Tomorrow, Tuesday, February 15, 2022, the national ice hockey team will face Slovakia in the quarter-final qualification. Today, Monday, there are no games for all twelve men's national teams. How national coach Toni Söderholm's team spends the day without playing:
Little ice time, but all the more time for regeneration and recovery: the game-free day of the Olympic ice hockey tournament is all about regeneration for the German national ice hockey team. The team completed a short training session on the ice at the National Indoor Stadium in Beijing, then returned to the Olympic Village. In the evening there is a short team meeting on the agenda - otherwise the ice hockey players have free time that they use for regeneration.
National coach Toni Söderholm: “Training today was short but good. It's important that we recover properly after the game against the USA. The game against Slovakia tomorrow will be a close and intense match. The two teams know each other quite well. We're concentrating on ourselves and what we've done much better against the USA. We played very aggressively and worked solidly all over the ice. It will be important tomorrow that we stick to our game plan, that we remain patient - and then we'll see what's on the board at the end of the game. But I am confident that our development will continue.”
Group stage of the Olympic ice hockey tournament: DEB-Selection increased from game to game
In Group A with the ice hockey nations Canada and USA – even though both teams had to do without their NHL players, it was clear that the challenge for the German national team was great. After a clear defeat against Canada (1:5 (0:3; 1:1; 0:1)), a hard-fought victory against China (3:2 (2:0; 1:1; 0:1)) and a narrow defeat against the USA (2:3 (1:1; 0:1; 1:1)), the DEB-Selection after the group stage in third place. The silver medal winners from 2018 continuously improved from game to game.
Striker Marcel Noebels: “We played our best game against the USA. Of course we want to take the next step against Slovakia, confirm our performance, go one better – and then get to the quarter-finals.”
DEB-Sports director Christian Künast: “We had a difficult start to the tournament and pulled out a working win in the second game. We showed our best performance yesterday against Team USA, we all agree on that. Now it’s time to build on that and improve further in order to stay in the tournament.”
DEB-Selection expects an intense match against Slovakia
At the Deutschland Cup The last time both ice hockey teams faced each other was in 2021. The result from a German perspective: 4:1 (2:0; 1:1; 1:0). Before the start of the Olympic ice hockey tournament, Slovakia and Germany met for a small training game, with strong performances from both teams and goals from both sides. Like the German team, Slovakia took third place in the group stage - the team lost to Sweden and Finland, but secured their first win of the Olympic ice hockey tournament in the last group game against Latvia. Also similar to the German national ice hockey team, the Slovaks' form curve is pointing upwards. With 17-year-old Juraj Slafkowsky, Slovakia also has the current top scorer of these Winter Olympics in its ranks. So far he has scored four goals.
DEB-President Franz Reindl: “This is a game that everyone has been working towards for so long. Slovakia is a very strong, talented team, but our national team has the mentality and quality to take on this big Olympic challenge.”
Striker Matthias Plachta: “We have a very strong opponent waiting for us tomorrow in Slovakia. We had a small preparatory game last week that was very close. The team is robust, big and strong. The Slovaks will try to make our lives difficult. For us it's the little things that matter. We have to defend ourselves physically and just play our game.”
Striker Dominik Kahun: “The Slovaks are a very unpleasant opponent. They have a very strong defense that has long range on the small ice surface. For us that means: We have to assert ourselves offensively and establish ourselves at the front. We want to get back on the ice with the same passion and team spirit as we did on Sunday against the USA. We want to show our game. And if luck is on our side, then things are looking good for the quarter-finals.”
Olympic record between Germany and Slovakia
Since 1994, Slovakia has participated in the Winter Olympics seven times; In 2018, the team lost 1-5 to the USA in the quarterfinals. The Olympic duels between Germany and Slovakia are the DEB-Team very thin in front: In 1994 in Lillehammer, Germany narrowly lost 5:6 in extra time, in 1998 in Nagano they won DEB-Selection with 4:2, 2002 in Salt Lake City there was a 3:0 for Germany in the preliminary round. On Tuesday the teams will face each other again at the Olympics for the first time in 20 years.
Olympia 2022: The pairings in the quarter-final qualification for ice hockey men
Aug 15.02.2022, 12 | 10:05 p.m. (German: 10:XNUMX p.m.) | Slovakia – Germany
The winner will face the USA in the quarterfinals.
February 15.02.2022, 12 | 10:05 (German 10:XNUMX) | Denmark – Latvia
The winner will face the Russian Olympic Committee in the quarterfinals.
February 15.02.2022, 16 | 40:09 (German 40:XNUMX) | Czech Republic – Switzerland
Winner meets Finland in the quarterfinals.
February 15.02.2022, 16 | 40:09 (German 40:XNUMX) | Canada – China
Winner meets Sweden in the quarterfinals.
Additional information