Michaelis becomes emotional following enchanting return to form.
Germany's hockey squad is generating excitement similar to last year's surprise victory with a triumphant start at the World Championships against Slovakia. They're about to face top contenders, the United States and Sweden. One player, in particular, is feeling particularly emotional during the event.
The preparatory phase had its challenges, but the World Championship opener was exceptionally exhilarating and poignant: Germany's hockey crew gave an exceptional performance against Slovakia, ending the game with a 6-4 (0-0, 3-2, 3-2) win. The exhausted Moritz Müller, a seasoned player, expressed relief on MagentaSport, "We can't fool ourselves, that was crucial." Their well-orchestrated and effective team, led by coach Harold Kreis, secured a successful commencement in Ostrava, Czech Republic.
The opening match at the World Cup held intense emotional significance for Marc Michaelis. During that time, as his teammates celebrated their exceptional performance in Tampere the previous year, Michaelis wrestled with the prospect of potentially ending his career. He'd suffered a thrombosis in a collarbone vein and underwent three operations, leaving the future of his play uncertain. "The period after that was trying for me," admitted the 28-year-old forward, about to return to his hometown of Mannheim after a decade overseas in North America and Switzerland.
Timely Goals
Michaelis also delivered an outstanding performance in a sports context, assisting Jonas Müller's 2nd goal in a power play and scoring the vital 4th, which was the pivotal point. His line with Yasin Ehliz and Leo Pföderl from Munich and Berlin, respectively, was responsible for three goals while conceding none. Michaelis' success rate in face-offs outpaced others with a 71% success rate.
The Germans continue their journey on Saturday evening. There, they'll contest a game with the US, whose line-up includes multiple NHL veterans. However, their performance was subpar in the initial match, suffering a disappointing 2-5 loss to another powerhouse, Sweden. 21-year-old Chicago Blackhawks forward Lukas Reichel, who arrived in Ostrava on Friday, could potentially join in the following clash.
"The game had its share of ups and downs," Kreis commented, "We managed to score at key moments throughout the duration of the match." Goalie Philip Grubauer, a prominent NHL player named Player of the Game, highlighted room for improvement, "We need to be smarter in the final ten minutes of the game - that part was unnecessary."
The match seemed destined for the favor of the German squad due to two critical reviews from the video replays. The first instance involved a dispute over a goalkeeper obstruction during Kahun's 1st goal, which was initially granted but could have been disallowed. In the latter half, national coach Harold Kreis leveraged video evidence again: before the Slovaks' purported 3-4, Kreis and his team noticed an offside - verified by the replay - and thus overturned that goal. "Those instances breathed new energy into our team and sapped the liveliness from Slovakia," Kreis explained, "We were right, they were wrong, and that was a pivotal point."
Drama from the beginning
The DEB team not only dealt with 22 Slovak players on the ice, but they also had to contest 8,000 spectators from Slovakia present in the stands, converting the venue into a partisan playground. The underdogs started the match nonchalantly. Buffalo Sabres forward JJ Peterka, a highly-acclaimed NHL player projected to be the tournament's best forward in 2023, took an early shot at Slovakian goalkeeper Stanislav Skorvanek. Frederik Tiffels gathered Peterka's rebound but fell just shy of scoring.
Six minutes in, though, Kälble attempted an impressive shot that skimmed the post, and in the final seconds of the first period, Grubauer was lucky when Tatar also struck the post (20th). The Slovaks grew bold in the second period, but the Germans notched the first goals. Kahun netted the long-anticipated first goal with a 5-3 penalty and Müller doubled their lead with a corner shot.
Grubauer experienced an unfortunate play when, after equalizing, he redirected the puck past his own goal with his shoulder. Kälble would reestablish the lead 28 seconds before the interval. Michaelis extended the lead from the beginning of the final period with a rebound. A rapid goal by the Slovaks (48') featuring five NHL pros, including Juraj Slafkovsky, made the contest intriguing, but Pföderl and Eder ensured their 5th World Championship victory over Slovakia.
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In light of their impressive victory against Slovakia, Germany's hockey squad, including star player Marc Michaelis, is eagerly preparing for their match against the United States in Prague, a team filled with NHL veterans. During the World Championships, Michaelis, who overcame a difficult period due to injury and potential career-ending complications, delivered standout performances, scoring a crucial goal and successfully engaging in numerous face-offs.
Source: www.ntv.de
