Both
Graz 99ers There is still an anxious mood before the decisive semi-final game in the ICEHL as the regular goalkeeper
Maxime Lagace is canceled for now. After his injury in the third game of the series against Fehérvár there is a cautious all-clear, but for the next game one thing is clear: backup
Nico Wieser
takes over.
Injury causes a moment of shock
It was an anxious few minutes for Graz when Lagacé suddenly had to leave the ice in pain in the 50th minute. The keeper injured his groin area and received immediate medical attention.
At least the MRI scan gave a slight all-clear, even if deployment is not an issue in the short term. Sports director Philipp Pinter made it clear that decisions now had to be made on a game-by-game basis.
Wieser comes into focus
The effort was unexpected for Nico Wieser, but the goalkeeper showed himself ready for the challenge. After coming on as a substitute, he brought the game to a confident end and secured the important victory.
“It was of course an unexpected moment. A lot of things flashed through my head and my pulse got pretty quick,” Wieser explained to the “Kleine Zeitung” after the game. At the same time, he made it clear: “I’m not afraid of anything. I’m there. If they need me, I’m there.”
Full trust from the coaching team
Coach Dan Lacroix also sees no reason to worry. Although Lagacé was the clear number one, there was great trust in both goalkeepers throughout the season.
The team will perform in front of Wieser in the same way as in front of Lagacé, the coach emphasized, which means that the approach should not change.
Match puck for the final
From a sporting perspective, the omens could hardly be better: with another win against Fehérvár, the Graz 99ers would have completed the sweep in the semi-finals and would reach the final for the first time in the club’s history.
Image: HCI / PAPA Productions
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