Holzer’s Lucky Punch defeats USA

Photo: Ing. Vladimír Koláček

Germany had to deal with two tough losses over the weekend. Both Arizona Coyotes forward Tobias Rieder and Gerrit Fauser had to leave the team with injuries. Nevertheless the game against the USA offered them the chance to make another important step towards the quarterfinals. Team USA on the other side had the same goal, but with the burden of being the favourites.

Right from the start Germany applied big pressure and forced the US boys to draw a penalty after 61 seconds. At the 2:19 minute mark Kölner Haie forward Patrick Hager could tip in a rebound off a Daryl Boyle shot for the go ahead goal for Germany.

On the other end USA had its own chance on a powerplay, but Thomas Greiss defended his shutout with a couple of good saves for now. But 40 seconds after Boyle was back on the ice it was Jake McCabe hitting in a hard pass from the right boards through J.T. Compher to tie the game at 1-1.

The game was high on emotions as the physical play of the Germans was not a welcome feat for the Americans and both teams kept having arguments. Right in the moment when team USA had upped the intensity, Felix Schütz and Hager battled the puck through along the boards, passed it back to the blue line, where Christian Ehrhoff was waiting to blast it past Montreal Canadiens goalie Mike Condon. Germany was ahead again by 2-1.

German players surrounding the American net.
Photo: Ing. Vladimír Koláček

Just 26 seconds back on the ice in the second period, Auston Matthews used the rest of a powerplay for a shot from the left face-off circle right into the upper right corner of the goal and the game was even. The Americans started to control the game in the second period and generated more and more scoring chances, but Greiss was a solid backstop and could keep it at 2-2 until the second break.

In the last period the game stayed fast and intense. Germany had trouble to create anything offensively, but did not allow too much defensively as well. When everyone was set for overtime, Germany managed to set the lucky punch. A last face-off in the US zone was chipped back to the blue line by Marcel Goc where Korbinian Holzer was ready to hammer it past Condon for the game-winner with only 33 seconds left on the clock, which was not enough time for the USA to fight back.

Germany is now in 3^rd place with 10 points and almost through to the quarterfinal. A Canadian victory against France could make it perfect tomorrow. Slovakia will be the last opponent for the USA on tuesday. In that game they will have to get the last missing points to make the cut themselves.

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