The Limited Times

Now you can see non-English news...

"Riessersee is my first point of contact"

2021-05-09T05:10:31.426Z


With the fourth DEL title it didn't come off. Now Maximilian Kastner is chasing after his next dream, that of his first world championship. In the Tagblatt interview, the 28-year-old Garmisch-Partenkirchner talks about his World Cup chances, the play-off with EHC Red Bull Munich and a possible return to SC Riessersee at the end of his career.


With the fourth DEL title it didn't come off.

Now Maximilian Kastner is chasing after his next dream, that of his first world championship.

In the Tagblatt interview, the 28-year-old Garmisch-Partenkirchner talks about his World Cup chances, the play-off with EHC Red Bull Munich and a possible return to SC Riessersee at the end of his career.

Mr. Kastner, you weren't there for the German national team's preparatory games against the Czech Republic, but now against Belarus.

Was that agreed in advance?

Yes and no.

I went to the games, but I already suffered a tear in my knee in the last DEL main round game against Düsseldorf.

I got through in the playoffs against Ingolstadt, but it got worse in the break afterwards.

Toni (national coach Toni Söderholm, editor's note) didn't want to take any chances and gave me the days to relax.

If it had been the World Cup the next day, I would still have wanted to play.

It was better that way.

Now I hope that I can play against Belarus again.

How do you rate the first batch of DEB selection?

The services were right, but not the results.

In the games against the Czech Republic, for example, you could have prevented one or the other move if you were outnumbered.

But that was very good, the guys deserved the win.

It's generally great that I can be there again.

It's also nice to be on the ice with the boys or to be able to spend time in the hotel.

The games serve to prepare for the World Cup, which begins on May 21 in Riga (Latvia).

How do you rate your chances of playing at your first World Cup?

It is difficult to judge when you can see who is still there and who has now been added.

I hope, of course, that I will be there and show that I have earned my place.

My strengths are above all in penalty killing.

But it will be very difficult because the quality in the squad is extremely high.

You have to show your best performance every day in training to be at the World Cup.

Ultimately, Toni makes the decision.

If I'm not part of the squad, he'll have his reasons, and vice versa (smiles).

I just have to do everything I can to make myself indispensable.

Let's move from the future to the recent past.

The season ended surprisingly early with EHC Red Bull Munich.

What were the reasons for the defeat in the playoff quarter-finals against ERC Ingolstadt?

I didn't think this would happen to us either.

If you look at the entire season, you saw that we had big problems against Ingolstadt.

We lost three out of four games.

Of course, Ingolstadt went into the quarter-finals with a broad chest.

But we had a good phase at the end of the main round and wanted to take that momentum with us.

But we just haven't shown what we can.

Ingolstadt was better in the first game.

I think you saw that from the outside too.

In the second, we were definitely the better team.

But in the end we conceded goals that were too simple and bit our teeth at the ERC goalie.

+

No getting past: In the second playoff game against Ingolstadt, Kastner (left) and Co. bit their teeth at Ingolstadt goalie Michael Garteig.

© Matthias Balk / DPA

The best-of-three series is a great opportunity for the underdog, isn't it?

Absolutely.

Not only did we have problems, Berlin and Mannheim also had difficulties.

You can now discuss it, I'm also sure that we would have shot it in a best-of-seven series.

But it would be too cheap to tie in our departure.

If you are not at 100 percent in the first game or if you are unlucky, you already have your back to the wall.

Then it's: do or die.

If you then make mistakes in the second game, then you quickly have a summer break.

On the other hand, you faced an old companion from the days at SC Riessersee, Tim Regan, the Ingolstadt team's assistant coach.

Did you have a quick chat?

Due to the corona restrictions, this was not possible, we only had eye contact during the games and said hello to each other.

After the series I wrote to him 'Congratulations on reaching the semi-finals' - unfortunately I had to write (smiles).

But Ingolstadt deserved it and also played a strong series against Berlin.

There are always surprises, that's sport.

That makes it exciting.

You have to be there when it matters.

And we weren't 100 percent this year.

How do you rate your own performance during the season?

I got off to a good start, but then it got more difficult because I was injured too.

In the end I found a very good series with Jayjay and Yasin (John Peterka and Yasin Ehliz, editor's note).

Overall, I am satisfied.

I also got the feedback in the final interviews.

In addition, I am now at an age at which I should and can lead the younger players more.

You shouldn't run to the coach with every little question, we, more experienced players, should do that too.

I'm just supposed to take on an even bigger leadership role in the team.

How did you experience this corona season in general?

We started the preparation at the beginning of August and we were very busy.

But the start was then repeatedly postponed.

As a result, such preparation goes on forever.

We trained a lot and had already played ten test matches by the end of October.

Mentally it wasn't easy, because the start of the season was questionable for a long time.

When it finally got going after the MagentaSport Cup, we were just happy.

In the long run, friendlies are a little lacking in appeal.

You just take great care not to injure yourself.

In addition, games were played in empty stadiums.

It's not the same without fans, sport lives from it.

I personally benefit from it a lot, I get carried away when the fans are in the right mood.

So it was a shame, of course, but also understandable.

It would have been strange if the stadium was full or half full, but at the same time restaurants and so on weren't allowed to open.

That would not have suited the overall situation.

It felt like it was in my youth, especially in stadiums like Munich, Mannheim, Cologne, Berlin, where there are usually over 10,000 spectators.

I hope it was the first and last season without fans.

Even if they can only come back piece by piece, we only play 20 percent or so ago, the main thing is that they can go back to the stadium.

At the same time, you had to live in a bubble over the season.

Yes, that was so-so.

Fortunately, there are a few other players in the house who I was able to meet.

But otherwise that's nothing for me.

I'm the type of guy who likes to be outside, sit in a cafe, watch people.

I hope the pandemic will end soon.

How did you like the division into north and south seasons?

In principle, the idea was very good.

You play against the same teams in a very short time, which saves you the long trips away and minimizes contacts as much as possible.

Should you have to use this construct conceptually again, it still needs to be revised a little.

In the long run you don't want to always play against the same opponent.

One point of this idea is the issue of sustainability.

That is a very important issue.

For example, I would have no problem going on a road trip - Berlin, Wolfsburg, Bremerhaven in one tour.

This would save you having to travel from scratch for each game.

Were you able to relax a bit after the playoff knockout?

I couldn't drive away, the national team continued quickly.

But I had my son with my parents and I was able to switch off with my family for a few days.

That felt good after such a bitter end of the season.

My son is now at the age at which he dashes around everywhere - on the slide, on the swing.

You always have to be careful that it doesn't fly down.

The biggest thing for him is the trampoline.

Shouldn't you go to the World Cup: will you keep fit again over the summer in Garmisch-Partenkirchen with Marcus Weber, Maximilian Kislinger, Benjamin Kronawitter et cetera?

I will certainly train in part with my group in Munich.

When I'm back home, I don't go to the gym with the boys so much.

We then cycle more, go to the Eibsee or go on a mountain tour.

We have already planned a golf vacation to Lake Garda.

We also want to do a mountain tour with an overnight stay, if Corona allows it.

Will Uli Maurer be there again at home training?

I hope.

It would be a shame if he quit after such a season.

Uli should play another season.

Are you still following the SCR?

Sure, Benny (SCR player Benjamin Kronawitter, editor's note) is one of my best buddies.

I talk to him more often.

It's a shame how things went at SCR.

If you always take the lead in the playoffs but lose in the end, then it's very bitter and gnaws at your self-confidence.

It was similar to ours.

Let's take a look into the future.

Marcus Weber recently said that he could imagine playing again at the end of his career at SCR with Kislinger, you and other top players from Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

I am in.

The SCR will always be a matter close to my heart.

I've never played for any other club except now for Munich.

If I ever finish in the DEL, Riessersee is my first port of call.

Source: merkur

All sports articles on 2021-05-09

You may like

Trends 24h

Latest

© Communities 2019 - Privacy

The information on this site is from external sources that are not under our control.
The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.