The German U20 national team has set itself high goals for the upcoming Ice Hockey World Championships in Canada.
“I think we have a very good chance of reaching the quarter-finals,” said national coach Tobias Abstreiter. The World Cup, which was postponed by a year due to Corona, starts on Tuesday.
The heavily rejuvenated German selection starts in Group B against defending champions USA early on Wednesday morning. The other preliminary round opponents are Austria, Switzerland and Sweden, all games take place at 4:00 a.m. German time.
At the 2020 U20 World Cup, Germany narrowly failed to reach the semi-finals with a 2-1 defeat against Russia, but achieved their best result so far with 6th place. “A German U20 team has never managed to reach the quarter-finals twice in a row,” said Abstreiter. “That’s why it’s a very nice goal and a big challenge.”
Following the U20 World Cup, the women’s national team will also have a big stage for the first time. “MagentaSport” broadcasts all German games and the final at the World Cup in Denmark (25 August to 4 September). In the preliminary round, the German women meet Hungary, Sweden, the Czech Republic and hosts Denmark.