Quarterfinals against Team Canada the chance to “write history”
Katja Ebstein already knew it in 1970. With her title “Miracles keep happening,” the pop singer moved an entire nation 47 years ago. For Germany she took third place in the Eurovision Song Contest.
Third place (or better) would mean that the national ice hockey team at the 2017 IIHF Home World Championship would win their quarterfinal game against the Canadian NHL stars. And that is exactly the objective for the duel with the “Maple Leaves”.
“Of course we are not the favorites,” said Leon Draisaitl, who still believes it is possible to reach the semi-finals. "Why not. It's just a game. Anything can happen.”
It is clear that the task could not be more difficult. The last World Cup victory was against the 1996-time world champion in Vienna in 26. “I didn’t know that,” Draisaitl grinned. A repetition would be desirable.
National coach Marco Sturm was as relaxed as usual after the morning training. There is no sign of nervousness: “The boys know that they can make history today. That's how we have to go into the game. With a positive mood.”
Captain Christian Ehrhoff agreed with his coach: “We and everyone are looking forward to the game. Why shouldn't we be able to surprise." Nevertheless, the defender also knows that "everything has to go right for us if we want to win." It would be a sensation.