Test against Canada set to take national team to the next level

“It is always very special to play against Canada. We will see how well Canada can play. Games like this force us to skate, act and make decisions more quickly, and raise us to a higher level,” is Head Coach Roger Bader convinced that this final test will provide the finishing touches ahead of the World Championship.

“We need games like this. This is also the level played at the World Championship. The more quickly we get used to it, the easier it will be for us then,” is also Manuel Ganahl confident that these 60 minutes will have the national team ready for the World Championship.

Canada go into the clash as favourites. Many eyes will be on Connor Bedard. The 18-year-old shooting star recorded 22 goals and 39 assists in his debut NHL season. “The friendly is a tremendous promotion for the sport. We will certainly be pushed to our limits. We want to play aggressive hockey with respect but without fear,” promises Captain Thomas Raffl.

The record world champions held their first training session at the Steffl Arena on Friday afternoon, after the players arrived in Vienna on Thursday. Canada’s Head Coach André Tourigny, who won gold with Canada as Head Coach last year, speaks of the start of a journey: “It is our first game together. We want to develop a structure and an identity.”

The current Head Coach of NHL team Arizona Coyotes also worked with Austria’s NHL star Marco Rossi at the Ottawa 67´s between 2018 and 2020 and knows the strengths of his former player: “Marco is a special person, passionate and very smart. He reads the game well and has a good pass. What makes him so special is his high hockey IQ.”

The 49-year-old’s squad includes eleven players who already have World Championship experience. One of them is Colton Parayko, who won silver with Canada in 2017. The 30-year-old, who won the Stanley Cup with the St. Louis Blues in 2019, knows the importance of the upcoming friendly: “The many details required to be successful are important. These two games against Austria and Hungary are important with the new group.”

Men’s World Championship preparation

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

Already played:

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

Latvia vs. Austria 3:2 after penalties (1:0,1:2,0:0,0:0)
Fri, 5 April 2024, 18:00 (CEST), Riga (LAT)
Austria scorers: Nico Feldner (31), Ian Scherzer (36)
Latvia scorers: Martins Lavins (11), Haralds Egle (34)

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

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

Czechia vs. Austria 5:1 (2:0,1:1,2:0)
Thu, 18 April 2024, 17:10, Budweis (CZE)
Czechia scorers: Adam Kubík (3/PP1), Andrej Šustr (18), Jakub Galvas (25), Jiří Černoch (51), Michael Špaček (53)
Austria goalscorer: Benjamin Baumgartner (29.)

Austria vs. Czechia 2:3 (1:1,0:2,1:0)
Sat., 20 April 2024, 18:00, Linz
Austria goalscorers: Nico Feldner (14), Leon Wallner (58)
Czechia goalscorers: Daniel Gazda (18'), Jakub Rychlovský (25'/PP1, 30')

Germany vs. Austria 4:2 (2:1,0:1,2:0)
Thu., 25 April 2024, 19:00, Garmisch-Partenkirchen (GER)
Germany goalscorers: Marc Michaelis (8', 11'), Daniel Fischbuch (50'), Parker Tuomie (52'/PP1)
Austria goalscorers: Benjamin Baumgartner (16), Lukas Kainz (38)

Austria vs. Germany 2:1 n.P. (0:1,0:0,1:0,0:0,1:0)
Sat., 27 April 2024, 16:15, Zell am See, KE KELIT Arena, 2.600 (sold out)
Austria goalscorers: Dominic Zwerger (56), Emilio Romig (65/decisive penalty) – Lukas Haudum also scored in the shootout.
Germany goalscorer: Wojciech Stachowiak (7)

2024 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship

10–26 May 2024
Host nation: Czechia
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 +