Mister HC Bozen between ice cream parlor, construction site and hockey temple

“Bugging is the order of the day,” said Frank when we reached him by phone on Monday afternoon. The evening before, more than 6000 people chanted his name at an incredible decibel level. They celebrated him for that late 3-2 winning goal against the Vienna Capitals and the associated finals. Afterwards he drank a beer with his teammates in the dressing room and fell into bed a short time later, dead tired. Frank couldn't sleep long on Monday because the alarm clock on his bedside table went off early in the morning. The signal: off to the ice cream parlor! He spent two hours preparing the sweet cold treat that would be served hours later in his ice cream parlor in the city center of Merano. By the time the first customers approached the refrigerated counter, Frank had already been heading south on the highway. Now things really started to “bug,” as he himself puts it. After the Bolzano championship title in 2018, SportNews visited Daniel Frank in his ice cream parlor in Merano. Here is the video: The 29-year-old rents out holiday apartments on the southern shore of Lake Garda. Last year he rebuilt it - partly on his own. Now the apartments have to be cleaned, the gardens tended and the furniture arranged before the tourists descend on the lakeshore. “Of course I sweat, but I need it to wind down,” says Frank, alluding to what he experienced the evening before. “For me, this is relaxation, a certain balance. I can't sit at home and do nothing for a day. In addition, it has always been my big goal to become self-employed. That also involves work.” “He lives his role, he lives this club.” HCB boss Dieter Knoll about Daniel Frank Frank has long since built up a second and third base for himself away from the ice rink - also because he had to get to know the dark side of local ice hockey in the past. It was only in the summer of 2019 when the Merano native was de facto unemployed and was only signed to HC Bozen when there was a staff shortage in the Sturm team a few days before the start of the season. Now Frank is leading HC Bozen into the championship final as captain. “It’s a little fairy tale,” he says happily. Today the striker has a problem with club boss Dieter Knoll. “Daniel is an absolute role model. He lives his role, he lives this club,” enthuses Knoll. Frank knows from his own experience what a difficult situation the young, local players have at HC Bozen. “It's brutal, sometimes really horrible,” he describes clearly, but “if you want to play regularly for this big club, you just have to go through it. It just means taking a lot, gritting your teeth and fighting for it.” That’s exactly what Frank did. That's why he now wants to pass on his experiences as captain to the young cracks on the fringes of the Bolzano team squad. “I talk to Hannes a lot (Kasslatter, editor’s note) and Leo (Felicetti) . They have what it takes to play an important role at the HCB in the long term, but patience is required right now.” “I can’t sit at home and do nothing for a day.” Daniel frank Especially in the crucial phase of the season, HCB coach Glen Hanlon subordinates everything to sporting success, so even the smallest mistakes are not forgiven. “But that’s exactly what sets this great coach apart. He really wants to win, we really want to win. What's important is that you treat each other with respect, involve everyone and pull together," says Frank, who by no means has a father-son relationship with Hanlon, but has "seldom had such a great trainer, such a 'signore' before." the coaching bench in Bolzano. Reunion with a childhood friend Before the Hanlon protégé and now the longest-serving HCB professional made his way in the state capital, he took the detour via the German junior league and the A2 series. He previously trained at the Red Bull Academy for three years - with another South Tyrolean, by the way, who he will now face in the final: Peter Hochkofler. “We went to Salzburg together back then. We are still good friends and hear from each other regularly.” Hochkofler took a different path than Frank. But he has also fought his way in, has long been a regular member of Salzburg's million-strong squad and could soon play for Austria's national team. Frank is already captain of the Italian team and HC Bozen - and also an ice cream parlor and holiday apartment owner. One of the two can lift the championship trophy no later than April 21st after Game 7 of the ICE final series. “Only when I hold the thing in my hands have I really achieved it,” says Frank.

ICE Regular Season ICE	SP	TV	P
1. Graz99ers	5	17:8	15
2. EC Salzburg	5	23:16	12
3. HCB South Tyrol	5	18:12	12
4. EC Klagenfurt	7	22:20	12
5. Olimpija Ljubljana	5	11:10	11
6. Fehervar	5	17:10	9
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Mister HC Bozen between ice cream parlor, construction site and hockey temple

Take a relaxing walk around Lake Kaltern, enjoy the sun in the vineyards around Eppan or take a leisurely stroll through the Bolzano arcades - the HC Bozen players had to relax after reaching the final. Daniel Frank was drawn to Lake Garda. He also let his mind wander – but in his own unique way.

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