NHL star started preparation today in his hometown of Landshut / Sturm is rotating
Sweden for second: With seven new faces, the German national ice hockey team goes into the second comparison with nine-time world champion Sweden today (16.45 p.m., live on SPORT1) in Landshut. Particularly in focus: local hero Tobias Rieder. The NHL star from the Arizona Coyotes was rested in yesterday's 1-3 defeat in Rosenheim and is eager to play in the ice stadium on Gutenbergweg.
“I spent my youth here. The family will be at the stadium as well as many friends and acquaintances. There is nothing better than playing at home in front of your own fans,” said the 23-year-old striker.
In addition to Rieder, national coach Sturm will call on other “freshmen” and rotate in a total of six players. Accordingly, Timo Pielmeier will be between the posts today. Defender Constantin Braun (Eisbären Berlin) is moving into the squad, as are defenders Moritz Müller and Torsten Ankert (both Kölner Haie). In the storm, Philip Gogulla (Kölner Haie) play his first World Cup preparation game. Christoph Ullmann, Niki Goc, Patrick Hager, Benedikt Brückner, Martin Buchwieser and Jonas Müller get a break.
Sturm is hoping for more consistency in front of the opposing goal against Sweden today, especially with the special teams in the power play. "These are situations that you simply have to make better use of internationally," the national coach said on Saturday when his team failed to score in the power play. Sturm also had praise, however: "I liked the power play."
In addition to Rieder, the German selection is also receiving further additions from North America. Geoff Ward, master trainer of the Adler Mannheim 2015 and current assistant coach of the NHL's New Jersey Devils, landed at Munich Airport this morning and will remain with the team from now on. Ward will assist Marco Sturm at the World Cup in St. Petersburg, as will Tobias Abstreiter, Christian Künast (video) and Michael Elmer (goalkeeping coach).
While the national team can look forward to two days off after the match against Sweden and will only get together again on Wednesday morning to fly to Riga, Tobias Rieder has a TV appearance on Bavarian Television. Accordingly, the NHL striker will be a guest on the live broadcast “Blickpunkt Sport” on Monday. The show starts at 22 p.m.
How to play: Pielmeier (Niederberger) – Akdag, Braun; M. Müller, Ankert; Brandt, Reul; Ebner, Kohl – Gogulla, Schütz, Macek – Krämmer, Danner, Kink; Rieder, M. Goc, Noebels; Höfflin, Pietta, Flaake.