For Harold Kreis, the next step in preparation for the Ice Hockey World Cup is the two upcoming international matches against Austria.
It’s now about continuing “the team’s positive development,” said the national coach. “It’s important to integrate our new players and continue to operate within our system.”
Before the tests on Thursday (7 p.m.) in Zell am See and on Saturday (5 p.m. / both MagentaSport) in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the professionals from the DEL semi-finalists Kölner Haie and Red Bull Munich were added. “The games against Austria have always been very intense recently, and that certainly won’t change this time either,” said Dominik Bokk (Cologne). Maximilian Kastner (Munich) expects “two fast, physically intense games. It will be a fight for every inch of the ice.”
After two defeats at the start of the preparation against the Czech Republic, the German Ice Hockey Federation (DEB) team recently won 3-1 against Slovakia in Kaufbeuren and Augsburg. Kreis wants to improve: “It will certainly be two hard-fought games against Austria. If we play through our game, we will certainly have the chance to leave the ice with further successes.”
The dress rehearsal against Olympic champions USA will take place on May 10th in Mannheim. The World Cup in Switzerland begins on May 15th in Zurich against Finland. On May 23rd we will face the Austrians again in the group phase.