Deutschland Cup Day1 Recap

Slovakia Secures Narrow Win Over Austria at the 2024 Deutschland Cup

The Slovak national hockey team opened their 2024 Deutschland Cup journey with a closely contested 1-0 victory against Austria. In Thursday’s game held in Landshut, Slovakia’s captain, Peter Cehlárik, scored the only goal of the match in the first period, ensuring a win in their opening game.

The game’s only goal came in the 14th minute, with Cehlárik taking advantage of a pass from Cingel and a shot by Mudrák, skillfully guiding the puck past Austria’s goaltender David Kickert. Austria started strong, showcasing swift skating and forcing Slovak players into penalties, creating several power-play opportunities. However, Slovak goaltender Rastislav Eliaš rose to the occasion, stopping all 29 shots he faced and securing a shutout in his debut for the national team.

In response, the Slovak team held firm defensively, particularly during Austria's four power plays. Takáč and Lukošik had promising chances early on but were thwarted by the Austrian defense and goalie Kickert.

The second period was marked by a more balanced game, with Austria gaining momentum in power-play situations. Austria’s Rohrer came close to equalizing, missing by a narrow margin. Midway through the game, Slovakia had a power play opportunity but couldn’t capitalize, as Cehlárik’s attempt went just wide.

In the third period, Slovakia intensified their efforts to extend the lead. Tamáši had a strong attempt that was blocked, while Takáč’s breakaway was foiled by Kickert’s quick reaction. Later, a well-placed pass from Stacha to Petrovický gave Slovakia another chance, but Austria’s defense held steady. Austria pulled their goaltender in the final minutes, but Slovakia held on to secure the win.

Peter Cehlárik, the game’s sole scorer, highlighted the importance of team defense. “Our play without the puck was solid today, and Rastislav [Eliaš] was incredible in goal. Playing with a 1-0 lead is always challenging, but we managed to see it through.”

Rastislav Eliaš, reflecting on his shutout debut, said, "I’ll remember this day forever. It felt great to be out there, and the team’s support, especially during the power plays, made a huge difference."

Samuel Takáč, a Slovak forward, acknowledged the challenging, physical nature of Austria’s game. "They didn’t give us much time to create plays, which made the victory even sweeter," he noted.

Adam Žiak, who made his national team debut, spoke about adapting to the international stage. He noted the smaller rink size and felt the team maintained a strong tempo throughout the game.

Peter Frühauf, Slovakia’s assistant coach, praised the team’s defensive resilience and noted areas for improvement. "It was a tough opening game. Austria was very physical, and we struggled to finish our chances. But our defense was strong, and Eliaš was outstanding in his debut," he said.

With a solid opening win, Slovakia will aim to continue their defensive momentum and capitalize on scoring chances in their upcoming matches against Germany and Denmark. Their next game against the host team, Germany, on Saturday, will be a critical test of their endurance and tactical play as they advance in the 2024 Deutschland Cup.

Germany Stabilizes after Rocky Start but Falls to Denmark in Shootout

In their opening match of the Deutschland Cup in Landshut, Germany's men's national ice hockey team suffered a close loss to Denmark, falling 5-6 after a penalty shootout. Head coach Harold Kreis’s squad initially struggled with a turbulent first period, conceding three early goals, some of which were preventable. However, they managed to steady their performance and applied pressure in the later stages of the game. Despite holding a slight edge, especially in the third period, they ultimately failed to capitalize on key opportunities, leading to a dramatic shootout loss.

The game began in front of roughly 2,200 spectators in the Fanatec Arena, where Kreis ignited local pride by starting Lower Bavarian players Tom Kühnhackl, Stefan Loibl, and Luis Schinko. Their enthusiasm, however, didn’t translate into an early lead. Instead, Denmark scored first in an unusual fashion—Andreas Eder inadvertently directed the puck into his own net during a defensive maneuver, leaving German goalie Maximilian Franzreb stunned as the puck trickled in.

The 0-1 deficit seemed to shake the German side, which allowed Denmark to exploit defensive lapses, opening up more scoring chances. Denmark capitalized on this disarray with a goal by Jacob Schmidt-Svejstrup, who maneuvered past Leon Gawanke and scored from a tough angle. Although Germany’s Justin Schütz answered quickly, cutting Denmark’s lead to 2-1, the Danes retaliated just 11 seconds later, as David Madsen netted a goal after intercepting a failed German pass, bringing the score to 3-1.

Germany found a lifeline through a power-play goal when Daniel Schmölz tipped in a shot, narrowing the deficit to 3-2. This energized the team, and they managed to level the score just minutes later. Schmölz found the net again from close range, and shortly before the first intermission, captain Patrick Hager put Germany ahead 4-3 with a goal from a sharp angle.

The pace slowed in the second period, but not before Nick Olesen brought Denmark back to 4-4 with a long-range wrist shot in the 24th minute. Both teams tightened defensively, though Germany managed to break the deadlock again in a shorthanded situation. With Lean Bergmann serving a five-minute major penalty for a hit from behind, Loibl scored after a cross-ice pass from Kühnhackl, putting Germany up 5-4. However, Germany could not extend their lead, despite several promising chances towards the end of the second period.

Denmark responded in the third period with another goal by Olesen, who capitalized on a power play to bring the game back to a 5-5 tie. Germany largely controlled the game from this point, pushing Denmark's defense to its limits but unable to convert their momentum into a decisive goal. The game eventually went into overtime, which remained scoreless as both sides missed finishing chances.

In the shootout, Stachowiak and Schütz scored for Germany, but Denmark's Olesen proved to be the standout performer, converting twice to secure the victory for Denmark after six shootout rounds. For Germany, the loss emphasizes the need for a win against Slovakia on Saturday to remain in contention for the Deutschland Cup title.

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