On the 44th birthday of national coach Toni Söderholm lost the selection in Chomutov with 2: 6 (0: 2, 0: 2, 2: 2) against hosts Czech Republic. Only after a 0: 5 residue, the Germans reach the gates through the Ingolstadt Olympia attendant Fabio Wagner (47th minute) and the Nuremberg Daniel Schmölz (49th).

Previously, the inexperienced national team, to which a total of ten newcomers belong, was clearly inferior. In the middle of the first third as well as at the beginning of the second portion, the selection had to accept a double strike and thus early the decision in favor of the hosts.

In the coming weeks, Söderholm, who recently extended his contract until 2026, is greatly changing the team. Numerous national players who represent with their clubs in the playoffs of the German Hockey League or bound their teams in Sweden or North America.

In the first of seven preparatory games on the World Championship in May in his Finnish homeland, Söderholm also renounced the former NHL striker Dominik Kahun, for which the season in Switzerland with the SC Bern has already finished. Defender Torsten Anchert by the Iserlohn Roosters violated the Czechs end of the first third and did not come back to the ice.

Already on Friday (15 o’clock / magenta sport) is the second meeting with the Czech Republic. In the coming week, on the 21st and 23 April in Rosenheim against Switzerland, the first this year’s World Cup preparation spaces in Germany are planned.

Preliminary World Cup squad: Kahun leads DEB team