DEB-Team starts with victory against Russia in Germany Cup

Four Nations Tournament

Krefeld (dpa) – Germany’s national ice hockey team has successfully started the Olympic season even without a number of top performers. The heavily weakened selection of national coach Toni Söderholm defeated the young Russian team 4: 3 (2: 2, 1: 0, 1: 1) at the start of the Germany Cup.

In front of the disappointing backdrop of only 1560 spectators in Krefeld, Mannheim’s Lean Bergmann (10th minute), Yasin Ehliz from EHC Red Bull Munich (13th), Leo Pföderl from Master Eisbären Berlin (28th), ex-NHL striker Tobias Rieder shot The Växjo Lakers from Sweden (42.) finished fourth in the World Cup to a deserved victory.

Convincing team performance

“It looked very good for long stretches today,” said Söderholm at MagentaSport. “We were particularly strong in the offensive zone.” The selection of the German Ice Hockey Federation fought for success with great will and a convincing team performance. Only little worked at the start. Maxim Groschew (8th) and Maxim Tsyplakow (9th) initially had bad fears before Germany turned and determined the game. The third hit by Russia by Maxim Sorkin (54th) came too late for the Sbornaja.

The German team will play against Switzerland on Saturday (2.30 p.m. / MagentaSport). The German arch-rival went down 7-1 against Slovakia. The Slovaks are the last German opponent on Sunday (2.30 p.m. / Sport1 and MagentaSport). Germany last won the home tournament in 2015. “We have to grow together here now, there are many young players who are looking for their chance,” said the former Krefeld striker Marcel Noebels from the Eisbären Berlin.

Opportunity for talent

The Deutschland Cup is the last opportunity for Söderholm to test players before the Olympic Winter Games in Beijing in February. The national coach in Krefeld deliberately does without a number of top performers, the NHL stars are not there anyway. Instead, in addition to some talents, veterans like the former Krefeld’s Daniel Pietta or Munich’s Konrad Abeltshauser get another chance. Pietta, who was not taken into account by Söderholm for a long time, got off to a very bad start in his hometown, owed the early 2-0 and also acted unhappy on the offensive.

“We didn’t get off to a good start in general. The Russians really stepped on the gas », Bergmann grumbled in the first third break. The 23-year-old brought the German team back into play after two quick counter-goals by the Russians. In Ehliz and Pföderl, other established forces turned the game for the constantly improving German team, which also held up well physically. Ehliz and Pföderl are two of five players in the Deutschland Cup squad who sensationally won silver in Pyeonchang in 2018. Ex-NHL striker Rieder shot out the supposed decision in the final third in the majority, before the talented Russians made it exciting again. Even in the turbulent final phase, Germany successfully held against it.

The audience response was disappointing. After no spectators were allowed in last year due to corona, only 1560 fans found their way into the arena this time.

© dpa-infocom, dpa: 211111-99-964276 / 4

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