99ers-Routinier

Three hours sleep – but fit enough for the Caps

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

After two wins in a row recently, the ice hockey cracks of the Graz99ers have a broad chest ahead of Friday's home game against the Vienna Capitals (18.30). Veteran Michael Schiechl even broke his own goal drought recently. 

It was a long night for the ice hockey cracks of the 99ers. After Wednesday's 4:1 win at Innsbruck, coach Harry Lange's men didn't get off the bus in Graz until shortly before 4am. That's why there was no training on Thursday.

"I'm not used to getting much sleep anyway, my children keep me young anyway," laughs Michi Schiechl. His offspring are six years, two years and six months old. "Of course, you try to get some sleep on the bus. It's not a bed, but it's better than nothing. Then you still have a few hours at home and by seven o'clock the children have already arrived anyway," says the 35-year-old, who doesn't find it inconvenient anyway. "I'd rather be on the move than just lying around doing nothing all day anyway."

Had a good laugh recently: Michael Schiechl

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

The veteran finally broke his eleven-game goal drought in the away win in Tyrol - he netted twice against Innsbruck. "As long as we win, I don't care if I score. At a certain age, victories are more important to you than your own statistics," winked the striker. "But of course it's nice if I can help my team with that."Goals come naturally "However, he describes the large number of missed chances in recent games as gruelling. Against Innsbruck, Graz had 49 shots and "only" scored four times. "The tide has to turn at some point. As long as we win, it doesn't matter anyway. The goals will come by themselves at some point anyway."

Opponent goes down to the wire
On Friday (18:30), they continue at home against the Vienna Capitals. And the Viennese team will be coming to Styria with a number of weak replacements: Tyler Parks, Lukas Piff and ex-99er Erik Kirchschläger, who is in recovery training, as well as Dominic Hackl, Niki Hartl, Dominique Heinrich and Peter Krieger are all out through injury.

Especially at home, however, the Graz team is not yet performing as desired - the 99ers are only eighth in the league (third away). The Viennese, on the other hand, are sixth away from home. "The Caps have poisonous players who are ice-cold in front of goal. We have to be focused defensively and score offensively. That would be the easiest thing."