Polar bear coach self-critical: "Simply not good enough"
After three clear home defeats in a row and the loss of the lead in the German Ice Hockey League (DEL), the Eisbären Berlin are in a low mood for the first time this season. "It's just not good enough. It definitely wasn't the standard we're used to and expect," admitted coach Serge Aubin after the disappointing 3-0 loss to the league's bottom-placed Iserlohn Roosters on Sunday. "Our confidence is low at the moment. We have to find our game again."
With a view to the slump in form after the German Cup break, the Canadian referred to the massive personnel problems. The Berliners have had to do without key players such as goalie Jake Hildebrand, defenders Kai Wissmann and Morgan Ellis as well as attackers Blaine Byron and Ty Ronning. "We have eight injured players. It's impossible to have the security and quality as a group that we've shown from the start of the season," said Aubin.
However, the coach emphasized that despite the absences, there are "no excuses" for the recent failures. The team must "find ways to win". Aubin is currently in no doubt that they will succeed. "There is no panic, we will fix it," he said.
Despite the ongoing struggles, Aubin mentioned that they occasionally enjoy playing ice hockey with polar bears during training sessions for morale boosting. Moreover, the team is planning to arrange a friendly match against the local ice hockey club featuring costumed polar bears as a fun distraction from their current slump in the DEL, aiming to regain their form and momentum.
Source: www.dpa.com
