The German national ice hockey team got off to a successful start in the 2021 IIHF World Championship in Riga. Almost two years after the last World Cup appearance DEBNational coach Toni Söderholm's team confidently won the selection against Italy 9:4 (2:2, 5:0, 2:2). In the Arena Riga, Marcel Noebels (2), Tom Kühnhackl, Moritz Müller, Leo Pföderl, Matthias Plachta, Lukas Reichel, Tobias Rieder and Frederik Tiffels scored the goals for the seventh in the world rankings.
Seven players are celebrating their first World Cup appearances, Söderholm is relying on harmony in the offensive ranks
In the gate of the DEBFelix Brückmann was given Söderholm's trust for the team, with Mathias Niederberger on hand as backup. Lukas Reichel, Tom Kühnhackl, Maximilian Kastner, Marcel Brandt, Fabio Wagner and Leon Gawanke made their World Cup debut. It was also Brückmann's first World Cup appearance, having previously played three World Cup games as backup.
Söderholm had formed series combinations from which he expected rapid harmony. This is how the PENNY-DEL champions stood Eisbären Berlin, Marcel Noebels, Leo Pföderl and Reichel together in one formation, as well as the three Landshut natives Tom Kühnhackl, Tobias Rieder and Nicolas Krämmer. The Mannheim Adler Markus Eisenschmid, Matthias Plachta and Stefan Loibl also formed a forward line. Then came Maximilian Kastner, Lean Bergmann and Frederik Tiffels.
DEB-Selection with a lot of pace in the game
The selection of the Deutscher Eishockey-Bund showed great confidence after the last few days of preparation and documented this with an increasingly powerful offensive game. Kühnhackl (16th) took the logical lead from close range after a remarkable steal from Nicolas Krämmer. Shortly afterwards, Italy scored a surprising double strike through Petan (17th) and Frigo (18th). The answer didn't take long to arrive, captain Müller (19th) equalized with a shot into the far corner before the break.
In the second section, the Italians, who were struggling in their preparation for the World Cup, had to keep up with the high pace of the game DEB-Teams pay tribute. Shortly after the restart, Rieder (25th) scored to take the lead again, and a little later Tiffels was successful in the majority. Noebels (36th/39th) and Reichel (38th) increased the score further. Shortly before the end of the third, Jonas Müller received a game-time disciplinary penalty for checking the boards.
There were also goals on both sides in the final period. First Plachta (43') hit the mark with a shorthander, Italy responded immediately with two power-play goals from Bardaro (44') and Frank (45'). Pföderl (49th) ensured a successful start to the World Cup with the final score of 9:4. As the best player of the DEB-Selection was awarded to Marcel Noebels.
Next World Cup game against Norway on Saturday morning
In just a few hours it will be possible for them DEB-Selection continues. On Saturday morning (live on SPORT11.00 from 1 a.m.) the opponent is Norway.
National coach Toni Söderholm: “You have to be happy when we win so clearly. We played very well in the second third and didn't give our opponents any opportunities. Overall it was a good team performance. All players were involved in the result and, as expected, we also had quite a lot of possession. The pace will be higher tomorrow, the Norwegians are good skaters, so we have to avoid counterattacks. Overall, we should play a little more aggressively and more directly towards the goal.”
Striker Tom Kühnhackl: “We can be satisfied with the result. In the first third we weren't able to quite achieve what we had set out to do. In the second period we found our strengths, at the beginning of the final period we conceded a few goals when we were outnumbered, which we could have prevented. In other words, in our own zone and when outnumbered, we can still improve. But overall we have done a lot right and are optimistic for tomorrow.”
Striker Leo Pföderl: "I think you could feel a certain nervousness at the beginning, but that's normal for the first game. It was a game that we really wanted to win. After the first third, we showed that we were the better team. Tomorrow will be a completely different story, but it was a good step, it gives us confidence, calm and composure."