Underdogs in DEB engage in a battle against "Jesus" for semi-final ice hockey spots.
The friendly rivalry between Germany and Switzerland is a long-standing tradition in the world of ice hockey. Once again, it's quarter-final time in the World Cup and the roles are set. Germany, the underdog, is hoping for "soft ice" and a fair game.
Harold Kreis, the national ice hockey coach, laughed when asked if they had a "Jesus" on their team. "No, we have a group of hardworking guys instead," he joked. While Switzerland is garnering attention for their star player, Roman Josi, who supposedly "walks on ice like Jesus on water," Germany has been quietly preparing for their eternal rivals.
In Thursday's World Cup quarter-final at 4:20 pm (Pro7 and MagentaSport), the two teams will face off in Ostrava. This time, Switzerland, with their stacked team of NHL celebrities, seem invincible according to the Swiss media. They've never had such favoritism before. "If that's how they see it, I'm happy to play that role," Kreis smiled.
The past few years have shown that when it gets down to the wire, Switzerland's nerves often fail them. In the previous year's 1:3 quarter-final, as well as 2:3 after penalties in 2021, 1:2 after extra time in the first knockout round at the 2018 Olympics, and the 0:1 in the 2010 World Cup quarter-final, it's been the German team that advanced to the top four, even managing to snatch silver twice.
"You can't ignore the past few years," said captain Moritz Müller. "It's what motivates us." While he didn't mention any new "mind games," his team had come up with some creative strategies in the past. In Riga last year, as Müller recounted, the physio placed a loudspeaker in front of the Swiss dressing room, blasting Turkish music at a volume loud enough to only hear the door slam shut on the Swiss side. Meanwhile, the Germans in the same small park had been playing soccer loudly.
This time, Müller's team is considered the "home team," having set a World Cup record in the preliminary round. However, they'll be without their best defender Moritz Seider, currently living and playing in Ostrava for two weeks - and the Swiss are traveling from Prague. "Being in our dressing room, keeping our usual surroundings, and knowing the arena gives us a significant advantage," said goalscorer John-Jason Peterka.
Germany is also confident about the "soft ice" in the Ostravar Arena, which makes quick, accurate plays much more challenging. "It's frustrating for the team with the most skill," said Nico Sturm, "and its more likely to be the Swiss." With a spot in the top four, and a possible trip to Prague, as motivation, their goal is to keep playing. "That's where we all want to go," said Dominik Kahun, "that's the big goal." Sturm also hopes the season will last "another four days after a long, disappointing NHL season, so I can squeeze every last drop of energy and determination out of myself."
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In the World Championships, Germany and their underdog status will challenge Switzerland for semi-final ice hockey spots, following their historical rivalry. The quarter-final match between these two teams is scheduled to take place in the Ostrava arena at 4:20 pm, with Switzerland currently favored due to their stacked NHL team.
Source: www.ntv.de
