Deutschland Cup 2023: Austria lose opener to Slovakia
Austria’s men’s national ice hockey team opened the Deutschland Cup 2023 with a clear 1:7 defeat against Slovakia. On Saturday, Head Coach Roger Bader’s team will face hosts Germany from 18:00. The match will be shown live on ORF SPORT + and via livestream.
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“We expected the Slovaks to forecheck hard against us. They really chased us down and played very physically,” analysed Head Coach Roger Bader in particular after the game about the opening 20 minutes. “It is not the first time that we have struggled with the intensity in the first period of the first game of the November break,” Bader continued.
His team trailed 0:4 after the first period, having conceded two goals within 20 seconds in the 15th minute to go from 0:1 to 0:3. After the first break, Austria grew into the game, created chances and matched the Slovaks in terms of shots on goal. In the 25th minute, a perfectly worked combination found its finisher in Nico Feldner, who made it 1:4.
Ten minutes later, Austria conceded the next quick-fire double, this time within 17 seconds. The 6:1 after 40 minutes effectively decided the game, before Martin Fasko-Rudas made it 7:1 in the 42nd minute.
Head Coach Roger Bader:“Constant pressure, no time to make plays, lots of physicality – experiencing that is always a tough lesson in the first period. Slovakia also punished us ruthlessly with goals. We improved in the second period, had an almost even shot ratio in the second and third periods and were able to compete better overall. Now we have to take the next step and compete much better in the second game, simply because we have become accustomed to the pace and intensity.”
Vinzenz Rohrer, who was named Man of the Match on his debut: “I had imagined my debut differently from this 1:7. We lacked fighting spirit, physicality, direct play and simple play, especially in the first period. We know that we can actually do it. It is more in our heads than anything tactical. For me, it was a good first international to get started. But there is certainly more to come.”
Deutschland Cup 2023
Austria vs. Slovakia 1:7 (0:4,1:2,0:1)
Thu, 9 November 2023, 12:30, Landshut
Austria scorer: Nico Feldner (25.)
Slovakia scorers:Samuel Takáč (8'/PP1), Jozef Baláž (13', 15'), Oliver Okuliar (15', 34'), Lukáš Cingel (34'/PP1), Martin Faško-Rudáš (42')
Further matches:
Germany vs. Austria
Sat, 11 November 2023, 18:00, Landshut – live on ORF SPORT +
Denmark vs. Austria
Sun., 12 November 2023, 11:00, Landshut – live on LIVE.eishockey.at
