Crime thriller at the ice hockey World Cup
Germany fails dramatically in the preliminary round
Updated on May 20, 2025 – 11:19 p.m.Reading time: 3 min.
The German national ice hockey team lost the decision-making game against Denmark at the World Cup. It is clear: the DEB team is out.
The World Cup series has been torn, the euphoria gone: just two years after its historical coup at the 2023 World Cup, the silver heroes fell deeply. The German ice hockey team lost the “final” to the last place in the quarterfinals against host Denmark dramatically with 1: 2 (0: 0, 1: 0: 1, 0: 1, 0: 0: 1) after the World Cup preliminary round after the World Cup preliminary round.
Denmark’s Nick Olesen and Joachim Bichfeld sealed the early end of five quarter -finals in a row with two goals in the shootout. No shooter hit on Germany.
The team around NHL stars Moritz Seider and Tim Stützle showed nerves when it was all or nothing in the last game of group B-and reached the low point under national coach Harold Kreis, who started his term in 2023 with the sensational vice championship. 14 players from back then were still on the ice.
The Berliner Korbinian Geibel (40th) had given Germany in the lead, Denmark’s NHL star Nikolaj Ehlers (51st) compensated for in front of 10,500 spectators in the Jyske Bank boxing. It was the fourth bankruptcy one after the other for the selection of the German Ice Hockey Association (DEB) in Herning-the longest World Cup negative series since 2014. For the first time in nine years, a world championship continues in the knockout round.
The interplay continued in the goal: NHL goalie Philipp Grubauer replaced the Munich Mathias Niederberger again. Surprising, on the other hand, a change in the attack: returnee Marcel Noebels, only flown again at the weekend after a boat, had to give way again after just one game from the side of his long -time Berlin storm partner Leo Pföderl. The Munich Yasin Ehliz returned from the stands to the third row, Noebels started as 13th striker. Ahl defender Maksymilian Szuber fell out of the team.
Routinier Noebels, second of 2018 and Vice World Champion 2023, had expressed clear criticism after the 0: 5 against the Czech Republic: “At the moment we have the problem that one or two work on the ice and three are watching. We have to change that quickly.” NHL attacker Nikolaj Ehlers made his debut in Herning for the Danes-just 62 hours after the play-off-out with the Winnipeg Jets.
“For this you play ice hockey, for exactly such games,” said Kreis before the first bully: “Something like that is fun. We go in with good energy.” Above all, with great nervousness, because Denmark came too early. A Revanchefoul from Geibel also brought Germany into the bredouille – the Danes were able to raise the best power play of the World Cup for the first time.
Then Captain Moritz Seider met Nick Olesen with the elbow on the head, but was lucky that the referees did not see the foul (12th). The first overpainting game of the German team brought the first ice age for Noebels in the 15th minute, but no danger.
In the second section, the Berliner for Marc Michaelis moved into the first storm series. The DEB selection, which Grubau had kept in the game with strong parades, now developed more pressure on the offensive. The reward followed on the foot: When the district team had settled in the third of the attack, Geibel met from a distance. “That was important. We remained patient,” said Ehliz, who had taken the view of the Danish goalkeeper.
In the last section, the German defensive initially withstanded the Danish attacks, then Ehlers hit. Shortly afterwards, Michaelis had to get off the ice after the Mannheimer got the puck in the face. Ehliz awarded the new leadership in the power play. After a wild extension with opportunities on both sides, the decision was made in penalty shooting.