ZSC coach Marco Bayer in an interview before the start of the playoffs

Marco Bayer, it all starts on Saturday. Are you and your team ready?

"Yes, we are ready. Apart from Thierry Bader, who is unfortunately out for the entire playoffs, we've got everyone on board. I sense a real spirit of optimism and have great confidence in the players. Experience shows that we know exactly when it counts."

How do you look back on the season so far? It's been ups and downs.

"Yes, it's been a bit of a rollercoaster ride. We've had a lot of injuries, which has cost us consistency. Then there were the "championship blues". You can't deny that, even if not everyone can understand it. When you win almost everything for two years, the Champions Hockey League, the league title twice, it's extremely difficult mentally to always perform at one hundred percent."

How do you shake a team awake at a time like that?

"We have a big goal: we want to make history. In the modern era of ice hockey, hardly any team has managed to become champions three times in a row. This mission is almost impossible, but we want to make it possible. The will in the team is enormous. But we are well advised to concentrate on the start on Saturday and think from game to game."

What makes you positive that this historic coup can succeed?

"The quality and breadth of the squad. We have excellent players in all positions and have enormous experience. We now have to find the flow. That won't be easy after the two-week break, but Lugano will be in the same position. I'm expecting a close and long series."

What do you expect tactically?

"It's a duel between fourth and fifth, with only two points between them. Lugano is compact, aggressive and has stabilized. In the end, details will decide: Powerplay, box play, discipline. But I think we have a small advantage on our side with our experience."

There have been many changes of coach this season. You were also under pressure in the fall after eight defeats in a row. How did you deal with that?

"That's part of the business. The coach is often the weakest link. I'm sorry for the colleagues who were affected. If we had lost in Kloten at the end of October, I might not be ZSC coach today either. I'm grateful to the club management, the head of sport and the CEO that they kept their faith in me and my staff. I think I was able to push the right buttons during this phase. It was extremely instructive for me personally."

How do you perceive the team compared to the start of the playoffs a year ago?

"Honestly, I don't see any difference. As soon as crunch time comes, this team flips a switch. I felt that last year and I feel it again now. The team knows exactly what it's all about."