EVZ fate in their own, and McTavish's, hands

After 43 games spread over four months, EV Zug's season is likely come down to next Friday's and Saturday's clashes with Fribourg (at home) and Langnau (away) respectively. While seventh-placed Fribourg are seemingly out of range, 11 points clear of Zug, Langnau are only five ahead, and should EVZ beat them on Saturday, a second encounter between the two teams, again at the Ilfisstadion and scheduled for the penultimate game of the season, could well end up being a case of winner takes all. Two victories over the "other team from Berne" would mean that Zug's play-off destiny would be in their own hands.

 

It has been a season of two halves for the boys in blue (or rather grey and black as they are now), and unfortunately the bad half was much longer than the good one. The first 34 games of the season yielded only 35 points, while since Christmas, the Zugers have been rattling along at a two-points-per-game clip – enough to get them back in contention but still with a lot of work to do.

 

Another telling statistic is the one involving Dale McTavish. Last season's top scorer was injured in the third game of the season and only returned in mid-December. With the free-scoring number 22 in their ranks, Zug have managed 23 points in 12 games. Without him, a mere 29 in 31 games, including 3-2 and 4-2 defeats to Davos and Kloten the weekend before last when McTavish was given a rest after playing seven games in less than a month since his comeback.

 

The burly Canadian forward has built up a fearsome reputation since coming to the NLA in 2000, averaging over a point a game for Rapperswil, Zurich and Zug. His mere presence on the ice creates more space for his fellow forwards, with opposing defencemen immediately focusing their attentions on the 37-year-old.

 

Over the next three-and-half weeks, EV Zug will be looking to their resurgent winger to push them over the top and into the play-offs. On Friday, he will have fellow Canuck Brad Isbister for company, as defenceman Jay Harrison will be serving a suspension after his brawl in Berne last Sunday, thus freeing up a spot for a foreign player. Coach Doug Shedden may be tempted to reunite the all-Canadian forward line of McTavish, Isbister and current top-scorer Josh Holden, these three having combined for eight points in the 10-2 win over Langnau in McTavish's comeback in December. Harrison's absence may also see Patrick Oppliger, habitually a centre, move back into defence.

 

Drew Lilley