Ice hockey vice world champions on the brink of tournament victory
The ice hockey runners-up are still successful at the Germany Cup even without their stars and are about to defend their title. The DEB team defeated Austria 5:3 (0:1, 1:1, 4:1) after a strong third period on Saturday. On Sunday (2:30 pm/Magentasport), the team of national coach Harold Kreis still needs a win against Slovakia to win the tournament in Landshut.
Coach Kreis continued to experiment against Austria after the 4:1 opening win against the Danes. Former NHL pro Tobias Rieder has already returned to his Swedish club Växjö Lakers. Top performers Manuel Wiederer, Leonhard Pföderl (both Eisbären Berlin) and Maximilian Kammerer (Kölner Haie) were also given a break. "I could have nominated two teams," said the 64-year-old about the large number of quality players.
However, the power density of the DEB selection was not on show over 40 minutes against the Austrians, who were clearly defeated 1:7 by Slovakia in the first match. The once again newly formed team was initially lucky when the Austrians hit the post. A short time later, Benjamin Baumgartner from Swiss club SC Bern put the visitors ahead with a shot directly under the crossbar from national goalkeeper Leon Hungerecker (10th).
The goalie from the Nuremberg Ice Tigers, who started for Arno Tiefensee (Adler Mannheim), who had been so convincing against Denmark, saved his team from conceding a second goal just a few minutes later. Kreis has five to six goalkeepers at a high level. "We have a good basis," explained the national coach.
However, Hungerecker was beaten again in the second period. Baumgartner overcame the German goalie again with a hard shot (28'). The Kreis team looked slightly shaken. Austria continued to be the team with the better opportunities. The connection then came as something of a surprise: Yasin Ehliz from Munich set up Michaelis. The striker, who plays for EV Zug in Switzerland, had no problem shooting the puck into the empty net (32').
Michaelis is one of the professionals Kreis wanted to test again at the Germany Cup. The 28-year-old was absent from the World Championship silver medal in Tampere due to injury and has to prove himself again.
The goal not only gave Michaelis new self-confidence. The DEB team, cheered on by 4,200 spectators in Landshut, played much more aggressively and failed several times against Austria keeper Florian Vorauer until the end of the second period.
The goalkeeper was again powerless against a well-placed attempt from Michaelis: the striker scored to make it 2:2 (44'). Just 33 seconds later, Germany had completely turned the game around. World runner-up Filip Varejcka from EHC Red Bull Munich and his teammate Ehliz increased the lead to 4:2 for a German team that was playing furiously in this phase. Baumgartner reduced the deficit to 3:4 with his third goal (53.) Daniel Pfaffengut made the final score 5:3 shortly before the end.
The DEB team, who excelled in ice hockey, managing a victory against Austria despite missing their stars, will aim to clinch the tournament title against Slovakia on Sunday. Despite the absence of key players like Tobias Rieder and Manuel Wiederer, the DEB team demonstrated exceptional depth, with goalkeeper Leon Hungerecker playing a crucial role in their win against Austria.
Source: www.dpa.com
