Kink and Hager the golden shooters in the 2-1 win in Belarus / Home premiere against the Czech Republic next week
Revenge successful! The German national ice hockey team won its first game as part of the Euro Hockey Challenge: After three defeats at the start of the World Cup preparations, national coach Marco Sturm's team deservedly won 2-1 in the second duel with Belarus on Saturday (0:0, 2:0, 0:1).
Sturm had his squad As agreed, rebuilt for the second duel and Yasin Ehliz and Frank Hördler were rotated in. Timo Pielmeier was preferred in goal over Dennis Endras. Bernhard Ebner, Niko Krämmer and Sebastian Uvira took a break.
Denis Reul also had to leave the ice early in the first period after a hard check. The defender stayed in the dressing room as a precaution. Germany dominated the event from the start and put in a lot of effort, which was initially not rewarded.
That changed in the second third: Marcus Kink used an exemplary pass from Moritz Müller with a shot. A little later, Philip Gogulla's shot was deflected decisively by his Cologne teammate Patrick Hager to make it 2-0. The guests continued to dominate the game, but subsequently failed to take advantage of the opportunities that presented themselves.
The Belarusians got off to a better start in the final half. Pielmeier was powerless when Andrei Kostitsyn's goal made it 2-1. Nevertheless, despite a few subsequent outnumbered games by the German selection, the lead held and the first victory was secured.
On Sunday morning, the national team travels back to Germany, where the players spread out to their hometowns in all directions for just two nights. Sturm awaits his squad in Nuremberg on Tuesday afternoon, where the German team will meet on April 22.4nd. makes his first home appearance at the Euro Hockey Challenge against the Czech Republic. The second duel in Mannheim follows a day later.
Gates: 0:1 Marcus Kink (27:25), 0:2 Patrick Hager (33:19), 1:2 Andrei Kostitsyn (42:15)
Penalty minutes: Belarus 14 – Germany 20
Viewers: 7.191 (sold out)
Germany: Pielmeier (Niederberger) – Ehrhoff, Zerressen; Ehliz, Tiffels, Plachta – M. Müller, Reul; Wolf, Raedeke, Noebels – Hördler, Akdag; Kink, Hospelt, Oppenheimer – Daschner; Gogulla, Hager, Schütz.