One test match, one victory: In the dress rehearsal before the start of the 2021 IIHF Ice Hockey Women's World Championship in Calgary (Canada), the German women's national ice hockey team showed nerves of steel.
The team led by national coach Thomas Schädler prevailed against the Danes in the penalty shootout. The final result: 4:3 n. P. (0:1, 3:1, 0:1) – after five days of isolation and only a few ice sessions, a strong team performance that is encouraging. The most important message: With the exception of striker Anne Bartsch, the Deutscher Eishockey-Bund has no further absences to report from the German women's national team.
Fully motivated and fit, the Germans are going into their first task at the World Cup in Canada - the start of the tournament on Saturday, August 21, 2021. At 12 noon (local time, 20 p.m. German time) the ice hockey players will start the group phase.
The first opponent in the WinSports Arena is the women's team from Hungary, which only made it to the top division in 20219. At the start of the World Cup in Calgary, the seats in the arena will remain empty. Due to the pandemic, the Canadian authorities quickly stopped allowing spectators.
National coach Tom Schädler: “Hungary and Denmark are the rising stars. But of course these are not supposedly easy opponents that we should underestimate. It's important for us to play with concentration right from the start. After our preparation game against Denmark, we also watched the game between Japan and Hungary. The game was a very close affair despite Hungary's defeat. We have to make sure that our game is right and that we can deliver our performance. And I think then we will be successful.”
Striker Laura Kluge: “We are very happy that it is finally starting. After intensive training sessions and a successful test match here in Calgary, we feel well prepared for tomorrow's game. If we manage to implement our tactical guidelines, a successful start to the tournament should definitely be possible.”
Live stream of all German World Cup games in collaboration with SpradeTV
In cooperation with SpradeTV, all matches of the German women's national team at the IIHF World Championship 2021 in Canada will be broadcast free of charge on the platform www.thefan.fm broadcast via live stream.
World Cup Schedule Group B (Calgary)
Aug 21.08.2021, 12 | 00:20 (00:XNUMX p.m., German time) | Germany - Hungary
Aug 23.08.2021, 12 | 00:20 (00:XNUMX p.m., German time) | Germany - Denmark
Aug 25.08.2021, 16 | 00:00 (00:1 +XNUMX, German time) | Czech Republic - Germany
Aug 26.08.2021, 19 | 30:03 p.m. (30:1 +XNUMX, German time) | Japan – Germany