Mile­stone match in the battle to stay in the top divi­sion

Image information: One final fiery dance for Peter Schneider & Co. in the battle to stay in the top division - Photo: GEPA pictures/Daniel Götzhaber

Tomorrow, Monday, at 19:20 live on ORF Sport+, the final game of the World Championship preliminary round will see the decisive clash with the British in the battle to remain in the top division. However, the red-white-red players can already feel like true World Championship heroes.

In every game, the team led by milestone man Roger Bader proved a tough nut for the top nations, defending consistently, always looking for the way to goal, matching the pace of the leading nations, forechecking resolutely and thrilling with attractive ice hockey. The result: nothing but excellent results – 1:3 against SWE, 2:3 in overtime against USA, 2:1 on penalties against CZE, 3:5 against NOR and 3:4 on penalties against LAT.

Since the turn of the millennium, only the 2004 World Championship can compare, when Austria beat France 6:0 in the preliminary round, earned a 2:2 draw against eventual world champions Canada and also took a point from Switzerland in a 4:4 draw.

"We have certainly put in a very strong performance at this World Championship so far. It began in our preparations, when we performed strongly against top nations and continued to develop. Nevertheless, you can only assess a World Championship after game 7. Tomorrow is the most important game of this World Championship. But I am very happy with the results so far," said Roger Bader, who is already fully focused on Great Britain.

Had it not been for Great Britain's 3:4 win over Norway on penalties, the results mentioned above would already have sparked an early red-white-red survival party. Provided Latvia live up to their role as favourites against Great Britain today!

If that game goes according to form, a draw in regulation time would be enough for Austria in the decisive match to secure their place in the top division.

"We are the challengers, coming from below and wanting to take their place," stressed Bader, who is giving no thought to his milestone: "100 is a nice number, but it will only mean something to me if we win tomorrow."

For that, today's rest day is enormously important, as the workload after six games in eight days has been huge. The entire team was given another day off. Before dinner, the switch will be flipped and the team will be prepared for Great Britain in an initial meeting.

And what can Austria expect against Great Britain? Head Coach Roger Bader: "British ice hockey has made great progress. The league is much better than people in Austria assume. They have some good forwards in their ranks and big defencemen who are not quite as mobile and quick, but bring great physical mass. We need to get them moving so that we can use our speed there. Great Britain certainly have their qualities. We know that and we are well prepared for them. This is a team at the same level as us, Italy and France."

Tactically, the Swiss coach is relying on the recipe for success used so far: four lines and consistent forechecking. "Both teams will try to take control early on. Patience will nevertheless be required. It is important for us to dominate the battles as early as possible. The key is that we can use our strengths," said Roger Bader.

Austria and Great Britain have faced each other 19 times to date, with the encouraging record of twelve wins, two draws and five defeats. The most recent defeat dates back to 1961, when Austria lost 2:10 at the B World Championship in Lausanne (SUI). Conversely, the 21:2 victory at the C World Championship in Gdansk (POL) in 1976 ranks among the biggest wins in Austrian ice hockey history (the biggest win was a 30:0 victory over Belgium on 12 March 1963).

More recently, there were two draws in 1997, in a friendly and at the B World Championship in Katowice (POL). Austria won all three encounters since the turn of the millennium. Most recently, they won 7:3 at the B World Championship in Ljubljana (SLO) in 2012.

As usual, in the end these are only numbers; tomorrow's game is a real big game, Roger Bader: "Such big games are part of the job as a professional coach, and hopefully there will be many more games like this. These are fixtures you have to look forward to."

2000 13th place, 3:3 against Finland in the preliminary round
2001 11th place, 3:0 against the USA in the qualification round
2002 12th place, win over Slovenia
2003 10th place, 6:2 over Slovenia and 5:2 over Ukraine
2004 11th place, 6:0 over France, 2:2 against Canada (eventual world champions) and 4:4 against Switzerland in the preliminary round
2005 16th place, 2:2 against Germany in the relegation round
2007 15th place, 2:3 in overtime against Norway and an 8:4 win over Ukraine
2009 14th place, an 6:0 win over Hungary and a 1:0 victory over Germany in the relegation round. Nevertheless relegated, as Germany, as hosts of the 2010 World Championship, could not be relegated despite finishing in 15th place.
2011 15th place, 3:2 win over Slovenia
2013 15th place, 6:3 win over Latvia and 2:1 victory over Slovakia after a penalty shoot-out.
2015 15th place, 4:3 over Switzerland after a penalty shoot-out, 3:2 over Germany after a penalty shoot-out, 1:2 against Latvia in overtime
2018 14th place, 2:3 against Switzerland in overtime and an 4:0 win over Belarus
2019 16th place, 3:4 against ITA after a penalty shoot-out

13–29 May 2022
Hosts: Finland (Tampere & Helsinki)
Defending champions: Canada

Austria vs. Great Britain
Mon, 23 May 2022, 19:20, live on ORF Sport+

Sweden vs. Austria 3:1 (2:1,1:0,0:0)
Sat, 14 May 2022, 11:20, Nokia Arena Tampere
Sweden goalscorers: Joel Kellman (3.), Max Friberg (17.), Joakim Nordström (33.)
Austria scorer: Peter Schneider (20')

Austria vs. USA 2:3 after overtime (1:0,1:1,0:1,0:1)
Sun, 15 May 2022, 15:20, Nokia Arena Tampere
Austria scorers: Benjamin Nissner (15'), Paul Huber (35')
USA scorers: Kieffer Bellows (35'), Adam Gaudette (49'/PP1), Luke Hughes (63')

Czechia vs. Austria 1:2 after a shootout (1:0,0:0,0:1,0:0,0:1)
Tue, 17 May 2022, 15:20, Nokia Arena Tampere
Czechia scorer: Roman Červenka (18')
Austria scorers: Brian Lebler (60'), Peter Schneider, decisive penalty (65')

Norway vs. Austria 5:3 (1:1,2:1,2:1)
Wed, 18 May 2022, 15:20, Nokia Arena Tampere
Norway scorers: Mats Rosseli Olsen (8'/SH, 48'/PP2), Andreas Martinsen (21'), Martin Røymark (32'), Martin Rønnild (60'/EN)
Austria scorers: Dominique Heinrich (7'/PP1), Lukas Haudum (27'/PP1), Peter Schneider (57'/PP)

Latvia vs. Austria 4:3 after a shootout (0:0,3:2,0:1,0:0,1:0)
Fri, 20 May 2022, 19:20, Nokia Arena Tampere
Latvia scorers: Rudolfs Balcers (26', 36'), Rihards Bukarts (30'/PP1); Nikolajs Jelisejevs and Roberts Bukarts (shootout)
Austria goalscorers: Benjamin Nissner (22'), Dominique Heinrich (32'/PP2), Thomas Raffl (47'); Dominique Heinrich (shoot-out)

Austria vs. Finland 0:3 (0:1,0:1,0:1)
Saturday, 21 May 2022, Tampere, 15:20, Nokia Arena Tampere
Finland goalscorers: Valtteri Filippula (2'), Mikael Granlund (25'), Toni Rajala (48')