LAOLA1.tv will broadcast from 16.30:XNUMX p.m. / Künast: “We have to stay positive” / Franzreb in goal
No time to think! After the bitter 1:3 defeat against hosts Austria in the third game, the night was short for the German U20 national team at the 2016 IIHF U20 Ice Hockey World Championship Division I. The game against Latvia is already scheduled for this afternoon (16.30:1 p.m., live on LAOLAXNUMX.tv).
After a quick dinner around midnight, the players rushed to get to bed as quickly as possible. Switch off, regenerate, recharge your batteries and clear your head – that was the motto.
The fact is: the German selection has to win today in order to keep the dream of direct promotion. Latvia currently has eight points and is at the top of the table. Germany ranks third with six points. In the other games today, Kazakhstan and Norway as well as Austria and Italy meet (20 p.m.).
General manager Marco Sturm is asking the team to do exactly what they showed yesterday in the game against Austria, and that is: pride. “We are proud to represent our country here. We are proud to wear the eagle on our chest and that is how we will perform.”
This shouldn't matter to the Latvians for now, as they were already considered favorites before the tournament. “The Latvian team has individual class and will certainly be one of the toughest opponents,” said BundesYoung talent coach Christian Künast weeks ago. “But if we perform at our best, stick to the game plan and play men’s ice hockey, then we can beat any opponent here.”
Looking ahead to today's game, Künast knows: “We have to stay positive and continue to believe that our goal is still within reach and that everything can be achieved in a tournament. Anyone can beat anyone here. We will fight for 60 minutes today and give everything to win against Latvia.”
Künast sticks to his rhythm of changes and so in today's game Maximilian Franzreb (Hamburg Freezers) in the German goal.