Glen Hanlon is available to answer questions on controversial topics. © det

HCB coach Glen Hanlon: “Please no drama”

Curtain up for the semifinals in Bolzano! The Foxes host champions Salzburg on Friday. Ahead of the match, we spoke with HCB coach Glen Hanlon and asked him how he plans to take down the Bulls. The conversation also touched on his player selection and his long, title-less coaching career.

March 20, 2025

HC Bozen was the better, more active team in Tuesday's semifinal opener against Salzburg, but left the ice with a 1:3 defeat. Now the series moves to South Tyrol, where the motto on Friday in the cauldron of Bozen (4.500 tickets have already been sold) is clear: A win is needed to avoid falling significantly behind!

Who knows this better than Glen Hanlon? As a goalie, he's played more than 500 games in the NHL, and as a coach, he's also coached in the world's best league, working in Switzerland, Finland, and Germany, among other places. The man has experience. "The streak has only just begun. We have to fight back, we will fight back," he says firmly.

Glen Hanlon sets the pace at HC Bozen. © HCB/zulustudios.it

SportNews asked the Canadian whether he was surprised or disappointed that his Foxes conceded three goals in four minutes in the first semifinal match. His answer: "No. Salzburg weren't any better in terms of playing skills, but they were mentally sound. They did the right things at the right times. We can still learn something from them; we're in a learning phase." In a learning phase in the middle of the playoffs? Hanlon explains: "We have to learn to be alert after conceding goals. The first two or three substitutions after that have to work; a game can tip one way or the other – like on Tuesday."

Lineup: Are there any changes?

In Salzburg, the defensive duo of Cole Hults and Simon Bourque were on the ice for all three goals conceded. A coincidence? "The goals came after a failed line change, a lost face-off, and a counterattack. These two players aren't solely to blame." Hanlon generally defends his decision to send the two offensive defensemen onto the ice together for the past few weeks: "They give our game an incredible amount of impetus."

Luxury problem: Miglioranzi or Spornberger?

Although Hanlon says he still has to "make final decisions and communicate them to the players," it's safe to assume he'll rely on the same lineup again on Friday. That means Michele Marchetti and Giordano Finoro will have to sit out the game, while Enrico Miglioranzi, who was a frequent spectator during the regular season, will be preferred over Peter Spornberger. "I see both of them on the same level; one is a bit more agile, the other physically stronger. I have to choose between two internationals before every game: a luxury problem."

Pascal Brunner: A surprise?

The 68-year-old ice hockey coach has words of praise not only for the two defensemen, but also for Pascal Brunner. "I'm thrilled with him. I keep hearing that the ice time he's currently receiving is some kind of reward for his hard work. But that's not true. Sure, Pasci has something that few young players have these days: a lot of patience and total dedication. But I'm not rewarding him. He was an important player for us, he is an important player, and he will become an even more important player," says Hanlon seriously.

“We are a family that sticks together” Glen Hanlon

The coach pauses briefly in the conversation, but then quickly adds: "Even when Pasci wasn't playing much, he was one of the first to show up for practice. He's still the last one off the ice now. We need those guys."

Off-ice eddies: A disruptive factor?

In this interview with SportNews Hanlon seems more tense than usual. Is it the concentration on the potentially pivotal Game 2, or is it the fuss that has accompanied HC Bozen through these playoffs so far off the ice? Hanlon clearly denies the latter: "It all bounces off us. We are HC Bozen, we are a family that sticks together. The players are like brothers. Hostility from outside leaves us cold. We've shown that."

Full focus ahead: Glen Hanlon and his boys look ahead to the next game. © HCB

The Canadian's and his players' attention is therefore entirely focused on the sport. After all, there's a mission to be accomplished on the ice: to end the longest titleless period in the club's history. HC Bolzano has been chasing the championship trophy since 2018. However, that's nothing compared to Hanlon's personal dry spell, who has never been crowned champion in his 30-year coaching career.

Coach without a title: Will it stay that way?

Hanlon doesn't like to talk about the vexed title issue that has haunted him since losing the final against Salzburg two years ago. With furrowed eyebrows, the otherwise friendly, approachable coach says: "Please don't make a drama out of this whole thing. I've been in the business since 1976, so I can't keep looking back and thinking about what happened yesterday. I want to win the title because we have a good chance this year. And that's it. In the summer, at home in Canada, I can think about myself and my career. But not now." Now it's time for Hanlon and the HCB to move on to the second semifinal match!

ICE Semifinal, Game 2 (Friday, March 21):

Black Wings Linz – Klagenfurter AC (19.30:XNUMX p.m.)
Best of 7 series: 1:0

HCB Südtirol Alperia – Red Bull Salzburg (19.45:XNUMX p.m.)
Best of 7 series: 0:1