Glen Hanlon reveals: This is how he gets Bolzano fit for the playoffs

Bolzano is hot, Bolzano is burning, Bolzano wants to get going. This impression was given by 23 men in red training uniforms during ice training in the Sparkasse Arena on Thursday. It should be the scene of emotionally charged, unforgettable playoff nights for the next few weeks. That's how it's been almost always in the ICE Hockey League over the past ten years.

Now, however, many things are different. A new role awaits the Foxes. From the hunted to the hunter, that is the starting point. “Last year we could literally only lose after an outstanding regular season, this year we had to fight for a long time to get into the playoffs,” says Hanlon in an interview SportNews . He sees this situation as positive: “We have learned to lose, if you can put it like that. We can deal with difficulties and free ourselves from depression. The last few weeks and months have shown this. In any case, nothing will derail us in the playoffs any time soon.” “We just worked on defense for two days.” Glen Hanlon With a Clear home win against first place Klagenfurt HC Bozen made another strong mark at the end of the regular season, putting themselves and the Bozen audience into playoff mode. The HCB cracks then had two days off from training to cure minor aches and pains and recharge their batteries for the season finale.

However, one man wasn't free: Glen Hanlon. He pondered, analyzed and made plans. His players were presented with the result when training resumed. “We just worked on defense for two days, on the ice and in video studies.”

Glen Hanlon places a particular focus on defense in training.

The long-time NHL goalie, Washington coach and Swiss national coach knows where the dog is buried. “I keep repeating and repeating how important it is to work without the puck. The boys know this and have been playing our system for almost two years - and yet I never tire of reminding them of it. “I love defensive work and I’m not ashamed of it,” said Hanlon. He immediately explains the reason: “The offense wins games, the defense wins championships. We don’t want to win games, we want to win the championship.”

Although only three teams have conceded fewer goals than the Foxes and their penalty killing is among the best in the league, what “we have to avoid as much as possible are individual mistakes and being outnumbered in our own third, which has been the topic in the dressing room over the past few days,” reveals Hanlon.

Would you rather Linz or Villach? Another topic was probably the playoff pick on Thursday evening. As fourth in the table, Bolzano has no choice, but can rely on home advantage in the quarter-finals from Sunday. It is quite possible that the two-time champions will face Linz (fifth) or Villach (sixth) as opponents. Hanlon knows both teams inside out. “Villach is strong offensively and pulls the opponent wide apart. The Linzers play a similar game to us, playing compact and physical at the back. But it could also be a different opponent. Now be honest? We know what kind of hockey each of the playoff participants plays. Rather, we have to look at ourselves. We are HC Bozen, one of the most unpleasant opponents ever.” “I’ll only be happy when the job is done.” Glen Hanlon However, Hanlon is by no means sitting back with statements like these, on the contrary. “I have a team that wants to get better and needs to get better. We are in the middle of a process. This process will continue from game to game. We want to constantly improve. I don't even look at the result, but rather how I can adjust the team even better in the next game. That’s how it was last year until the seventh final game and that’s how it will be this year too, with a hopefully positive outcome.”

At the end of the conversation in the catacombs of the Sparkasse Arena, we asked Hanlon whether he was looking forward to the big playoff evening in the Bolzano Arena and whether he was happy to finally start the fifth season. His answer: “No. As a coach, I'm actually never happy. My mind is too tied up in the aforementioned process, too focused. I'm only happy when the job is done. I'm looking forward. Even more so with a trophy in hand, of course.”

ICE Regular Season ICE	SP	TV	P
1. EC Klagenfurt	48	183:121	97
2. EC Salzburg	48	173:130	95
3. HCB South Tyrol	48	155:113	93
4. Linz	48	155:121	88
5. EC Villach	48	173:143	86
6. Graz99ers	48	149:121	86
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Glen Hanlon reveals: This is how he gets Bolzano fit for the playoffs

On Sunday, HCB Südtirol Alperia starts the hot phase of the season. The motto is, how could it be otherwise in Bolzano: The title should come! However, Glen Hanlon still has to eliminate a major weakness beforehand.

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