Also on Friday at ESV Kaufbeuren, the DEL2 club will have to do without important players.
Among other things, top scorer Max French is paused again because of his groin injury.
Bad Tölz - So far, the turn of the year has not been the best omen for the Tölz ice hockey team.
In particular, the long-time impressive away strength was noticeably affected in the most recent games.
And at ESV Kaufbeuren (Friday, 7.30 p.m.), the Gaudet troop are on their third business trip in a row.
The Allgäu experienced a similar scene to the Tölzer - including a Corona break and a mixed up game plan. In principle, the Wertach collective is rated much better than the current table with tenth place suggests.
No easy task for the Lions, who continue to have to do without two of their top scorers.
There are certain areas of a human body that inevitably lead to worry lines in the world of sports, provided they are the focus of medical examinations.
Above all, of course, the knee, the damage of which is often accompanied by long compulsory breaks.
The groin area is also not to be underestimated when it comes to injury issues: a pinch in the adductors does not necessarily mean bad things, but permanent overload is certainly counterproductive.
With which the reason for Max French's failure is already mentioned.
The break during the week at the match in Bayreuth has undoubtedly helped the best Tölz goalscorer.
An immediate return to the ice is, however, denied from a medical point of view.
"I can't send Max on the ice because otherwise it could get worse," said coach Kevin Gaudet.
After Reid Gardiner, French is the second player to take a break due to groin problems.
If the long break in the competition in the office of Gardiner presumably hit, the cause at the dangerous goal center is the permanent presence, which has not excluded anyone in the small Löwen squad for weeks.
"If we play like this every week, it will happen automatically at some point," interjects the coach.
Thus, with French and Tyler McNeely, not only are two top contenders missing for the red helmet of the player with the highest points, but also two center forwards and initiators of several Tölzer attacks.
McNeely replacement Mario Lamoureux tries hard, but the US boy still lacks a bond with his fellow men.
Gaudet sees Lamoureux at a disadvantage in terms of speed: The Hungarian league, where the 32-year-old was last active, cannot be compared with the DEL2.
“He has to find a way to regain this pace,” emphasizes the coach.
So there are no more than the usual eight attackers left to counter the small negative trend that has taken hold.
This is "the curse of the small budget," says Gaudet with a slightly frustrated undertone.
But there are no accusations against Christian Donbeck.
On the contrary, the Canadian praises the managing director for signing four import players.
After all, at a meeting in April of the previous year, there was talk of only two foreigners.
There is no question that the situation will not get any easier with a view to the tasks ahead.
Five matches in the next ten days are waiting for the Buam.
After the jokers, the Tölzer meet the improved opponents from Dresden, Frankfurt, Heilbronn and Ravensburg.
There is practically no tactic for these tasks.
It's all about the physique of the players.
Gaudet has to pay attention to “our energy” with every change.
What makes him confident is the disciplined approach in recent encounters: With one penalty per game, you can “not blame” the team.
The coach is more concerned with the other anomaly: “Our susceptibility to errors is too high,” the 57-year-old notes.
Undoubtedly a late consequence of the intense Christmas season.
Does the coach see it like this: "I notice that we're a bit tired in our heads."
Also read:
Unsuccessful catch-up in Bayreuth
