Ice Hockey World Championship: How Germany plans to react against the USA

Show a reaction now or fear for the World Cup quarterfinals: The 5-1 defeat against Switzerland has left the national ice hockey team feeling disillusioned. The result, as well as the team's performance against the USA on Saturday (12:20 p.m./ProSieben and MagentaSport), will be crucial for the rest of the tournament. "A good team is characterized by its ability to bounce back after a defeat like that," said striker Frederik Tiffels of the Eisbären Berlin. A top opponent like the USA is just the right match for redemption.

The Swiss team showed the German Ice Hockey Federation's selection their limits in Herning, Denmark, with four goals in just under ten minutes. Not only the video analysis afterward was clear, but also the tone in the locker room. "We're not afraid to yell at each other now and then. We'd rather have more passion than a dead bench – and that's perfectly fine," captain and NHL star Moritz Seider clarified.

According to the national team players, things didn't get loud in the locker room, but they did speak clearly and unequivocally. "It's understandable that you're emotional in the locker room after a game like that," emphasized striker Marc Michaelis. The Adler Mannheim player also noted, however, "Respectful interaction is still our top priority."

A similar discussion took place after last year's two 6-1 defeats at the World Cup in the Czech Republic against the USA and Sweden. "We have to address the things that didn't go right," said defender Jonas Müller. "You shouldn't take offense if something is said clearly. You have to take it positively and carry it forward into the game."

With a win against the USA, the German national team can take a big step toward the quarterfinals. However, the German team will have to improve significantly to achieve this. "We didn't play to our standard against Switzerland," complained Tiffels, demanding: "If we want to be successful against the USA, we should do it as quickly as possible."

However, the US boys' team faces an opponent on a level comparable to Switzerland. In their World Cup dress rehearsal, the Americans dominated the German team 5-2 in Düsseldorf. "That makes a reaction all the more important," said star defenseman Seider of the Detroit Red Wings. "The Americans are beatable. But we have to deliver our best performance."

A win against the USA is important not only for our mental well-being and self-confidence, but also in the fight for the knockout round. "If we win against a team like that, we'll almost certainly have a place in the quarterfinals," Seider explained, stressing: "We shouldn't let it come down to the last game."

After the USA, the district team faces another tough challenge on Monday: the Czech Republic. The final match will be a clash with co-hosts Denmark, potentially leading to a final for fourth place. "Perhaps the wake-up call against Switzerland had something positive to take with us," Seider noted.

National coach Harold Kreis isn't worried about his team either. "Every loss is a learning process. I'm convinced we'll come out better and stronger," said the 66-year-old German-Canadian. "I don't have to teach the guys how to play hockey right now."

RND/dpa