Olympia 2018: German ice hockey team fights for quarter-finals

The German national team will play against Switzerland on Tuesday for a place in the quarter-finals. And more public attention.

During a walk on the beach, the German national players looked for a bit of relaxation on a non-training day – and found their next opponent. Swiss Alphorn players received them at the Japanese Sea and tuned them to the most important game for years.

More than three million fellow countrymen will be watching Marcel Goc and Co. in Pyeongchang for the Olympic quarter-finals – and for more attention.

“You don’t often play in front of a crowd of millions,”said Captain Goc before the duel with arch-rivals on Tuesday (13.10 CET in the LIVETICKER),”that’s what makes Olympia special: you not only have the hockey fans, but the whole world is watching”.

After the first victory at the Olympics in 16 years, which was a 2:1 victory over Norway in the ZDF for 520,000 early risers, the puck hunters move into the Olympic main program – between biathlon and Nordic combination.

“DEB President Franz Reindl told the SID,”You’re back in focus, the sport is booming again,”DEB President Franz Reindl said to the SID,” it’s a great opportunity. 2.8 million viewers had already joined the ZDF in the early afternoon at the unfortunate 0:1 in the preliminary round against World Champion Sweden, and now ARD broadcasts:”It’s an opportunity to inspire a larger audience,”Reindl emphasized.

And it’s the best in twelve years: In Turin in 2006, the German national team played for the last time in good broadcasting time – but did not win a match. The four defeats four years later in Vancouver saw only hard-boiled fans in the middle of the night.

At world championships, the traditional ice hockey clientele is sitting in front of the TV set – last year, up to 1.4 million people were watching the World Championships at home.

This unique opportunity is what Goc and Co. The best advertising is a victory,”said the man from Mannheim. In the quarter-finals on Wednesday (21.10 o’ clock OZ/13.10 CET) world champion Sweden is waiting – at the same time. The fact that in the first knockout match Switzerland of all countries is the opponent of all people, adds Reindl:”It’s always a classic,” said Goc.

Above all, the Swiss are also a sporty opponent. At the Olympics, the German team last lost to Switzerland in 1928 (0:1), and the World Cup record is also positive with 14 victories, three draws and nine defeats.

The Olympic dress rehearsal won the DEB-selection two weeks ago with 2:1 after extra time,”It’s going to be a match at eye level”, Reindl predicted.

The victory against Norway, the first Olympic victory since 2002, is supposed to unleash new forces:”A burden has already been lifted from the shoulders,” admitted Goc:”Of course we want more now,” he has already brought new self-confidence,”There are no teams that we have to be afraid of,” said striker Patrick Hager researching:”We can beat any opponent.

At first, the players did not know how long the Olympic dry spell they had ended. When it comes to the last German ice hockey medal, however, they don’t need extra tuition. Reindl, 1976 at the bronze sensation in Innsbruck himself on the ice, is convinced:”They know that.”