Eishockey
Team boss Roger Bader and the Austrian national ice hockey team are going to the second World Cup preparatory camp in Innsbruck starting on Easter Sunday with eight newcomers. The Swiss increased the squad to 28 men in order to be able to train with five full lines.
About a month before the start of the A World Cup in Finland and Latvia (12th to 28th May), two friendlies against Italy are scheduled this week on Wednesday (7:30 p.m.) in Brunico and on Friday (5:30 p.m.) in Innsbruck.
“We are in a rolling plan where new players are constantly being added from camp to camp. It was planned from the start that we would increase the number of outfield players to 25 this week, as we will be playing two friendlies a week in the future,” explained Bader.
New arrivals, but also failures
Compared to the first week of training, he nominated goalkeeper Florian Vorauer (KAC), defenders David Maier (KAC) and Philipp Wimmer (Salzburg) as well as strikers Raphael Herburger (Lugano), Lukas Kainz, Armin Preiser (both Vienna Capitals), Nikolaus Kraus and Simeon Schwinger (both KAC).
Senna Peeters and Maximilian Rebernig had to pass injured. The two young defenders David Reinbacher (18, Kloten) and Thimo Nickl (21, AIK Stockholm) are also missing due to minor injuries and may be rested next week.
Loss in the first friendly
The first World Cup test was lost 3:5 against Slovenia on Thursday. In Villach, the weakened ÖEHV team turned around a 0:2 deficit, but the guests had the better end for themselves.
Austria fell behind against the promoted team in Group A with goals from Blaz Tomazevic (7′) and Jan Drozg (15′) and then turned the game around through Emilio Romig (20’/PP) and Nico Feldner (25’/PP, 28.). After Ken Ograjensek (31st) equalized, Robert Sabolic finally decided the game (52nd / PP). Ziga Pance made the final score with an empty net goal (59′).