LULEÅ. Twice, Thomas Berglund burned crucial pucks in a series finale.
1993 with Lulia.
2017 with Brenas.
– We have to cut out all the noise, says Lulia’s coach.
Lulia is a match, three stints after winning her first gold in the Swedish championship since 1996. An exciting and challenging setting for Lulia.
But often the last match is the hardest to win.
Thomas Berglund, Lulia’s coach, knows it.
He’s been around for a while.
In 1993, he played with Lulia and led 2-0 in the final against Prenas, which was the best of five matches applied at that time.
But Lulia collapsed after Tommy Sandlin’s famous samurai speech, Brenas managed to turn around and celebrate the gold medal after an exciting fifth final.
– In 1993, they called my girlfriend and asked her to ask me what clothes I would wear to the banquet. By that I mean you have to separate everything around you. And all the noise. You can’t live in the future, says Polan Berglund of Lulia’s prime location.
He had match balls 2017
He was also with 2017 and stood in the Brynäs booth in the final series against HV71. Brynäs had a 3-2 lead in matches and was “just” hitting the match ball and winning another match.
But HV71 won twice in a row and in a sudden death in the seventh final, Brynäs and Bulan had to surrender.
It’s easy to end up with the wrong focus. And of course I have the internet at home and of course I look around a bit, but it’s important to have the right focus. Then it will be a challenge for us, we lost two games in Karlstad and it takes a lot of effort from us. We cannot live in thoughts of the future, he says about the upcoming match.
Do you want to decide in Karlstad or in Lulea?
– We take the next match and want to decide as quickly as possible.