The reunion with the Canadians nine days after the World Cup dress rehearsal in Vienna, which ended in a 5-1 defeat, is the start of three duels with medal candidates for Austria. On Thursday (4:20 p.m.) against Finland and Friday (8:20 p.m., both live on ORF Sport +) against the Czech Republic, the Olympic champions and this year’s hosts will play in Prague’s O2 Arena. “The path we took today must be the direction again. But we have to be realistic about who is on the other side,” said team boss Bader.
First up on the other side is Canada, the record world champion and defending champion. The “Maple Leaves” won the first two games in Prague unspectacularly but confidently with 4:2 against Great Britain and 5:1 against Denmark. Compared to the game in Vienna, the Canadian squad is clearly beefed up. John Tavares from the Toronto Maple Leafs is the next superstar on board, and the engine of young star Connor Bedard (four goals, one assist) is running more and more smoothly in Prague.
IMAGO/Andrea Branca John Tavares is the next prominent name Austria has to contend with
Therefore, Canada will present itself significantly differently than it did at the first joint World Cup test a week and a half ago. “This is an absolutely top team, they are getting better every day, they are always improving,” said Bader. Lukas Haudum was also sure: “They can certainly improve in terms of intensity.” In order not to suffer a British fate against the upcoming major powers like the 8-0 defeat against Finland, the game against Switzerland should serve as a blueprint.
Consistently stay simple
Unlike in the opening game, Bader’s men consistently implemented the motto they had preached against his compatriots for almost the entire 60 minutes. While people liked to use magic against the Danes, especially in their own third, they looked for the right, simple solutions against the Swiss under pressure. Keeping the number of disc losses as low as possible, plus a “straight game” – that’s what Bader wants to see in the coming games.
Austria continues without a point
In the second game of the World Cup, Roger Bader’s team fell to Switzerland, but were proud of their performance after the defeat.
Benjamin Baumgartner, who had to sit in the stands against the Danes but scored a goal against Switzerland, summarizes the two games in a similar way. “Anytime we are too playful, we commit too many turnovers and it goes our way. If we avoid that, we can keep up with any opponent.” The will shown to win against the major powers should also have an impact, because the Austrians fought their way back into the game again and again in the 5:6 win against Switzerland. Or as Clemens Unterweger put it on ORF: “The feeling is better now.” They have shown that “you can do it”.
Use team spirit and game plan
Even though the game against Switzerland was narrowly lost 5:6, the performance was an important boost for morale. According to team boss Bader, it wasn’t necessary at all. In the catacombs of the O2 Arena, the Swiss once again emphasized the good “spirit” in the team, which would quickly drive away forgettable games like the one against the Danes from people’s minds. “They (the players, note) enjoy coming to the team and have become friends. Therefore, we can critically question an unsuccessful performance like in the first game, show everything and then deliver a better performance.”
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The game plan this year should also help ensure that defeats are dealt with much more easily than they were a year ago. Because you had to play the seven games in ten days in Tampere, you have an additional day off this year. There is a day’s break before and after the duel in Canada, as well as before the key game against the British on May 21st. “The game plan suits us,” said Haudum and also pointed out that there is no need to be afraid of two games in a row. Against Switzerland you were able to “keep up with a top team in terms of skating”.
Enjoy your role as an “underdog”.
Canada, Finland and the Czech Republic have been in the category of top teams in the ice hockey world for decades. The trio has 38 World Cup titles (Canada 28, Finland four, Czech Republic six as a sovereign state). Therefore, Austria can only win in these games; every point against the three major powers would be an unplanned bonus.
But the Austrians proved that things can happen quickly and that the “underdog” gives the favorite a “haxl” two years ago in Tampere, when they were able to bring the Czech Republic to their knees for the first time in history with a 2-1 win after a penalty shootout. Unlike in Finland, however, the Czechs play their home game with the roaring hurricane of 17,000 fans behind them.
