Third appearance in front of their own audience / SPORT1 live / Sturm is without Draisaitl, Ehliz, Akdag, Eisenschmid and Treutle
Still without NHL star player Leon Draisaitl and North American legionnaire Markus Eisenschmid, the German national ice hockey team is going into its third preparatory game in front of its home crowd. The selection of the Deutscher Eishockey-Bund celebrates (DEB) made their international debut in the game against France (19:15 p.m., live on SPORT1) in Wolfsburg. Next Saturday the German team will meet in Berlinhe corrugated iron palace on the same opponent.
In addition to Draisaitl and Eisenschmid, national coach Marco Sturm also gave Sinan Akdag, Yasin Ehliz and keeper Niklas Treutle a break. Even without his NHL star, Sturm takes his team to task. “In both recent games against Slovakia in Weißwasser and Dresden, we didn’t do what we could. We have to improve,” said the 39-year-old coach at the beginning of the third preparation phase. “The performance last week is not what we expect.”
There will be a duel in Wolfsburg with the co-host of the 2017 World Cup. The French have some well-known names in their squad. Anthony Rech and Damien Fleury meet their Schwenningen teammates in the national team. The star of the team is defender Yohann Auvitu, Leon Draisaitl's teammate at the Edmonton Oilers. Keeper Florian Hardy was once under contract in Munich. Kevin Hecquefeuille is also there Fans a term. The defender already played for them Kölner Haie. Back then as a striker. Antonin Manavian was with the team at the start of the season Krefeld Pinguinen on the ice, but was not licensed shortly before the start of the season.
Advance sales went extremely well in Wolfsburg. Over 4.000 Fans are expected in the evening. “We are very pleased to be hosting the first international match,” said managing director and sports manager Charlie Fliegauf. He and most of the Fans certainly wouldn't mind if they achieved their first home win of 2018.