A hard-fought campaign comes to a disappointing end for Don Jackson and Red Bull Munich. After battling their way to the Semi-Finals, the German side was one game away from a second Champions Hockey League Final appearance after ending the 2018/19 as Runners-Up. But a determined challenger in Tappara Tampere foiled their return bid and now the veteran CHL squad, pending their qualification, will have to hope their time comes next year.
For Jackson, who's been a part of Munich for the better part of eight seasons, a bad beginning was a harbinger of things to come.
“It took us a little while to get out of the gates here, we took a penalty early on in the game and that cost us momentum in the game. And, of course, giving up the 1-0 lead early in the game hurts.”
It’s been a real honour to be a part of the Champions Hockey LeagueRed Bull Munich's Don Jackson
Kristian Kuusela’s early goal, his first of two on the night, would go on to be the game-winner as Munich were unable to find the equaliser the rest of the game. Despite being one of the more disciplined clubs throughout the campaign, Munich didn’t do themselves any favours when it came to committing infractions during the night’s affair as their 7th-ranked penalty kill gave up a pair of powerplay tallies.
Nevertheless, according to Jackson, “as a good team, you’re able to rebound from it.” Munich’s lack of execution, however, was their Achilles’ heel as they, “didn’t put the puck in the net, so it ended up costing [them].”
While the first 20 minutes weren’t to Jackson’s liking, he was satisfied with his team’s play as the game went on, saying, “I’m proud of the effort and the players. Our game got better as it went on.” Come the third period, though, that effort would be for naught as Jackson explains, “as it turned out in the third period with the goals, and then we gave the breakaway and that pretty much put the knife in our back.”
Down by three with the season on the line and the clock against them, Jackson was pleased to see his team’s perseverance. “But we didn’t quit,” he relayed, before going on to say, “We did a good job with the puck late in the game, of course, with the 6-on-4 and 6-on-5 and got some chances.”
A shutout in this do-or-die match-up was certainly not the way Jackson envisioned his club's end coming, and while bittersweet to have made it this far, Munich's bench boss did not hesitate to salute the other organizations participating in the competition as well as the competition itself.
"When I look back from the very beginning, the first round and all the Playoff series, every organization that we played in the competition was fantastic.”
He concluded, “The Champions Hockey League has done a great job at building their brand and I think it’s a real honour to be a part of the Champions Hockey League and players are looking at this year after year as a real big deal.”