The German team creates an exhilarating ice performance.
The German ice hockey team secured their spot in the quarterfinals of the World Championship in the Czech Republic while also earning a decisive victory against France in their last preliminary round match. The game was packed with excitement at an unconventional lunchtime hour.
The national champions, led by Coach Harold Kreis, astonished the crowd in Ostrava with a daring shootout. In this game, the Germans scored 6-3 (1-1, 3-2, 2-0) against France. For the DEB, this was a record in World Championship preliminary rounds with an impressive 34 goals, two of which were later nullified after thorough review. However, their defensive weaknesses remained a concern. With Kreis' team already guaranteed a place in the quarterfinals, improvements are needed in defense if they want to advance further.
Scoring goals for the team were players like F. Marc Michaelis (20th), Lukas Kälble (26th), Wojciech Stachowiak (32nd/42nd), Maximilian Kastner (32nd), and NHL forward Lukas Reichel (45th). The French, ranked 13th in the world, led by goals from Valentin Claireaux (17th), Anthony Rech (22nd), and Sacha Treille (27th). These goals came from a hard-fought battle that demonstrated the competitive spirit of both teams.
"The team is highly focused and determined to finish strong in the preliminary round," stated Coach Kreis during MagentaSport. However, the team's performance in the first half of the game didn't quite meet their expectations. Although they had control, the French capitalized on a counter-attack, taking the lead. But Michaelis quickly equalized once a power play had ended.
The team lost focus momentarily and allowed Rech to score again, a goal disallowed after video evidence. In the same sequence, the unfortunate Philipp Grubauer failed to make a key save, as defence failed to support him. An early celebration by Lukas Reichel saw his goal disallowed as well, due to an offside call (29th); a swift follow-up by Leo Pföderl was also deemed invalid due to a goalie interference infraction (36th).
Remaining positive, the team continued scoring, managing to dominate the game and securing a commanding lead. Despite the sizeable lead, their determination didn't waver, reflecting the spirited atmosphere during the match. Despite Henry Pföderl's penalty in the final period for a board check (55'), Kreis' team held their ground. Against a besieged French team that struggled to find offensive opportunities, the German team showed great resilience before the quarterfinal clashes.
Moritz Müller, captain of the team, reached a personal milestone, as his 211th international appearance equaled legendary figure Erich Kühnhackl. But he emphasized that the team needed to improve to go further in the tournament. "We need to tighten up defensively if we want to make it far," he stated during ProSieben Sports. With their quarterfinal match just around the corner, the team needs to address these concerns and ensure that they can still make an impact.
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The German ice hockey team's impressive victory against France in the World Championships will surely boost their confidence heading into the quarterfinals, which will be held in France this year. With France being the host nation for the World Championships, the German team will have an opportunity to demonstrate their skills on an international stage, at the World Championships of Ice Hockey.
Source: www.ntv.de
