Team Europe achieves second victory / Leon Draisaitl decides the game in overtime
Team Europe also wins the second game at the World Cup of Hockey in Toronto against Team Czech Republic 3-2 after extra time.
The team led by President Franz Reindl continues to cause surprises with their second win in the second game and is now in first place in Group A with one game left in the preliminary round. In the night from Wednesday to Thursday (1.55:1 a.m., live on SPORTXNUMX), Team Europe will then face the top favorite from Canada.
Chara and Zuccarello were able to put their European team in the lead twice with their two goals, but their opponents equalized both times. In extra time, the Norwegian Zuccarello got the puck under control after an attack by the Czechs and fed Leon Draisaitl with a pass through the neutral zone. The 20-year-old German international netted half-high on the stickhand side and led his team to their second win in the second game.
He has also been able to demonstrate his goalscoring abilities in the German national team jersey. At the Olympic qualification in Riga / Latvia he played a key role in his team's success with two goals and three assists. Draisaitl could also potentially take part in the upcoming 2017 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship in Cologne / Paris in May, depending on how he performs with the Edmonton Oilers over the course of the season. He would definitely be an important part of the German national team.
Captain Anze Kopitar had good words for his young teammate after the game: "If I'm honest, I was 90% sure he would score. The way he's playing at the moment, there are only a few who can stop him. I hope he continues to play like this for us."
Coach Ralph Krueger also saw no coincidence in his team's goal: "After the second period, we had 30 shots to 13 and would have deserved a bigger lead. But even the equalizer didn't set us back; we held firm and Leon Draisaitl then provided the icing on the cake."
With only one preliminary round match left, Team Europe has a good chance of reaching the knockout round. The team's initially widely believed underdog status seems to have evaporated. "The team always believed that we would be where we are today. Even if no one else outside our dressing room believed that," said Krueger. "I am very proud of how the players have come together in such a short time. They represent their nations on their sleeves with complete commitment. In my 25 years as a coach, I have never seen a team get involved so quickly and sacrifice for each other. We are closely connected and we are not finished yet."