Before the obligatory start of the polar bears Berlin –
“We are the hunted, that’s a nice feeling”
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–rbb UM 6 | 08/27/2021 | Sebastian Meyer | Image: imago images/Beautiful Sports
After winning the championship, the Eisbären Berlin should have an even harder time in the coming season. Kevin Clark is the crucial piece of the puzzle for the mission to defend the title. The first compulsory test of strength awaits on Friday. By Shea Westhoff
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Actually, it is the corona virus that is causing great uncertainties in sports. But the two big question marks that circled the Berlin polar bear team during the preparation for the ice hockey season had, for once, little to do with the pandemic.
For the Berliners, the questions revolved around the squad: Can the six professionals who signed up for the summer break make up for the numerous farewells in the new season? In particular, the departures of assistant captain John Ramage and playoff MVP Ryan McKiernan hurt. And how will the team cope with the role of defending champion? For the first time since 2013, the Berliners won the trophy of the German Ice Hockey League.
The polar bears’ upcoming competitive game, which they will contest against the Finnish record champions Tappara Tampere in the Champions Hockey League on Friday (8:15 p.m.), should provide the first information.
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Coach Aubin and Kevin Clark already know each other
Before the first test of strength, polar bear captain Frank Hördler looks optimistically at the new staff on the sidelines of the training session in the venerable corrugated iron palace: “We knew one or the other from earlier in the league are”. This applies to the Danish international Nicholas B. Jensen, who moved from Düsseldorf to Berlin, and to Morgan Ellis, who was signed by ERC Ingolstadt.
But above all, Hördler is probably referring to striker Kevin Clark, who poured the Berliners several times during his time with the Krefeld Pinguinen and Hamburg Freezers. It is very convenient for the polar bears that coach Serge Aubin still knows Clark’s top commitment from his tenure with the Freezers. He was the most successful shooter in the main round under Aubin in 2015, and was also voted MVP, the most valuable player in the league.
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New arrivals from NHL farm teams have come together well
“He’s an incredibly technically adept player, very good running,” enthuses Hördler. “He’s not afraid to go where it hurts. He’s very agile and agile, that’s incredibly difficult to defend – and that’s why he’ll open up a lot of opportunities for us.”
Clark himself reports of a good start in Berlin: “The guys have welcomed me very well. And it doesn’t take long before you realize how great it is to be able to play in this city and our hall. I feel good.”
The polar bears played a solid preparation and were able to win three of the four test matches, including against the Wolfburg Grizzlys team, which was already defeated in the DEL final series in 2021.
For the upcoming CHL games, the Berliners can thank the game plan, which gives them psychological support at the start of the season: The polar bears can play the first two competitive games against Tampere and two days later against Sweden’s Skelleftea AIK at home in the Mercedes-Benz Arena. The third opponent in the preliminary round is HC Lugano from Switzerland.
Up to 2,000 spectators can be present in the hall, the 3-G guidelines apply, according to which visitors either have a current negative corona test, have proven to have recovered from an illness or be fully vaccinated against the corona virus.
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Happy to be hunted
Polar bear veteran Frank Hördler is looking forward to the 2021/2022 season. “We’re the hunted, that’s a nice feeling. We want to confirm what we achieved last year,” he says. And then put something into perspective: “It’s always a question of injuries, of course. But I think we’re in a good position.”
Skate artist Kevin Clark formulates his ambitions for the DEL season more clearly: “Of course we want number nine.” They’re hunted, but the polar bears don’t seem uncomfortable in the role.
