Slovakia’s men’s national hockey team suffered a 1-3 loss to Germany in their preparatory match ahead of the 2026 IIHF World Championship, played Thursday evening in Kaufbeuren, Germany. The game marked the first of two back-to-back warm-up games between the rivals as both teams fine-tune their rosters for the upcoming tournament.
Slovakia took an early lead when Martin Faško-Rudáš scored just six minutes into the first period, assisted by Tomáš Hrivík. The goal gave Slovakia a 0-1 advantage after the opening frame, but Germany responded strongly in the second period with two unanswered goals.
Leonhardt assisted on Hede’s goal at the 21st minute to tie the game, followed by Krämmer setting up Kinder for the go-ahead marker at 29 minutes. Germany entered the second intermission leading 2-1.
The third period saw Germany extend their lead when Huttl assisted Fischbuch’s goal at the 45th minute. Despite Slovakia pulling their goalie in the final minutes in hopes of a comeback, they were unable to solve German goalkeeper Treutle, who made several key saves including turning away Romaňák’s attempt at the 54th minute.
The final score was Germany 3, Slovakia 1. Slovakia recorded one power-play goal opportunity while Germany also had one, with both teams going 1-for-1 on the man advantage. Penalty minutes were lopsided, with Slovakia collecting four minor penalties to Germany’s two.
Germany’s victory improves their preparatory record as they head into Saturday’s rematch in Augsburg, where Slovakia will glance for redemption starting at 5:00 p.m. Local time. The two-game series is part of Slovakia’s eight-game preparatory schedule ahead of the World Championship, which includes previous matches against Switzerland and upcoming games against Latvia and Denmark.
Slovakia’s coaching staff noted the team struggled to maintain momentum after their strong start, citing difficulties in breaking down Germany’s defensive structure despite creating several scoring chances throughout the contest.
The preparatory matches serve as critical evaluation tools for both national teams as they finalize lineups and systems before the World Championship begins later this spring. Fans can follow Slovakia’s continued preparation through official team channels and sports broadcasters covering the Augsburg rematch.
What are your thoughts on Slovakia’s performance in this warm-up match? Share your predictions for Saturday’s rematch in the comments below.
