Eishockey
With the next top-class test match opponent, Austria’s national team is continuing its preparation for the World Cup starting on May 10th this week. The ÖEHV selection will play an international double against World Cup hosts and six-time world champions Czech Republic on Thursday (5:10 p.m.) in Budweis and on Saturday (6:00 p.m., both live on ORF Sport +) in Linz.
18.04.2024 09.00
Online since today, 9:00 a.m
Three weeks before the start of the World Cup (May 10th to 26th), the Czechs are already well positioned, as shown by the two victories against runner-up Germany (3:0 and 4:2). “They are already very strong. But it’s good to play against such opponents because it forces us to skate quickly, make quicker decisions, and act quickly,” said team boss Roger Bader.
The World Cup development training is hardly coordinated with the test matches. “We’ve been doing a lot of intensive strength training for two weeks, we wouldn’t do that if the all-important factor were the test matches. We do this so that the players are really well prepared for the World Cup,” said Bader.
GEPA/Matthias Trinkl For team boss Bader, the tests have little importance in the World Cup preparation
It’s “very stressful at the moment” for the players, as Benjamin Baumgartner said. “The most important thing is that we get fit so that we can play well at the World Cup. That the tactics become second nature,” said the SC Bern striker.
Numerous players are missing
Bader only has around a quarter of his World Cup squad available. Lugano defender Bernd Wolf has joined, but legionnaires from North America (Marco Rossi) and Switzerland (Vinzenz Rohrer) as well as the World Cup candidates from the two ICE finalists KAC and Red Bull Salzburg are still missing. For the first time in his team leadership era, the two clubs with the most team players are in the final, meaning a total of 15 to 20 professionals are still missing who will be there in Prague. “It’s challenging,” Bader said.
In order to be able to train together for at least two weeks, there will only be a short break for these team players. They should take part in the fourth team camp next week and be available for the final three test games against Germany (April 25th in Garmisch, April 27th in Zell/See) and world champions Canada (May 5th in Vienna).
Ice Hockey World Cup test matches
4.4. (Riga) Lettland
Austria
3:2 n. P. 5.4. (Riga) Latvia
Austria
3:2 n. P. 11.4. (Ljubljana) Slowenien
Austria
5:2 12.4. (Villach)
Austria
Slovenia 0:6 18.4. (Budweis) Czech Republic
Austria
5:10 p.m. * 20.4. (Linz)
Austria
Czech Republic 6:00 p.m. * 25.4. (Garmisch) Germany
Austria
7:00 p.m. * 27.4. (cell/lake)
Austria
Germany 4.15 p.m. * 5.5. (Vienna)
Austria
Canada 7:00 p.m. *
* Live in ORF Sport +
