Start of preparation for the home World Cup: DEB-Team on the way to Norway
32 days before the start of the home World Cup (5th - 21st May 2017) in Cologne, the hot preparation phase begins for the German national ice hockey team. Eight games are on the program as part of the Euro Hockey Challenge until the start of the World Cup. The two games kick off in Lillehammer, Norway, against the hosts (Thursday, April 6.4th, 19 p.m., Saturday, April 8.4th, 18:15 p.m.; each in the Internet live stream on SPORT1).
The team of national coach Marco Sturm is making its way to Oslo today. One part travels from Frankfurt Airport, the other from Munich Airport in Norway's capital. From there we take the bus around 250 kilometers to the venue for the 1994 Olympic Games. In the evening, Sturm asks for the first session.
“It's not long until the start of the World Cup. “So we have to use every day together to reach our performance level on time on May 5th,” said the national coach, whose goal in the four-week preparation is to “improve step by step.” A good mix in the training dosage is therefore important. Sturm: “In addition to the intensive units, the boys should also get the necessary regeneration time after a long season.”
In addition to the experienced cracks from Mannheim and Cologne, led by ex-NHL star Christian Ehrhoff, there are four new faces in the 26-man squad. Pascal Zerressen (Kölner Haie), the DEL rookie of the year Maximilian Kammerer (Düsseldorfer EG) will also gain their first experience in the national team, as will the talented Jakob Mayenschein (EHC Red Bull München) and North American legionnaire Frederik Tiffels (Western Michigan University/NCAA).
Sturm will only decide on Thursday after morning training which goalkeepers will be used in the two games against Norway or what the formations will look like. The national coach expects an opponent at eye level. “Norway has always been able to achieve respectable results in recent years and has annoyed big nations. These will be two big challenges for us. We’re looking forward to it,” said Sturm.