Brutal reality check for the Tapola team: the new SCB is shown its limits

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“Is the new SCB already a title contender?” Blick asked after the Bernese team had won four games in a row – including against the leader from Zurich (3:2 nP).

The SCB itself gave the answer: No – or at least not yet. In Lausanne, Jussi Tapola’s (49) team put on a desolate performance on Friday, scoring just 17 shots on target in the 4-1 defeat. The next day in the Zähringer Derby the performance was better. But after Christoph Bertschy’s shorthand made the score 1:2 four seconds before the second break, Bern found no way to upset the strong Freiburg team and lost 5-1 at home in front of almost 17,000 fans. A bitter dampener.

Although the SCB managed to please with its physical presence and directness, the attack lacked the ideas and creativity to iron out the mistakes they made in denying goals. “We’re missing our offense a little bit. We have to create more opportunities. We miss the rhythm of the game in attack. We have to work on that,” says Tapola. “It’s a bit of a system issue and a bit of a self-confidence issue. But we have to be better with the puck.”

Did the short goal make the difference? «The shorthand was heavy. But it didn’t have to be decisive. It was only 1:2 and there was still a third to play. We were perhaps a bit vulnerable after playing very poorly in Lausanne on Friday. We have to talk about that,” says the SCB coach.

Doubts do not seem to strike the former teacher, who led Tappara Tampere to the second national title in a row and victory in the Champions League last season. “We have everything we need: system, players, wardrobe,” said the Finn. ‘We have the quality. The only question is how we get them on the ice.”

While his players are frustrated and dejected after the derby defeat, Tapola is disappointed but calm and relaxed. “We are still in the middle of development. This doesn’t just happen overnight. On the way to becoming a top team offensively and defensively, you take a few steps forward, then there are some setbacks.” And he adds: “The games are becoming increasingly difficult and closer. We have to find a way to keep the exciting matches to win,” says Tapola.

SCB still has fourteen qualifying matches ahead of it. The fifth-place team cannot afford to take too many steps backward if they do not want to risk direct play-off qualification. The pursuers remain in close contact with each other – and are the next opponents: first Lugano twice, then Davos.

Source : Blick