This time Switzerland was too clever. The Swiss prevented the German ice hockey stars from pulling off another World Cup coup and reaching the semi-finals for the third time in four years.
On Thursday (May 23, 2024), national coach Harold Kreis’s team lost the World Cup quarter-finals in Ostrava 1:3 (0:2, 1:0, 0:1) against their arch-rivals, against whom they had beaten in 2021 and last year and reached the semi-finals. Switzerland thus also took revenge for their quarter-final exit in 2010 and their defeat in the deciding match at the 2018 Olympics.
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Müller struggles with the “little things”
Moritz Müller then told Sportschau: “This Swiss team, with its strength in duels, was built precisely to beat teams like Germany. At this level, small details decide the outcome – we simply weren’t dangerous enough in front of the goal.”
Moritz Müller, Sportschau, 23.05.2024 23:42
National coach Harold Kreis admitted: “We lost against a team that played its game for 60 minutes. The mistakes in the first third were decisive. But as a coach, I still have the impression that my team gave it their all in this tournament and threw everything into it.”
Kahun with the only goal for Germany
Switzerland had been the favorite in all of the games. This time, they brought six NHL players, including top star Roman Josi from the Nashville Predators, onto the ice for the first time. Dominik Kahun (32nd minute) from SC Bern scored the only German goal in the power play. Christoph Bertschy (8th/60th) even in the power play and with a goal into the empty German goal, as well as top NHL striker Nico Hischier (17th) scored the goals for Switzerland, which consistently exploited weaknesses in the German defense.
The negative highlight was a nasty knee check by the Swiss Andrea Glauser against JJ Peterka shortly before the first German goal, which was only punished with a two-minute penalty.
Great respect for Swiss Powerplay
“We had too much respect. We have to put that aside during the game,” said coach Kreis, who last year secured Germany’s first World Cup medal in 70 years by reaching the final in Tampere, Finland. “We slowed down our game and unconsciously sped up the Swiss game. That meant they had more momentum.” The respect for power defender Josi and New Jersey’s Hischier was extremely high. But after just 13 seconds, Patrick Fischer’s team had a chance to score with a man advantage.
Harold Kreis, Sportschau, 23.05.2024 23:44
The German defense, which has been shaky from time to time throughout the tournament, survived the first phase of pressure from the favorites. As it had done against the top nations USA (1:6) and Sweden (1:6) in the preliminary round, the German defense was in danger of being torn apart by the Detroit Red Wings without world-class defender Moritz Seider. Josi and Co. were able to score goals too easily.
DEB team concedes goal in power play
And then the district team slipped up in front of 6,583 spectators in what had been their strongest power play up to that point. With one more player on the ice, the German team lost the puck, Bertschy countered the defense and scored to make it 0-1. NHL goalkeeper Philipp Grubauer from the Seattle Kraken didn’t look good. The keeper was also lucky when the ball hit the post just a minute later. NHL star Hischier made it 0-2: The striker benefited from opponent Lukas Kälble breaking his stick and easily shot the puck in.
Burkhard Hupe, Sportschau, 23.05.2024 18:52
“We have to be easier and quicker to get out of the back,” said defender Kai Wissmann after the first 20 minutes on “MagentaSport”. Nice Sturm demanded “nasty goals” on “ProSieben”. However, the Germans only put pressure on the Swiss goal at the end of the second period when they were in the majority. Swiss goalkeeper Leonardo Genoni hardly had to intervene for a long time against the German offense, which had been so accurate up to that point. 34 goals after the preliminary round is a World Cup record for a German national team.
Switzerland suddenly out of rhythm
The hard foul on NHL striker Peterka brought the vice world champions, who had been lacking ideas until then, back into the game. The Swiss, who had been so superior until then, suddenly stopped playing ice hockey.
Memories of Riga 2021 came flooding back. Back then, the DEB selection was 0-2 down after the first third and still won after a penalty shootout.
Grubauer out of the gate – Switzerland makes the decision
“Now everything is possible,” said Kahun on “MagentaSport”. The German striker’s hopes did not come true. The DEB selection tried to build up pressure, but could not beat Genoni in the Swiss goal and had to admit defeat to Switzerland in the knockout round for the first time since the 1992 World Cup in Prague. Bertschy made the decision when Germany took Grubauer out of the goal in favor of another field player.
The rest of the game plan
Closed, Fri. 24.5.
Semi-final, Sat., 25.5.
Sweden – Czech Republic 14:20 Canada – Switzerland 18:20
Final, So. 26.5.
20:20
Match for third place, 26.5.
15:20
