The German national ice hockey team has achieved their second victory in five games in preparation for the World Cup.
The team of the new national coach Harold Kreis prevailed in Zilina against the hosts Slovakia 4:3 (1:1, 2:0, 1:2) mainly thanks to the greater efficiency and a strong backing. On Saturday (2.30 p.m. / Sport1) there will be another duel with the 2002 world champion in Trencin.
Dominik Kahun (17th, 55th), Dominik Bokk (30th) and Daniel Fischbuch (33rd) scored for the selection of the German Ice Hockey Federation (DEB), which, however, was clear as in the entire preparation for the tournament in Finland Voting problems revealed.
The Slovaks had taken the lead early on through Samuel Knazko (5th), but DEB captain Moritz Müller deflected the puck decisively into the goal of goalkeeper Maximilian Franzreb, who then saved his team’s victory with numerous great saves. However, the goalkeeper of the Fischtown Pinguins Bremerhaven was twice without a chance when Robert Lantosi (45th) and the late goal of the former NHL professional Richard Panik (59th) made a goal.
Dress rehearsal against the USA in Munich
“Against Slovakia we want to be more straightforward and compact than we were last,” Kreis said before the game. He couldn’t be really satisfied after the 60 minutes.
After the trip to Slovakia, the game against the USA (7:30 p.m. / MagentaSport) in Munich is on the program as a dress rehearsal on May 9, then NHL professional JJ Peterka will also take part and the World Cup squad will be in place.
Kreis, who played eight World Cup tournaments and two Olympic Games as a player, will start his first world championship as national coach on May 12 in Tampere against Sweden. The other preliminary round opponents are Finland, the USA, Denmark, Austria, Hungary and France.
