Show­down with World Cham­pi­onship hosts Czechia

Like Austria, Czechia will set up camp in Prague and play their preliminary round games there. The two sides will also meet head-to-head on 17 May. No player wants to miss out on this home World Championship, as they already demonstrated in the two warm-up games against runners-up Germany last week. As is the case with the red-white-red squad, every player in the Czechia team is fighting for a World Championship jersey. Accordingly, Head Coach Roger Bader rates the six-time world champions as strong and motivated: "As with us, everyone there naturally wants to be at the World Championship. Accordingly, the players will go full throttle. Czechia will be a difficult opponent."

The head coach must still do without the players from the two win2day ICE Hockey League finalists, EC-KAC and EC Red Bull Salzburg, as well as any potential reinforcements from North America. The focus remains on development ahead of the World Championship, and Roger Bader is pleased with the current week: "The team looks fresher than last week. We have trained well. Now it is about keeping up with Czechia and taking the next step. The result is not the priority in these two games."

With Bernd Wolf the team gained further reinforcement this week. The Switzerland-based player also sees Czechia as favourites, but knows what matters for Austria in these two games: "Training has been good. You can tell that we are all moving in the same direction. Everyone is motivated and wants to prove themselves. Especially after the 0:6 defeat to Slovenia, we want to respond. Czechia are naturally a different calibre, an opponent that gives you nothing. They are favourites and already have some top-class players in their squad. There is no point thinking about it too much; just play, enjoy it and learn from games like these. We will see what comes of it if we stick to our plan."

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP PREPARATION

Czechia vs. Austria
Thurs, 18 April 2024, 17:10, Budweis (CZE), live on ORF SPORT +

Austria vs. Czechia
Sat, 20 April 2024, 18:00, Linz, live on ORF SPORT +

Germany vs. Austria
Thurs, 25 April 2024, 19:00, Garmisch (GER)

Austria vs. Germany
Sat, 27 April 2024, 16:15, Zell am See, live on ORF SPORT +

Austria vs. Canada
Sun, 5 May 2024, 19:00, Vienna, live on ORF SPORT +

Tickets for all home games are available now HERE available.

Already played

Latvia v Austria 3:2 n.P. (0:1, 1:0, 1:1)
Thu, 4 April 2024, 18:00 (MESZ), Riga (LAT)
Austria goalscorers: Leon Wallner (16), Julian Metzler (43)
Latvia goalscorers: Feliks Egils Gavars (26), Dans Locmelis (46)

Latvia v Austria 3:2 n.P. (1:0, 1:2, 0:0, 0:0)
Fri, 5 April 2024, 18:00 (MESZ), Riga (LAT)
Austria goalscorers: Nico Feldner (31), Ian Scherzer (36)
Latvia goalscorers: Martins Lavins (11), Haralds Egle (34)

Slovenia v Austria 5:2 (3:0,1:1,1:1)
Thu, 11 April 2024, 19:00, Ljubljana (SLO)
Slovenia goalscorers: Ken Ograjenšek (2), Nik Simšič (8), Anže Kuralt (12), Jan Drozg (34), Žan Jezovšek (58)
Austria goalscorers: Nico Brunner (39/PP1), Senna Peeters (47)

Austria v Slovenia 0:6 (0:0,0:4,0:2)
Fri, 12 April 2024, 18:00, Villach
Slovenia goalscorers: Matic Podlipnik (21/PP1), Anže Kuralt (32/PP1, 34/PP1, 37), Jan Drozg (44), Ken Ograjenšek (52)

2024 IIHF ICE HOCKEY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

10 - 26 May 2024 – Hosts: Czechia
Venues: Prague and Ostrava
Group A – Prague: Canada, Finland, Switzerland, Czechia, Denmark, Norway, Austria, Great Britain
Group B – Ostrava: USA, Germany, Sweden, Slovakia, Latvia, France, Kazakhstan, Poland

Schedule:

Austria vs. Denmark
Sat, 11 May 2024, 16:20, live on ORF 1

Austria vs. Switzerland
Sun, 12 May 2024, 20:20, live on ORF SPORT +

Canada vs. Austria
Tue, 14 May 2024, 20:20, live on ORF SPORT +

Finland vs. Austria
Thu, 16 May 2024, 16:20, live on ORF SPORT +

Czechia vs. Austria
Fri, 17 May 2024, 20:20, live on ORF SPORT +

Norway vs. Austria
Sun, 19 May 2024, 16:20, live on ORF SPORT +

Austria vs. Great Britain
Tue, 21 May 2024, 12:20, live on ORF SPORT +