With thirteen strikers, seven defenders and three goalkeepers, the German women's national ice hockey team will go into the final Olympic qualification for women's group D starting tomorrow, Thursday. In the tournament opening match, national coach Thomas Schädler's team will play from 17:15 p.m Austria (LIVE on MagentaSport).
Captain Julia Zorn from DFEL champion ESC Planegg-Würmtal leads the team. The 31-year-old is competing in her third Olympic qualifying tournament. The game against Austria will be their 217th international match in the black, red and gold colors.
At her side, as at the World Championships in Calgary, are the co-captains Laura Kluge from ECDC Memmingen and Tanja Eisenschmid from ERC Ingolstadt. Overall, the World Cup team forms the core. Five players are missing compared to August due to illness or injury. New or back in the squad are Anne Bartsch (ECDC Memmingen), Hanna Amort (Eisbären Juniors Berlin), Franziska Feldmaier, Lisa Hemmerle (ESC Planegg) and Lilli Welcke (Mad Dogs Mannheim).
The youngest player in the squad is 18-year-old Nina Christof. Hemmerle, Amort and Welcke are about to make their national team debut.
All games in the Olympic qualifying tournament will be broadcast live and directly on MagentaSport.
National coach Thomas Schädler: “We have now reduced the squad again. Ultimately, we start the tournament with three goalkeepers, seven defenders and thirteen strikers. One thing is clear: we must not underestimate Austria in the opening game tomorrow. We have to deliver our performance tomorrow, move our legs and bring intensity into this game. However, I am very confident that we will master this task.”