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Team Canada takes Deutschland Cup
- Davide Tuniz from Frankfurt
Canadian easily won out German tournament
After a good victory with single goal scored by debutant Ryan Gardner in first day of Deutschland Cup in front of hosting Germany, Switzerland wasn't able to score a single goal against a good team Canada, that overcome 5-2 Slovakia in day #1.
In Frankfurt Swiss proved a decent spirit of team but Canadians, with a roster in majority made by DEL teams' players, closed the game in second period with a 2 goals breaking in 3 minutes, between 29 and 31, with home-boy Mathieu Biron and Justin Papineau.
Switzerland try to reduce score, game was amusing but Canada showed more physical presence on ice, despite less use to play togheter and finalized the score with an empty net goal by another home fans favourite, Derek Hahn.
In the second game, a sold out arena was dedlighted by a great game by Germany in front of an inconsistent Slovakia: much work will wait coach Jan Flic, who choosen many new faces to test possible new generation of players, but Slovakia certainly will need its stars to be competitive.
Germans want to erase memory of last Deutschland Cup game versus Slovakia, when in 2005 Slovakians humiliated hosts 0-6.
Game n° 38 between teams, with a 21-14 victories for easterns and a special recurrence for Cristoph Ullmann (game n°70) and fans' favourite (and only FRankfurt Lions player in the roster) Sebastian Osterloh (game n° 30).
Germany opened and closed the game in first period with a fantastic start: 3-0 with goals by Michael Wolf, Philip Gogulla and Richard Muller. No vital signs by Slovakia in all first period and goalkeeper Youri Ziffzer almost inactive. When veteran Michael Hackert scored 4-0 at begin of 2nd period with a great one-touch action with Slovakians as statues, the 6.200 fans in Eisporthalle Frankfurt start to celebrate a clear victory. Slovakia scored first goal with ??? at end of 2nd and is back on ice justifying its presence at Germany's celebration. Skladany scored 4-2 on PP after 40", but during their best momentum, Slovakians showed again all their inexperience, hitted by Germany with a short-handed goal by Richard Muller.
Coach Flic changed wavering Jan Laco for Imre Petrik but Germany sealed victory showing great style, aggressivity and physical presence on ice.
In last day of tournament finally Slovakia honoured its reputation and in the small (and cold) SAP Arena II lost with a less determined Switzerland only at shoot out, while Canada finished triumphly its tournament with a perfect record overcoming Germany in front of 8.300 fans with a goal in each period by Norm Milley, Scott King and Pascal Trepanier.
At post-game press conference German coach Uwe Krupp commented:
"Congratulations to Canada and Rich Chernomaz, for a very, very good tournament. We knew the Canadian team, we have played against only three days ago. We knew that they didn't let us beating them two times. They are an experienced team, consisting of top players together and they have now found a way to win the game. They also had the luck, including the order to shoot goals, which we lacked today. To beat a team like Canada needs everything runs very well, but today we lacked a bit of luck. We put all the willingness. In the last third we have played open and tried to make more pressure and aggressive play because really we wanted to win the game. Canada today was a little bit better than we do.
What the tournament overall, I am very satisfied with the performance. The newcomers have been played very well"
Sven Butenschön ( "Best Player of the German team): "I played my first four games for the national team. It was outstanding to wear this jersey and I'm grateful for the coaches' confidence. "
Story added on 10th November 2008 at 12:37 GMT
Story submitted by: Davide Tuniz.