On Wednesday, Heinz Ehlers stood behind the SC Bern bench for the first time. In the Champions Hockey League, Bern defeated the Belfast Giants, who had already visited Zug in September, by a score of 7-0. The first test in the National League will be on Saturday against EVZ – the Mutzen did not play on Friday evening and should have fresher legs in the match against Zug.

Ehlers’ mission is clear: the Dane is tasked with lifting the traditional club out of 12th place as quickly as possible and taking them as far up the table as he can. The 59-year-old is considered a coach who celebrates defensive play – he has even been dubbed “Beton-Heinz” (Concrete Heinz). SCB COO Pascal Signer told SRF about Ehlers’ appointment until the end of the season: “We believe that what is needed now is someone with healthy authority, calmness, and experience in such situations. But he should also continue to develop the team.”

Bern is the EVZ’s third opponent this week: after a bitter 0-1 defeat on Tuesday in Rauma in the CHL, they suffered a 1-4 defeat at home against Genève-Servette on Friday. This means that Zug have scored only one goal in the last 121 minutes and 25 seconds. Against SCB, the goal machine urgently needs to be revved up again if they want to cement their place among the top six and thus direct playoff qualification.

“The scoring chances are basically there, but we lack quality. We need to be faster and more precise,” Lino Martschini summed up after the defeat against Geneva. For head coach Michael Liniger, one thing is clear: “We have to find a way to steal the points against Bern somehow. It won’t be easy.”