The final! Frederik Tiffels celebrates scoring the winning goal in extra time against the USA Photo: AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin
From BZ/dpa
What a success! Germany’s national ice hockey team is in a World Cup final for the first time in 93 years.
On Saturday, the selection of national coach Harold Kreis also sensationally won the semifinals against the USA with 4:3 (2:2, 0:1, 1:0, 1:0) after extra time. Fredrik Tiffels scored the golden goal in overtime. In regular time, Tiffels (13th minute), Maksymilian Szuber (17th), Marcel Noebels (59th) scored in Tampere, Finland.
This means that Germany has already secured its first World Cup medal in 70 years. In 1953 the DEB selection had become vice world champion with only four participants. At that time, the tournament was held in a group stage without knockout games.
Nico Sturm takes off against the USA in the semifinals Photo: Jonathan NACKSTRAND / AFP
On Sunday (7.20 p.m./Sport1 and MagentaSport) Germany will meet record world champions Canada in the final in Tampere, who had previously won their semi-final against Latvia 4-2. For Kreis, his first World Cup as head coach is already a huge success. Hardly anyone had believed the German team capable of anything before the World Cup. The district had received 15 cancellations from service providers due to injuries. In addition, three of the best German NHL players are absent from the World Cup in Finland and Latvia: Leon Draisaitl, Tim Stützle and goalkeeper Philipp Grubauer.
Fabio Wagner tries to stop US striker Drew O’Connor Photo: Jonathan NACKSTRAND / AFP
Should the sensation succeed against Canada on Sunday, the greatest German ice hockey success would be perfect. Germany also won bronze at the 1934 World Cup and even became vice world champion in 1930 and 1953.
Back then, however, the World Cup tournaments were not as busy as they are today. In 1953, for example, only four nations took part. Germany won Olympic medals in 1976 (bronze) and 2018 (silver).