To the east of Tammerkoski, not far from the cathedral, is the Vapriikki Museum Center. It is one of many former factory buildings in Tampere housing cultural institutions. In addition to natural history and mineral shows, there is a games museum with a small video arcade, where a striking number of adults shoot back to the 80s on this sunny Sunday in May. The Ice Hockey Museum is upstairs on the third floor, next to an exhibition about the change from the “Manchester of the North” to the art metropolis of Finland. Here is the glorious past of Lions issued, the Finnish national team, including four World Cup trophies and the 2022 Olympic gold medal.
It’s hard to get past ice hockey in Tampere, especially at World Cup time. Anyone who sees the office of Ilves, one of the two Champions League clubs in the city next to the current winner Tappara, thinks more of an ancient Roman temple than, for example, the headquarters of the German Ice Hockey Federation in a Munich suburban block of flats. Even the four large sculptures on the Hämeensilta Bridge over the Tammerkoski wear blue and white jerseys.
When things get critical against Hungary at the beginning of the second period, the national coach sends his specialists onto the ice
The Tammerkoski is the river between the two lakes on whose banks Tampere lies. The north-south gradient is around 20 meters, enough to power the city with turbines. The Tammerkoski in the German game, his source of strength and the stable network to protect him, has three names: Nico Sturm, Samuel Soramies and Alexander Ehl. His mission: “We want to bring in energy,” says Soramies. “We want to be a line that the team can rely on in any situation.” Just like the 7:2 against newly promoted Hungary.
At the beginning of the second period, the Germans afforded two penalties in a row, the chance for ultra-defensive Hungary to equalize to 1-1. In such situations, national coach Harold Kreis sends his specialists onto the ice. In this phase, Sturm not only won two important face-offs that bought the team time, he also got a penalty against Hungary. When the Germans were complete again, it was quickly 4-0 through defender Moritz Seider and Sturm, who scored his fourth and fifth tournament goals.
“It’s difficult to work your way up against such a stronghold,” said Seider after the game. “We did a lot better in the second period. After the penalty time, the game went our way and then we played it out very, very confidently.”
“My pulse was in double digits shortly before the end,” says the national coach
Kreis identified this shorthand game as the key to victory. “The boys did a fantastic job,” said the national coach. “Bang, the focus was back: three goals before the end of the second period, one at the beginning of the last, and then we were the old German national team again. That was exactly the right thing to get us back on track.” Even a lack of concentration in the last third, which enabled Hungary to score two goals, no longer made Kreis nervous: “My pulse was in double digits shortly before the end, that sometimes happens well done.”
Nico Sturm, one of three NHL professionals on the DEB team alongside Seider (Detroit) and John-Jason “JJ” Peterka (Buffalo), is almost embarrassed by the eulogies that have been pouring down on him since the tournament began. The 28-year-old San Jose Sharks forward says he’s more of a worker than an artist: “That’s how I make my money, not because I start dancing people out.” Of course he’s happy to score goals. But please: “They weren’t magic things, but everything within a radius of one or two meters in front of the goal.”
The World Cup debutant Sturm, who was once considered not good enough for the DEL, worked his way up through college to the NHL in America and has been allowed to wear a Stanley Cup ring since last year, is the anchor in the team alongside Seider. “He makes it relatively easy for you,” says Sturm’s attacking partner Ehl, “he always marches”. Sturm said about being outnumbered in the second period: “I noticed: Now we have to be careful that the opponent doesn’t get the momentum.” Surviving such phases gives the team “a boost and self-confidence”.
The consistency of the Sturm series gives the national coach the composure to work on other areas. Against Hungary he played instead of Marcel Noebels the faster Frederik Tiffels with Dominik Kahun and Peterka. The measure had the same effect as the “breather” that Kreis Peterka ordered against the Austrians in the last third. Peterka scored 5-0 against Hungary, prepared three more goals and is now in first place in the internal scorer ranking with seven points (three goals, four assists). “Scorers need goals,” said Kreis. “But JJ sometimes takes too much pressure on himself. Today he interacted very well with his team-mates.”
After the opening defeats against Sweden, Finland and the USA and three victories against Denmark, Austria and Hungary, the German team is challenged again in the last group game against France on Tuesday (11.20 a.m., Sport1 and Magentasport). The French have no chance of the knockout stages after the 9-0 loss to the USA. Nevertheless, Nico Sturm warns: “We’re not playing against amateurs here, but against really good teams. We want to go into the quarter-finals with a good feeling.” A win is required. His row will again provide the necessary energy. As sure as the Tammerkoski flows from north to south.
