The first appearance at the Germany Cup was a success. The national team of national coach Harold Kreis won the opening game of the home tournament in Landshut against Denmark 4:1 (0:0, 1:1, 3:0) on Thursday. In the first game after losing the World Cup final against Canada, it was mainly goalkeeper Arno Tiefensee who saved the DEB team from conceding goals with numerous saves. “He was really good today,” enthused former NHL professional Yasin Ehliz about the goalie. Leonhard Pföderl (26th minute), Colin Ugbekile (54th), Alexander Ehl (58th) and Maximilian Eisenmenger (60th) scored for the hosts.
The DEB team’s next opponents are the Austrians on Saturday (6 p.m.), who suffered a clear 7-1 defeat in their first game against Slovakia. At the end of the Germany Cup there will be a duel with the Slovaks, who have been convincing so far, on Sunday (2.30 p.m. both games at Magentasport).
“We have a promising mix,” Coach Kreis announced before the start of the tournament. With Manuel Wiederer (Eisbären Berlin) and Alexander Ehl (Düsseldorfer EG), there were only two players on the ice who wrote German ice hockey history with World Cup silver on May 28th in Tampere, Finland. The district spared established top performers such as captain Moritz Müller (Kölner Haie) and Marcel Noebels (Eisbären Berlin). The NHL professionals around world-class striker Leon Draisaitl are in action in North America this season.
Strong goalkeeper Tiefensee
In addition to a few newcomers, the main focus was on national team returnees Ehliz (EHC Red Bull Munich), Pföderl (Eisbären Berlin), Tobias Rieder (Växjö Lakers/Sweden) and Marc Michaelis (EV Zug/Switzerland). The quartet canceled the World Cup due to injuries and should recommit themselves. The national coach hardly has many more testing opportunities available because the schedules of the different leagues are packed to the brim. The Germany Cup is the only tournament before the start of preparation for the World Cup from May 10th to 26th, 2024 in the Czech Republic.
The district team could rely on the strong goalkeeper Tiefensee. It was not without reason that the 21-year-old from Adler Mannheim was drafted by the Dallas Stars in the 5th round of the NHL talent draft at the end of June. “Overall, the boys did a good job defensively,” said the goalkeeper modestly after the final whistle.
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Tiefensee also saved the DEB selection from conceding a goal in the first five minutes of the second third against powerful Danes. With the first opportunity in the middle section, Pföderl gave the defending champions the lead. The Eisbären Berlin professional pushed the puck over the line from close range (26th minute). The district team still failed to gain control of the game. Denmark’s captain Patrick Russell deservedly equalized to make it 1-1 (40th). But Germany were not deterred: Ugbekile was the first to make it 2-1 (54′). Shortly before the end, Ehl (58th) and Eisenmenger (60th) increased the score. A good start for the professionals who have never played a game in this constellation before.
