The EHC Biel – a little Casino Feel, a little bit of Karma

no, no team with the sleeve reacts whiz. And that was prophesied in the Bielern from the majority of ice hockey in Switzerland, as they gave to 2018 now this year with a 2:0 lead in the semi-final prize. Last season, against Lugano, followed by earnings on the balance in the series two further down and the end of the season.

of Course, the EHC Biel can't miss, in spite of now 3:2 guide still the Final, too tight and too unpredictable this fascinating series against Berne, was until now to be able to seriously any predictions car. But after the 2:0 victory in Bern on Thursday, he is only a (home)win before the final.

A final after a Triumph over the big SCB? This success would be for the Club only with the three titles in the Playoff time, in 1978, 1981 and 1983 is comparable.

Forster is self-aware – he must be

"We go home now, and on Saturday we make the Sack." Beat Forster said this after the victory in Bern, almost by the way. And, of course, Biel's veteran, is laying into the defence never, to demonstrate against foreign strength. As he moved two years ago from Davos to Zealand, he explained the same as the first, with Biel / Bienne masters – it should have it since probably also explains some of the supporters of the club for crazy.

But this Biel mix of self-confidence and playfulness, you reflect not only in words but also in deeds on the ice. A fearful EHC Biel with the fear in the eyes, to experience again the Same as in 2018, which would be entered differently in this capitals game 5 in Bern.

However, coach Antti Törmänen opted for the bold variant. Both in the Start-up, as well as in the final third for his team at 5-on-5 Hockey at least as active as the opponent. That was just in the last 20 minutes, the Biel with a 1:0 lead in the attack, took everything as a matter of course.

How many Teams come to Bern and are forfeited in the case of a margin so shortly before the end of not of the temptation, in the administrator mode to switch?

The arduous path of SCB

it helped, of Course, the Bielern the previously arduous Playoff-the way of the SCB, slow to take effect and the Kari Jalonen forced players from time to time dull and drained.

And helps from game to game, more and more, that Törmänen distributed to the periods of use of his striker almost absurd way, balanced: On Thursday, the difference between the most accelerated SCB-attacker (Thomas Rüfenacht/22:31 minutes), and that of the EHC Biel (Marc-Antoine Pouliot/17:25) amounted to exactly five minutes.

But how Törmänens Team in the final third Shift for Shift and ran and ran, not in the administrator mode is switched on, Bern permanently in the building bothered to leave without the right Balance between Defensive and Offensive, that was impressive, it had the hint of an almost perfect third.

Törmänen coached very active, his hand movements, expressed his wishes clear: Quick Shifts! And never passively, remain, never, never wait to see what the opponent in the build-up of power then!

Maurer: "These Zero pleases me more than a goal"

"Scores, so it felt, actually. We brought every Puck out of the danger zone, since a large get Together as a Team." The Marco Mason, the defenders, which was established in Biel by far the most common in the number of game said. So in that special discipline, which is still the last big construction site, in Bieler's game – even if Maurer against the term "construction site" and fought back. Finally, his Team of supernatant five Bernese power plays and nine minutes without conceding a goal.

so Far in the Playoff Biel over an incredibly weak Boxplay had shown success rate of just 50 percent, Bern had in the first four six-goal Play from the 12 power plays. "This is Zero in the Boxplay – you pleased me the most this evening," said about Mason. "It doesn't matter to me whether I score a goal or not. But this Zero ..."

The path to a "Zero", he was, however, adventurous. In the middle third of Biel was against a strong and varied mobile Berner Powerplay is hardly a means of SCB met but three Times the post or failed to a large performances Jonas Hiller in the Bieler goal.

Of the Biel looking Offensive drive in the first sub-number

One thing is striking: the striker, also in the attack. With Robbie Earl, Pouliot and Toni Rajala put three attackers in the Boxplay, the thinking in the doubt rather offensive as defensive. Earl on Thursday brought his Boxplay colleagues, two Times the trouble, as he was looking for, instead of the safe, the offensive variant, stuck and, therefore, short for the Chaos in front of the Bieler goal (and two of the three Bernese pole shots) made.

The fit may come across as offensive madness therefore, and in order not to Bieler's game at 5-on-5. Especially since Biel conceded in number counter-counter hit (for example in game 4), which is in the ice hockey probably the rarest of the Tor species.

but It could put more behind it.

practice or just theory?

dive deep into the world of football-data analysis, one encounters on this topic and interesting Figures. In a study on the NHL-season-2016/17 it was noted, for example, that in the case of Transition Counter-attacking (so 1-on-0, 2-against-1 or 3-against-2) in the case of 5-on-5 hockey in 18 percent of the cases, a goal is the result. In exactly the same Transitions-to Counter a team in the under number, this number jumps but to 27 percent.

What at first appears to be illogical and a little like the Casino-Feeling to the touch, but has a reason: Teams tend more and more to Powerplay formations with only one defender, and four strikers. And because striker stop striker, you think to Puckverlusten more offensive than a defender. A counter in number that is why in the big picture so, at least statistically, much more promising.

The SCB is a complicated to crack by the end of Powerplay machine: The first Formation with only one defender (Calle Andersson), but four of the forwards (Thomas Rüfenacht-Simon Moser, Andrew Ebbett, Mark Arcobello) plays mostly in the 1-3-1 Formation: (Screenshot MySports)

The second with two defenders (Eric Blum-Ramon under sander) and three forwards (André home-Tristan Scherwey - Jan Mursak) changes, often in a counter-less anfälligeres 2-1-2: (Screenshot MySports)

That seems to be the EHC Biel, just what Earl is concerned, but not to worry – he's looking for the counter vehemently against both formations ...

One of the Biel-based stem-defenders, the the then from the back view may (or must ...)that's Forster, and he notes: "Maybe we'll do that a little too often. And just when that happens in the middle third if the way to fly longer, then some long Shifts for us ..."

But Forster wants to have stated: "We are a team that likes to run, we have a lot of strikers who like to play with the Puck. You can't be really evil ..." The question here is, how much a team gets the free pass, this run - and game a joy to play. What is not forget to The at the end of a crucial 1:0 in Bern Robbie Earl shot ....

Maurer: "for the First time, the Karma in our ice-hockey"

It was then two minutes before the break, also the 2:0, and for this, there was this Episode here, which should not go unmentioned, either. It had been on Tuesday in game 4 in Biel the most-discussed scene: When the Bernese, Yannick this rounded end of the plexi glass, the Burren met at the Biel game Bank unintentionally, that's what gave the Puck to those unpredictable changes of direction, it is required to bring Biel's Goalie Jonas Hiller out of the concept and to allow Simon Moser 1:0-hits. The Tenor of the game for players, coaches and spectators: "We saw what a Unique, Random today. This is not reproducible."

Biel – Bern and the Plexiglas, part 1. (Video: SRF)

And what was it that happened on Thursday, as the SCB without a Goalie and are desperate for the 1:1-compensation sought? Exactly: It is the Berner Andrew Ebbett, wanted to shoot the Puck the same way deep into the Biel-thirds of how the Burren was two days before. And also, he met exactly, this round glass, from where the Puck in a high arc to the Bieler Pouliot flew and could shoot it, but only thanks to this random empty Berner goal to 2:0-final score.

Bern – Biel and the Plexiglas, part 2. (Video: SRF)

The first congratulant Pouliots on the ice, a wide Grin on his face: Marco Maurer had. "I couldn't help it, I just had to laugh," said the defender. Because two Times such an impossible thing, even to favor the one, and then two days later, the other team, this could only mean one thing, Maurer said: "We have seen in our football for the first time, Karma ..."

"I couldn't help it, I just had to laugh": Marco Maurer (left) congratulates Marc-Antoine Pouliot to his curious hit. (Picture Urs Lindt/fresh focus)