The German ice hockey players started the Olympic tournament with high hopes. But on the first day of the game there was a severe damper. The Söderholm team had no chance against Canada.
A rude awakening from golden dreams: The German national ice hockey players, who came with the highest goals, got off to a shattering false start in their Olympic mission in Beijing. Four years after the silver miracle of South Korea, the selection of the German Ice Hockey Association (DEB) conceded a 1: 5 (0: 3, 1: 1, 0: 1) bankruptcy against Canada at the start of the preliminary round – and missed a lot of what they awarded in previous years.
Revenge for the Pyeongchang semifinals
1,448 days after the semi-finals in Pyeongchang, in which the German team experienced the emotional climax of its winter fairy tale with a 4:3 win against the ice hockey motherland, it was downright overrun. Alex Grant (5th), Munich DEL professional Ben Street (10th) and Daniel Winnik (11th) gave the world champion a 3-0 lead early on.
Only from the second third did the team of national coach Toni Söderholm, who had won 3-1 against the Canadians at the World Cup last year, defend themselves. Ex-NHL striker Tobias Rieder (31st) shortened, but Maxim Noreau (33rd) quickly destroyed the burgeoning hopes, Jordan Weal made sure of the final score (52nd). The next opponent is host China on Saturday (9.40 a.m. CET).
Painful moment: A referee gets hit in the face with an ice hockey stick – an accident with consequences. (Source: Eurosport)
Here you will find all video highlights of the Winter Games in China.