It should be a day for sports history, one can say that without exaggeration: As in 1930, at the very first world championship, the German national team was in the final of an ice hockey world championship. The opponent this time as then: Canada. And for the first time since 1953, that much was certain, the German Ice Hockey Federation (DEB) team would return home with a medal from a World Championship. The only question was: a silver one like last 70 years ago – or even a golden one?
It turned silver. Germany lost 2:5 (1:1, 1:1, 0:3) in front of 10,470 spectators in the Nokia Arena in Tampere and missed out on the first World Cup title in their history. Canada is now the sole record champion ahead of Russia with 28 titles. Five years after the Olympic silver coup, the German team can still record one of the greatest successes in its history. “The tank is empty,” said national coach Harold Kreis. “But we gained something, not lost something.”
The day allowed, yes it demanded, the historical classification. Captain Moritz Müller, one of four veterans from the 2018 Olympic final alongside Jonas Müller, Dominik Kahun and Marcel Noebels, said: “My father wrote to me after the Sweden game: ‘It looks a bit like the Olympics’https: //www.sueddeutsche.de/sport/.” As a reminder: the game against Sweden, their first in the tournament, the German team lost 0:1, and also in the two following games against hosts Finland (3:4) and the USA (2-3) she lost out, but she was even and after that she won the must-win game against Denmark, followed up on wins against Austria, Hungary and France before beating Switzerland 3-1 in the quarter-finals and in the The semi-final thriller against the USA equalized shortly before the end and in extra time scored the 4: 3. “In the run-up, the belief in us from home wasn’t too great,” recalled Müller.
The game against the previously unbeaten Americans, in which the DEB team was 2-0 down after four minutes, “couldn’t represent the character of the team better,” said NHL professional Nico Sturm: The team got early due to the three defeats internalized to “go through these phases in which things don’t seem to be going so well for us”. He would “like to adopt all the boys,” enthused national coach Kreis, who already had tears in his eyes after the win against Switzerland. Before the final he said: “You can see what the guys are doing, you can see the emotional and physical effort they put in. It doesn’t leave you indifferent.”
Germany leads. In the final. Against Canada
Against Canada, the largest and heaviest team on average in this World Cup, the Germans tried to use their speed. And they didn’t hesitate. NHL professional John Peterka refined a dream pass from Moritz Seider into his sixth tournament goal (8th minute) – you have to write it down again: Germany led! In the World Cup final!! Against Canada!!!
But the Canadians were also on the move: three minutes later, Samuel Blais equalized.
Stay mentally strong, keep calm: The Germans took this experience with them to the final. They didn’t want to be impressed either by the goal they conceded or by the increasing Canadian toughness. The Canadians should come into the game well prepared, Samuel Soramies had formulated the new German self-confidence: “It will be us!”
The Canadians had sent one of the most nominally inconspicuous teams to Finland and Latvia in recent years. Their best known player is Captain Tyler Toffoli, 31, 2015 World Champion of the Calgary Flames, their most talented Adam Fantilli, 18, a college player. Despite low prominence and defeats against Switzerland and Norway, André Tourigny’s team, head coach of the NHL club Arizona Coyotes, had made it through to the World Cup final for the fourth time in a row. Canada is still Canada.
Germany takes the lead again – but Canada uses a power play
But Germany is no longer the Germany that went to World Cups not to lose. “We play to win,” Kreis said. In the second third, the Canadians understood better how to keep the Germans away from their goal. But when the chance arose, the DEB team was there: Daniel Fischbuch used one of the few opportunities to make it 2-1 (34th). Second tournament goal for the future Mannheimer, who had watched four group games from the stands and should now become the celebrated hero? But Canada answered again: Power play, Lawson Crouse, 2: 2 (38th).
“As long as we continue to play our boots stoically, we give ourselves the best chance,” said Sturm during the break at Sport1. Stay calm. We have nothing to lose. only to win.
In the final third, the favorite pulls away uncatchable
But then Maksymilian Szuber missed a simple pass and Mathias Niederberger in goal couldn’t get hold of the disc, and this time the Canadians were there: 2:3, again by Blais (45th). For the first time the Germans were behind. And when they had just swarmed out, Toffoli countered to make it 2:4 (52nd).
Time was running out for the Germans and when Kreis sacrificed the keeper for a sixth fielder, Scott Laughton (59′) put Canada unassailable ahead. “The Canadians kept it very simple and took advantage of our mistakes,” said Niederberger. “Nevertheless, we played an amazing tournament and can be proud.”
The day began with another historic event, at least for World Cup co-hosts Latvia: Like the day before, coach Harijs Vitolins’ team defeated the USA after extra time 4-3 and won their first World Cup medal: bronze .
There shouldn’t be a second first time in the evening.