How goalkeeper Stefan Challin faked the title

A historic start to the season

Langnau's Stéphane Charlin (24) leads the league statistics with a catch rate of 96.19%. That value has never been reached at this point in the season since the stat was introduced (in 2010). So far, only two goalkeepers have scored above 94% (but not 95%) at the end of qualifying: HCD's Sandro Eschlimann (2021/22) and ZSC Lions' Lucas Fo Luhle (2014/15).

We haven’t reached “halftime” yet. But Langnau's answer to Dominik Hasek will likely set a new season record.

One thing is certain in mid-November: no other goalkeeper has faked the title like Stefan Challin. No. 2 player Luka Boltsauser (31) will play against the Lakers on Friday. Langnau lost 4:5 in overtime. Because Bolt Shoter can only parry 84.38% of shots. His season statistics: a meager 86.96%.

Plain text from trainer

24 hours later, Charing won 1-0 at Biel. Thierry Paterlini is a great coach because he is genuine and speaks his mind whenever possible. When asked if Langnau would have beaten the Lakers under Charlin — meaning the win was “squandered” — he said unequivocally: “Yeah, that’s it.” Luka Bo Walter Schauser knew this too. “But he's also going to make us win, just like he's done before.”

The coach put it bluntly. The difference was the goalkeeper, whose poor choices cost us a win. The statistics left him no choice. So everything is clear: Patellini will use Charin as much as possible. If Zug starts every game with Tim Wolfe, then Patellini could name him as number one for every game for the remainder of the season. or?

Luca Boltschauser took a sip.Image: trapezoid

It's not that simple for two reasons. First of all, Wolff has less work to do in Zug: so far, he has been forced to make 24 saves per game. Charlin has required an average of 31 interventions in his 12 games. With so much pressure on him, he needs a break from time to time.

tactics ≠ strategy

But the deeper reason why Thierry Patellini has used his No. 2 jersey for seven games from the start is entirely different. To explain, first some theory. Tactics are short-term arrangements for individual matches. Strategy, on the other hand, is a long-term consideration that goes beyond a day or even a season. Slightly controversially: tactician Patellini always uses Stefan Challin. Strategist Patellini, on the other hand, uses Luca Bolthauser as much as possible. That's why Boltshorser, with seven appearances, has become the club's most used No. 2 after Luca Horenstein (eight appearances for HCD), with a clear distinction between No. 1 and No. 2.

The reason for the courtesy: Stéphane Charlin will leave Langnau in the spring. He would either move to Geneva or directly to North America. Next season, the Langauers will have to rely on Luca Bolzsauser (contracted until 2026) to play his best hockey. Just like in the 2022/23 season, he stopped 91.90% of the puck in the 36 games of the qualifying round and even reached an incredible 95.10% in the play-off game against Ajoy.

In the no man's land between heroes and lottery keeper

At that time, Boltshauser was undoubtedly number one in his first season at Langnau, while Stéphane Charlin was an apprentice and had to complete 18 missions with a catch rate of 90.90%. The more Charling improves, the more Boltshawer slacks off and is now stuck in a no man's land between hero and lottery goalie. Competition can be stimulating or disturbing.

Goalkeepers are sensitive creatures. Unwavering self-confidence is the oxygen of her game: I am confident, therefore I am. Only a confident goalkeeper has the body language of a winner. The person in front of him immediately felt whether he had the support of the winner. Ilfes has two teams this season: the diligent and busy Langnau team, who have Luca Boltshauser behind them. And the cool, lively, cool way Langenauer played against Stéphane Charlin. In a nutshell: Goalkeepers make a team.

“We focus on the present”

So ask Thierry Patellini: whenever possible, you should actually keep Stéphane Challin in goal. Will you still be relying on Luka Boltsauser to use him again and again next season to boost and maintain his confidence? «No, next season will not play any role in this situation. We focus on the present moment. “Only the hockey gods know if next season really doesn't play a role in his considerations.

Regardless, sporting director Pascal Müller is facing his biggest challenge yet: finding another chance at a lottery win like Stefan Challin – a world-class goalkeeper who was misjudged by the game – and Not much better than your chances of winning the lottery. in real life. Should he rely solely on Luka Boltsauser next season, as he did in 2022/23, and develop a goalkeeping talent as his second-choice? Or is it better to sign a foreign goalkeeper?

Thierry Paterlini must balance the present with the future.Image: trapezoid

His Langnauer team actually relies on six foreign players and should not be able to use foreigners' goalkeeper licenses to make money. But injuries this season mean not all six foreign players can be used in every game. This is true for foreign goalkeepers. But it would have to be someone like Dominik Hasek. Or almost.

PS: Finnish Olympic champion and world champion Hannes Björninen (31 years old) will actually join the SCL Tigers next season. The ink has dried on the contract.

• 7

  A leader who can decide games and make his team better on and off the ice.

• 6-7

  A talented player who can decide a game on a good night and is a leader.

• 5-6

  A good NL player: usually a rainbow butterfly of talent, sometimes a serious worker who brings out a lot of talent.

• 4-5

  Players on the third or fourth block, veterans or newcomers.

• 3-4

  The future is still ahead of you, or the future is already behind you.

• The rating is based on the North American Hockey Grading Scale, ranging from 1 (lowest) to 7 (highest). There is no level below 3, because those who play in the top leagues are at least about the same.