Ice Hockey World Championship: Austria remains victorious against France as well

Austria’s national ice hockey team lost its first match in the relegation competition at the World Championships in Denmark. Team boss Roger Bader lost to France 2:5 (1:2,1:2,0:1) in Copenhagen on Friday. This means that on Saturday (4.15 p.m.) there will be a direct duel against Belarus for class retention.

The ÖEHV team had a perfect start thanks to captain Thomas Hundertpfund (4th) and scored 2-2 with NHL striker Michael Raffl (32./PP), but the French used their powerplay strength with three goals to win and stay in the A-WM. Damien Fleury (10th, 35th/PP2) and Sacha Treille (14th/PP, 42nd/PP) each with a double and Teddy da Costa (38th) scored the goals for the “Equipe Tricolore”. This is Austria’s seventh consecutive relegation, and it was the last time that the class was retained in Prague in 2004.

Team boss Roger Bader changed three storm lines. Hofer, who had recovered from his illness, played alongside Michael Raffl and Center Konstantin Komarek. Also the so far strong youngster line was separated, Lukas Haudum changed to the centre position with Dominic Zwerger and Peter Schneider on the wings.

The game started perfectly for the Austrians, the first shot was fired. After Dominique Heinrich’s pass he withdrew one hundred pounds and hit the Kreuzeck (4th). But the thread broke quickly. After a check by Patrick Spannring, in which Florian Chakiachvili injured himself, more and more uncertainty crept into the red-white-red game. Peter Schneider missed the big chance to win 2-0 (8th), after that the French took over and took the lead through Fleury (10th) and Treille (14th/PP).

With new lines and a lot of pressure, the Bader troupe started into the middle third. One hundred pounds (22nd), Manuel Ganahl (24th) and Dominic Zwerger (24th) missed their chances before Raffl managed to equal the score. The Philadelphia Flyers striker scored his first tournament goal in power play (32nd).

But the tie did not last long. Fleury in the two-man superior game (35th) and T. da Costa (38th), who ended a pressure phase for the Austrians with a counterattack, advanced the French 4-2. Treille set the final score with the third Powerplay goal at the beginning of the third period (42nd).

Hundred pounds and co. did not give up, put pressure and earned themselves some good chances, but without success. Austria have thus been victorious in the World Championships against France for 14 years.