Milan Vízner: “The numbers are no accident, but a combination of discipline, cleared air in the locker room and a clear shared vision”

The Player of the Month for October in RAHL2 is HK Petržalka goaltender Milan Vizner. He played three times in October and kept a shutout in two of them. He has lived through it all with the team since the start of the season, from the struggles in the opening rounds to a streak of seven straight wins and closing the gap on leader Uličníci. In the interview he talks openly about what was behind the turnaround in the locker room, why he takes the numbers mainly as the team’s result and how he sees the pressure on the top of the standings.

1. In October you stood in net three times, and two of those were shutouts. Overall you averaged 0.66 goals against per game. What do you owe such admirable form to?

Vizzi: “First and foremost I owe it to the whole team; without great morale, my teammates’ determination and the coach’s support I would never have reached these numbers. Our locker room sticks together and everyone knows what his job is. Personally, though, I try to keep working on my mental toughness; it’s not just about physical preparation, although I’ve put in really conscientious work on that this season. My goals are the highest, and I take this as proof that we’re on the right path. What gives me confidence is precisely the fact that I’ve got guys behind me who are ready to battle for every puck, and I want to be someone they can rely on, too.”

2. As a team you really struggled at the start of the season, and the first points came only in Round 4. What changed for you to bring about such a dramatic shift?

Vizzi: “Yes, those first games weren’t easy, we all felt it. We needed to ‘tidy up’ the locker room, talk openly, clear the air and unite behind one vision. We opened a new chapter for the team and moved forward both mentally and in our conditioning. It helped that the coach, with his experience, knew how to time each game right for us, tactically as well, and he brings us together mentally too. The fight and the composure showed in the results; we ran off seven wins in a row, which was no accident but the result of teamwork. Even though every streak ends someday, we’re ready to battle again.”

3. You went through October without dropping a point and pulled to within one point of leader Uličníci. Do you have what it takes to overtake them and get to first place?

Vizzi: “Last week we actually managed it, but this week we stumbled a little. For us, though, that’s not the main goal. We’re going game by game; the important thing is to make the playoffs, and there everything starts all over again.”

4. A good goaltender also needs a thorough defense. Is there a teammate you feel safe with on the ice?

Vizzi: “I don’t want to single out individuals, because everyone is giving their maximum. Every defenseman and forward goes all out in a game. It doesn’t always work out the way you’d like, but that’s hockey: if we make a mistake, we learn from it, and if we’re behind in something, we work on it.”

5. The Player of the Month also wins a €200 coupon for an NHL game from our partner SuperFanúšik. Which NHL team would you like to go see, and why?

Vizzi: “Right now I’m rooting for Montreal; I mostly follow the teams where Slovaks play. But my sentimental favorite is Edmonton – in my view the best player in the world, Connor McDavid, plays there, and seeing him live would be quite an experience. Next year it’ll more likely work out for me to go to Las Vegas, so we’ll see what comes up. Either way, it’ll be a great experience.”

It is clear from Vizzi’s answers that the numbers are no accident, but a combination of discipline, cleared air in the locker room and a clear shared vision. He does not treat first place in the regular season as an obsession; far more important to him are the playoffs, where, as he says, everything starts all over again. He does not want to single out individuals and stands by the view that HK Petržalka works as a unit, from the defense through to the forwards.