The decisive moment for the German hockey players came at the end of the second period, when John Peterka and Nico Sturm scored within 36 seconds.
“And why can’t we win two more games? Everything is possible,” said an enthusiastic Sturm, winner of last year’s Stanley Cup with Colorado, to the cameras. Now he has a milestone with the German national team. The medals from the World Cup after 70 years, the previous one – silver – was taken by the Germans at the championship in Zurich.
“I’m incredibly proud of our team, how each one fought for the other,” added Sturm, hoping to continue the great campaign, after three opening losses, Germany won their fifth game in a row at the tournament. And now they face the United States on Saturday at 17:20, from 1:20 the Latvians will start with Canada.
SEMIFINALEEEEEEE 🤩 Can someone pinch us?! Our DEB selection 🇩🇪 prevails against the Swiss 🇨🇭 and buys the ticket for the World Cup semifinals in Tampere! Today’s scorers were Maxi Kastner, JJ Peterka and Nico Sturm 🏒 pic.twitter.com/LFCfpTK3tm
— German Ice Hockey Federation (@deb_teams) May 25, 2023
As if new times have come. There is no traditional European power among the top four (Sweden, Finland, the Czech Republic, and of course not the excluded Russia, as well as Switzerland, which replaces the Russians in the elite group of the Euro Hockey Tour).
But the German fans are on fire. They did not expect the success of this format. The surprised media is digging through the networks in the posts of enthusiastic supporters. “Switzerland tactically dismantled. in goal: certainty, in defense: wall. attack: super effective,” writes one fan.
4 minutes of good ice hockey is not enough against any opponent… Deserved victory for #Deutschland against the #Switzerland, probably the best team of the group stage. Bravo 🎉👍🏼 “Schwoobe”, well done! #HockeyWorld #SUIGER
— 🏳️🌈RelevanceLoveOpinion🇺🇦 (@marc_nager) May 25, 2023
“A well-deserved win against probably the best team in the group stage. Bravo,” cheers another supporter.
The author of another post on the networks admits that he is not a complete connoisseur of hockey. “But considering that Kreis is said to be a bad coach who nominated the wrong players, I think the semi-final is not so bad.”
I don’t know that much about ice hockey, but given that Kreis is said to be a bad coach who nominated the wrong players, I don’t think the semi-finals were that bad.#iihfworlds2023#SUIGER
— Zoerner (@thzoern) May 25, 2023
Others notice rather the loss of luster of the favorite. “Embarrassing performance by Switzerland in the quarter-finals against an inferior opponent relying on mediocre DEL (German league) players.”
The Germans return to Tampere to face the USA. And fans are in for a hot afternoon and early evening. “Bundesliga final? To hell with it!” one of the fans is clear about his preferences, even though football and hockey coincide only partially in time.
Bundesliga final? fuck it!
Saturday semifinals against USA! #SUIGER
— S. Kapism (@S_Kapism) May 25, 2023
Embarrassing performance by Switzerland in the quarter-finals. Anxious – completely inappropriate against a worse opponent peppered with players from the mediocre DEL. There is always next year. Then maybe with Josi and Meier. #SUIGER
— Admir Smajic Football God (@a_reymond) May 25, 2023
What football can learn from ice hockey. Germany is in the World Cup semifinals. Very strong team performance, although some top players like Draisaitl are missing! 💪 Semifinals on Saturday against USA! #SUIGER https://t.co/4FxRjgw3CU
— Rasenlatscher 🏆 (@RasenlatscherRB) May 25, 2023
Football – although affected by the failures of the national team – will probably rule after all. But one of the writers offers a comparison that sounds like hockey heroes:
“Football can learn that from hockey. Germany is in the semi-finals of the World Cup. A very strong team performance, even if some top players like Draisaitl are missing!”
