The play-offs were the goal for the EC Peiting.
To get there, the team has to take the detour via the pre-play-offs.
Now, of all times, the staffing is thin, but coach Sebastian Buchwieser remains calm.
Peiting - Now it's all about the sausage for the EC Peiting, i.e. reaching the play-offs - which was given as a clear goal before the start of the season.
In addition, the team of coach Sebastian Buchwieser has to prevail against the “Blue Devils Weiden” in the pre-play-offs, which will only be decided in two duels this year.
The rather unusual mode is not a problem for Buchwieser: “We take it as it comes.” The trainer has the same attitude when it comes to the direct opponent, the “Blue Devils Weiden”.
The opponent was only finally fixed after the last game day.
The ECDC Memmingen had a minimal lead in the quotient compared to Weiden, so that there could have been a shift.
"Each of the two opponents is difficult", Buchwieser sees no big difference, whether it is against Memmingen or now Weiden.
Reunion with Peitingern in the "Blue Devils" team
In the Upper Palatinate, there is definitely a reunion with a Peitinger trio that is in the service of the "Blue Devils".
Marco Habermann and Louis Latta storm on the ice, Ken Latta is active as the sports director behind the gang.
At the only meeting of the two teams this season - the two other planned duels shortly before the end of the main round fell victim to the Peitinger's Corona break - Ken Latta was still there as Weidener coach.
A little later he was replaced by Kim Collins, so that Latta can now fully concentrate on the managerial tasks.
In the last game of the Weidener on Tuesday in Rosenheim, which they won 3-2 after extra time, Ken Latta was still active as a coach because Collins was ill.
"Weiden has a very talented offensive team, which is also very well staffed across the board," says Buchwieser.
The top scorer in the Upper Palatinate is Edgar Homjakovs from Latvia (28 goals).
This puts him in third place in the league.
The Peitinger experienced the storm qualities of the Upper Palatinate when they lost 8: 9 after extra time.
"Detention" is a Weidener specialty, because all five games that went into overtime were won by the "Blue Devils".
The ECP, on the other hand, has its problems with overtime, which could result in a tie in points and goals in the second game.
Only once (in five games) did the Peitinger get the additional point.
In order to have strength for the extension, a large squad is an advantage.
But that cannot be said of the ECP.
EC Peiting has 15 field players available
In addition to the injured Elias Maier (broken ankle) and Dennis Neal (shoulder), Manuel Bartsch, Aziz Ehliz and Pius Seitz are missing.
Buchwieser only has 15 field players available.
"But we've had that a few times this season," says the ECP coach.
The three-week break in play caused by Corona gives him more stomach pain.
"That's why we tried to keep the intensity high during training and to prepare ourselves specifically for the opponent," said Buchwieser.
Today, Friday, the ECP is going to Weiden.
"It's important to get off to a good start," he expects a wide-awake demeanor.
"And we have to accelerate to the end."
The home game in Peiting will follow on Sunday (5 p.m.).
"That could be a small advantage in the event of an extension," says Buchwieser, who hopes that it won't come to that and that his men will make everything clear beforehand.
"We all want the season to continue after Sunday."
