Ice Hockey World Championships: Team DEB – USA – Surprise Tag Team Duel

The Swiss, in particular, feel like they’re in a time period. They met the Germans in a knockout match for the fourth time since 2010 and lost for the fourth time. Although they have always entered the ice as favorites before. But no matter what they tried, the old rival always cheered in the end.

But now the Germans also hope that the history of ice hockey will not repeat itself over and over again. Because apart from the 2018 Olympics, when Team DEB took home the silver, there was no more after the victories over Switzerland. Whether in the 2010 World Cup or the 2021 World Cup: If the German national team reached the semi-finals, they would end up in fourth place.

This year in Finland and Latvia should finally be different. “It’s probably an advantage that we’ve been in before,” captain Moritz Mueller said before Saturday’s semi-final game (5:20pm) against the USA. “It’s great for us to have another chance. And this time we want to get something.”

This will be an event in sporting history: the last World Cup medal for the German ice hockey team was 70 years ago. “Then it’s time again,” says national team coach Harold Kress. And even if his team is again an outsider in the semifinals, it matters:

We just have to play like today. With heart and soul, with passion and all just for all.

On Thursday, the Swiss DEB team was defeated not only in a combative way, but also in a playful way, uniting through the opponent’s area. And when things went the other way, the Germans eagerly threw themselves at shots or relied on the outstanding Matthias Niederberger at goal.

Only Americans, who received similarly small amounts of credit at first, currently receive more praise. Too small, too few stars, too little success. There have always been medals, but the last World Cup gold was 63 years ago – none of the big ice hockey nations waited longer for the title.

However, anyone who talks to the Americans in Tampere hears exactly this goal. “Anything without gold will be disappointing,” striker Alex Tosh said in the early days of the tournament. Knowing well that “we are the only ones who trust us with the title”. But that has changed because the USA has won every game so far.

That might come as a surprise given the number of young players in the squad. Eight are 21 years of age or younger. Tuch, one of the few with experience, knows that, too: “We’ve got a lot of guys who’ve played maybe ten games in the NHL, a few of them haven’t played there yet, but they’ll definitely make a splash here.”

They do this, especially defender Len Hutson and forward Cutter Gauthier. Players who have already won many medals and awards in U18 and U20. Americans have been among the first for years. It’s just a problem with men. Is it your turn this year?

The Germans want to prevent that. They want to write their own story in this World Cup. One that can then be repeated.