Last World Cup test today: “Result of secondary importance” / Andreas Eder captain
Things are getting serious for the German U20 national team: The team of BundesYoung talent coach Christian Künast is having its dress rehearsal for the 2016 IIHF U20 Ice Hockey World Championship Division I (December 13th - 20th, 2015) in Vienna/Austria this Thursday. The opponent in Senica, Slovakia is host Slovakia.
It should be a duel of equals. The German selection has already met the same opponent twice this season. The U20 national team won the first comparison at the tournament in Arosa 5:3. At the 4-nation tournament in Poprad (Slovakia) in November, she was defeated 1-2.
So Künast knows what will be important. “The majority of the Slovakian team plays together in the club throughout the season. Today’s game will definitely be hard fought again,” explains the Federal Young talent coach.
Even if the formations are almost certain after preparation, Künast wants to use the last test before the World Cup “to try out a little something during the game.” Künast therefore focuses less on the result and instead emphasizes: “The result is secondary today, but we want to stick to the game plan and give our best performance.”
Meanwhile, the question of who will wear the “C” on their chest tonight and at the World Cup has also been decided. Künast named Andreas Eder (EHC Red Bull München) as captain. His Munich teammate John Rogl and Stefan Loibl (Straubing Tigers) act as assistants. Keeper Daniel Fießinger (SC Riessersee) will be in goal for the German team against Slovakia today. Maximilian Franzreb (Hamburg Freezers) sits on the boards as a substitute goalkeeper.