consistency. The fact that we had injuries cannot be an excuse. We can always go out and fight with the guys we have.

After the victory over SCB, the Finn, who was twice coach of the year in his home country and led Klagenfurt to the championship title in 2019 and 2021, is relieved that Nati’s breakthrough is coming and is satisfied. “We played in many areas as I would like,” he says, also praising Yannick Rathgeb and Yanick Stampfli, whom he moved from defense to attack for the match against SCB.

Source : Blick