A certain insecurity characterizes the German national ice hockey team’s Olympic presence. Before the second group game against China, which the DEB selection had barely won 3:2 (2:0, 1:1, 0:1), it initially looked like Danny Aus den Birken was going to play against Mathias Niederberger. were guarding the permitted target. , At least that’s what the official information initially said.

In the end, however, as with a 1:5 against Canada at the start of the ice hockey tournament, Berlin was among the goalkeeper positions and, at least in the first third, did not concede a goal. Which was to be expected considering the strengths of the Chinese team. The host nation’s side, which numbered 16 native North Americans, was defeated by the United States 8–0 in their first Olympic Games. Even as a team in the Continental Hockey League, where the team trades as the Kunlun, this ensemble cannot compete with the others as they are at the bottom of the table.

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But the German team’s second appearance also showed that the system was still rumbling. During the build-up, the team repeatedly made mistakes and rarely managed to take the Chinese team’s keeper seriously. Even a 3–0 lead with goals from Straubing’s Marcel Brandt (14th), Mannheim’s Corbinian Holzer (17th) and Dominic Kahun (25th), who is under contract with SC Bern in the Swiss league, was clear. may not resolve convulsions. The burden of wanting to acquire something as stunning as silver four years ago falls heavily on our shoulders.

the game was almost over

After Spencer Fu’s first Chinese goal of the day just before the end of the second period, the team found itself swimming in the final period. After 2:3 goal (49th) someone was worried that the game might end. Only by luck and great effort could this victory be saved over time. “The team didn’t finish the game we had planned,” said national coach Tony Soderholm of the German Press Agency.

Isberen striker Marcel Knobles said: “With all due respect to China, but the United States will punish us more tomorrow.” The American team surprisingly defeated Canada 4:2 and led Group A. Theoretically, with a win against the college contingent on Sunday (2:10 pm, ARD and Eurosport), there is still first place in this group, meaning direct qualification to the quarter-finals. However, based on past experience, you should be more prepared for Tuesday’s knockout game to reach the quarterfinals. (tsp)