Van Pottelberghe about difficult season: ‘Nagging and complaining does me no good’

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It was the big surprise in the first play-off quarter-final between the ZSC Lions and Biel (4:3). When Biel’s sports director and interim coach Martin Steinegger (52) suddenly pulled Joren van Pottelberghe (26) out of the hat and put him in goal instead of regular goalkeeper Harri Säteri (34).

The goalkeeper, who will move to Lugano next season, last played in the National League on January 30, in a 2-3 defeat to Bern. The Nati goalkeeper (two appearances this season) was then overlooked in the closing stages of the career of the now-fired Petri Matikainen, just as he was in the first seven games under Steinegger.

Energy management makes a comeback possible

“It’s about energy management,” is how Steinegger explains his decision to help Van Pottelberghe make his eleventh appearance for Biel this season. He also missed two injured strikers, Jérôme Bachofner and Luca Hischier, so he was able to give his attack the necessary width again by bringing in the foreigner Jesper Olofsson, who was always in surplus.

However, betting on a goalkeeper who has not played for so long was not without risk. But Van Pottelberghe showed a calm, good performance – even if he was a little unlucky with Denis Malgin’s winning goal in Zurich.

Not an easy situation

“It was a shame because I stabbed it and the puck then slid off the skate and onto his stick. But there’s not much I can do about it; Personally, it is the second and third goals that bother me more,” said Van Pottelberghe self-critically. But in principle he is happy with his comeback. There are always things that can be improved.

The situation is not easy for him because it is not possible to simulate matches in training, Van Pottelberghe admits. “But it has been like this all season and now I have found a rhythm for myself so that I can make the best of it.” Letting himself go was not an option for him: “It doesn’t help me if I bury my head in the sand, whine and complain. I want to make the best of the time I have left in Biel – for myself and the team. ”

The great joy of the competition

Van Pottelberge reveals that he has recently started working with a mental trainer: “That has undoubtedly helped me to stay calm and focused.” But above all, he also felt enormous joy in his efforts: “What could be more fun than a play-off match against ZSC in a full stadium?”

In principle, it can be assumed that Säteri will be back in the Bieler goal in quarter-final game 2 on Monday. The Finnish Olympic champion and world champion guided the Zeelanders through the play-ins to the play-offs in recent weeks with top performances. But Van Pottelberghe showed on Saturday that he can also count on him when necessary.

Source : Blick