2024-04-21 07:48:00
Four test matches, three defeats: preparations for the World Cup are anything but optimal for the German ice hockey cracks. Against top team Slovakia it was at least enough for extra time.
The German national ice hockey team lost against Slovakia in captain Moritz Müller’s 200th international match in preparation for the World Cup. In Augsburg, the runner-up world champion lost against the Slovaks 4:5 (0:1, 3:2, 1:1, 0:1) after extra time. Two days earlier, the 2002 world champion was defeated 7:3. At the start of the World Cup on May 10th, Germany will face Slovakia again in Ostrava, Czech Republic.
Even before the first face-off, Captain Müller was honored by DEB sports director Christian Künast. The 37-year-old Cologne Haie professional is the tenth German ice hockey player to break the 200 international mark. “Mo is a role model simply because of his career,” enthused coach Harold Kreis about the runner-up world champion and silver medalist at the 2018 Olympics. Ice hockey icon Udo Kießling is a record national player with 321 appearances.
There are two tests left before the World Cup
Marc Michaelis from the Swiss club EV Zug (25th minute) and Straubing’s Mario Zimmermann (34th) with his first international goal equalized after Slovakia’s goals. After the first German lead through Alexander Ehl (35th) from Düsseldorfer EG, the guests turned the game around again. Ingolstadt’s Wojtek Stachowiak shot Germany into extra time (51′). Martin Fasko-Rudas made the decision there (63′).
This marks the end of the second preparation phase for the DEB selection before the title fights in the Czech Republic (May 10th to 26th). After a short break we move on to the third part. The tests will take place against Austria on Thursday (7 p.m./MagentaSport) and Saturday (4:15 p.m./MagentaSport).
It is not clear when and whether NHL reinforcements such as JJ Peterka, goalkeeper Philipp Grubauer, Nico Sturm or Moritz Seider will join the squad. Sports director Künast confirmed talks with the Internet broadcaster MagentaSport on Saturday, but no agreements yet with the North American professional teams.