In the end, it was Ryan Button’s runners that scored the goal of the day against the Augsburg Panthers and gave the Grizzlies a 1-0 win. The defender of the Wolfsburg ice hockey first division team seemed surprised himself when he got the puck almost in passing and thus provided his team with the next three points. A typical “lucky punch”, as Mike Stewart called it the next day.
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The Wolfsburg head coach initially saw his team get off to a good start. “We only played in one direction for the first twelve or 13 minutes, but unfortunately we didn’t score a goal.” The guests from Lower Saxony also pressed in the subsequent power play situations, but the goal failed to materialize. “After that Augsburg got into the game better and the game became more open,” said Stewart, for whom the special teams “played a big role”. The penalty-killing was also “really strong” – especially during the three – against five situation in the second third.” That was the key situation for me,” says the coach. “It was a hard-fought game, but we got the points in the end.”
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With the three points, the Wolfsburg not only secured second place in the table, but also made the qualification for the Champions Hockey League perfect. After 2016/17 and 2017/18, black-orange returns to the premier class – much to the delight of Stewart, who accomplished the feat in his first grizzly season. “I’m very satisfied and really looking forward to it,” he admitted. “To have an opportunity like this is incredible. So you really have to achieve something.”
Although the Grizzlies still have “goals ahead of us, we can already put a check behind them.” In addition to the start of the new season, the CHL will be “the next big test” from August. However, those responsible in the VW city are not thinking that far, because: “First of all, we have the last two games in our sights, then the play-offs. The Champions League will therefore have to wait a little longer.”
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First up next Friday is the guest appearance at the Adler Mannheim. The fifth in the table announced on Monday that they had parted ways with head coach and ex-Grizzlys coach Pavel Gross and assistant coach Mike Pellegrims in order to “give a new impetus”, as club owner Daniel Hopp is quoted as saying. Bill Stewart takes over the Adler on an interim basis together with Marcel Goc and Jochen Hecht. On Wednesday, the new coaching team will be behind the Adler-Gang against the Krefeld Pinguine for the first time, and then against Wolfsburg on Friday.
Then Stewart could fall back on significantly more staff compared to the Augsburg game. Six players were missing on Sunday with captain Sebastian Furchner, Toto Rech, Armin Wurm, Fabio Pfohl, Björn Krupp and Phil Hungerecker. Wurm only had to pass shortly before the start of the game. Trevor Mingoia, on the other hand, was able to play again after two missed games in Augsburg and, according to his coach, “had a few good accents. The first game after an injury is never easy, but he settled in quickly and makes our team stronger.” The series with Tyler Gaudet and Spencer Machacek, which was made possible again, had previously “shown for weeks that they had good chemistry with each other” and will also be important in the coming period. The team got Monday and Tuesday off, Stewart is leaving on Wednesday.” Assuming everyone is back on board”.
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It’s an unusual week for the grizzlies. While other teams have to play again during the week due to outstanding catch-up games, the remaining two main round games in Mannheim (Friday) and against Bremerhaven (Sunday) are only due for the Grizzlies at the weekend. For the first time since the end of February, the Autostadt residents do not have to compete during the week. “It’s been a long road,” says Stewart, who notes: “Every team in the league has experienced that. We’ve played more away games than home, which made it harder, not easier.” But: “The boys fought, found a way to score. We won nine times in March, four English weeks in a row behind us. It shows how strong our work ethic is.”
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Grizzlies introduce playoff season ticket
The Grizzlies have come up with something special for the “most beautiful season in ice hockey” and presented the play-off season ticket. This gives fans access to all upcoming play-off home games of Wolfsburg. The season ticket even includes a payback function. Means: Should the Grizzlies fail in the quarter or semi-finals, season ticket holders will receive two-thirds or one-third of the purchase price back. Seats normally cost 104 or 112 euros, standing room 68 euros. Discounted rates are offered.
The play-off season ticket is available from Tuesday, March 29, 10 a.m. exclusively in the Grizzly online shop. The regular seats for season ticket holders are reserved until April 5 (6 p.m.). The free sale for the first play-off home game begins on April 3 (6 p.m.).
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