ice Hockey
“Lesson at the right time”: DEB team not yet in World Cup shape
National ice hockey coach Harold Kreis and his team suffered a defeat against France. photo
© Swen Pförtner/dpa
Before the dress rehearsal, the German national ice hockey team has some problems. The master players give hope and a learning effect.
National coach Harold Kreis is not in a mood of alarm. “It was a wake-up call. Better now than in a week,” emphasized the coach after the 3:5 against France. The German The national ice hockey team is not in top shape a few days before the start of the World Cup, despite the NHL reinforcements.
The vice world champion lost a 3-0 lead against France. There were five defeats in seven test matches. “It was the right lesson at the right time,” explained captain Moritz Müller. “We now have to learn the lessons from this.”
The Cologne Haie veteran is already hoping for improvement in the last World Cup test against France on Monday (7:30 p.m./MagentaSport). “It’s not a question of quality. It’s a question of concentration,” said Müller. “If we are not fully there for 10 to 15 minutes, we will be punished.” National coach Kreis complained about the lack of “defensive stability” after the first third. “We have to make sure we allow fewer chances.” There isn’t much time left. On Friday (4:20 p.m./ProSieben) Germany starts the World Cup with the game against Slovakia.
High leadership is not enough
Until shortly before the end of the first round, it looked like an ice hockey gala in Wolfsburg. It was 3-0 after 19 minutes thanks to goals from Dominik Kahun, Parker Tuomie and Maxi Kastner. Germany could have scored seven to eight goals. “We played the way we actually wanted,” said captain Müller. “That’s when you saw how much momentum we had to get out of the back. Then you saw when we weren’t doing it anymore.”
For the second test in Weißwasser, however, Kreis can rely on important top performers. The Berlin DEL champions Jonas Müller and Kai Wissmann as well as North American professional Maksymilian Szuber will strengthen the back team. Without world-class defender Moritz Seider, who had to withdraw last week, the DEB selection desperately needs these three defensive players.
In the storm, however, Kreis is now spoiled for choice. Two more reinforcements are coming: Berliners Frederik Tiffels and Leonhard Pföderl. JJ Peterka also showed his qualities against France. The NHL star from the Buffalo Sabers immediately joined in with an assist, but still had some problems getting used to it. “It was a bigger change than I thought because of the ice surface,” said the top striker, who plays on much smaller surfaces in the NHL. “So the next game on Monday will be very important for me.”
Goalkeeper Philipp Grubauer from the Seattle Kraken also struggled with similar adversities in Wolfsburg after a two-year absence from the national team. “It was a bit strange for me. The advertising on the boards, the painting on the ice. I’m not used to something like that in the NHL,” said the goalie. “A perimeter advertisement is black, so you’re looking straight into the black.”
This will no longer play a role on Monday at the dress rehearsal in Upper Lusatia. The DEB selection wants to complete the four-hour bus ride to Ostrava with a good feeling after the last test. “We’ll do another video analysis and see what the mistakes were and fix them. It’s really good for us that we’re playing against France again,” explained Peterka. “Then we’ll attack again.”
World Cup schedule