And suddenly the SCB flies over the ice

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SCB was on the verge of elimination on Saturday. If Toni Söderholm’s team had not scored against the ZSC Lions, the season would have ended prematurely, just like a year ago. But the Berner suddenly played ice hockey without complexes and doubts, without fluttering nervously, with supreme concentration, a lot of calm and a lot of energy.

“The Bernese were ready. And the first mission was leading: Tristan Scherwey landed a heavy check and got the fans in the mood,” said Lions coach Marc Crawford, who would have loved to be a spoilsport with his team, afterwards.

It sounded similar from Kloten coach Jeff Tomlinson after the 5-1 loss in the first game of the pre-playoffs on Tuesday. “Bern played very aggressively. They played physically and we were intimidated,” said the Canadian. Scherwey & Co. set the tone against the airport residents with a volley of checks in the initial phase.

“Everyone knows it’s playoff time now”

How is it possible that a team that has been disappointing for months suddenly comes across as confident and determined? “The emotions are greater than in the regular season,” says striker Tyler Ennis, who played extremely well on Tuesday and literally flew over the ice. “I think everyone knows it’s playoff time and you have to improve,” says the Canadian with the experience of 724 NHL games. “Last week or so we managed to improve well. But we know it was just a game and we have to keep going if we want to play for a long time.”

When asked heretically why this dynamic and spirited SCB hadn’t been seen before, the 33-year-old says: “The goal was always the same. But along the way there are always bumps and resistances that you have to deal with. Sometimes it takes a little longer to get a team develops.”

How far can the journey go for SCB this spring? “We can only watch the next game,” says the striker. Ennis wouldn’t be a hockey pro if he said otherwise. And no one knows if this transformed SCB can be trusted or if the uncertainty and tension will return as quickly as they disappeared.

Source : Blick