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Germany center MARCEL GOC (57), the experienced 29-year-old veteran who totaled nine goals and 19 points in 42 National Hockey League games for the Florida Panthers this season, shields the puck from Austria center DAVID SCHULLER (45) of AC Klagenfurt during border battle that was the IIHF World Championships – Group H contest at the Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland.
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Faultless penalty-killing and a late second period goal scored following a sensational solo rush from center ice allowed previously winless GERMANY to post a 2-0 shutout victory over traditional Alpine arch-rival AUSTRIA in a critical Group H contest at the 2013 IIHF World Championships.

Austria trainer EMANUEL VIVEIROS, the well-traveled native Canadian who skated 29 National Hockey League games for the Minnesota North Stars before embarking on a long career in Europe, made very few changes to the squad that punched its ticket to the XXII Winter Olympic Games by winning the Group E Qualification Tournament held in Germany just a few short months ago. Indeed, fifteen of the very same Austrian skaters as well as the stubborn starting goaltender who had collectively held out for the necessary draw at the end of regulation time against Deutschland at the EgeTrans Arena in Bietigheim-Bissingen also returned to face-off with the Germans in Helsinki. Furthermore, adding scoring power to the Oesterreich side was none other than THOMAS VANEK, the star left wing who totaled 20 goals and 41 points in 38 NHL games for the Buffalo Sabres this season.

Meanwhile, Deutschland trainer PAT CORTINA, in direct contrast, replaced eleven of the twenty German skaters who could only triumph against the Austrians in Bietigheim-Bissingen after extra time had been played; freshly arrived in Finland from North America and ready for to make his debut at his year’s IIHF World Championships opposite Oesterreich at the Hartwall Arena was Germany national team veteran JUSTIN KRUEGER, the 26-year-old defenseman from the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League.

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Austria star left wing THOMAS VANEK (26), the 29-year-old University of Minnesota product who has scored 250 goals in 585 career games skating for the Buffalo Sabres in the vanunted National Hockey League, is shadowed by Germany defenseman JENS BAXMANN (15) of Detusche Eishockey Liga champion Eisbaeren Berlin during the IIHF World Championships – Group H contest at the Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland.
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Unlike the pivotal Olympic qualifier at Bietigheim-Bissingen where the Germans decisively outshot the Austrians 35-19 in regulation time, the opening period at the Hartwall Arena in Helsinki was a wide-open, back-and-forth affair with both teams combining to generate an almost evenly divided twenty-six shots.

Oesterreich had the best opportunity of the opening period when the Germans saw left wing YANNIC SEIDENBERG of Adler Mannheim and NHL-Star CHRISTIAN EHRHOFF of the Buffalo Sabres both sitting in the penalty box at the same time. The Austrian captain THOMAS KOCH of AC Klagenfurt had a glorious chance at the right side of the net near the end of the two-man advantage but Germany goaltender ROB ZEPP stretched out his left leg just in the nick of time. The NHL goal-shark Vanek took his chance with the rebound but was denied by the native Canadian who has now won five Deutsche Eishockey Liga titles in six seasons with Eisbaeren Berlin.

Austria started the second period on the power play after veteran Germany center CHRISTOPH ULLMANN of Adler Mannheim was assessed a slashing minor at the 20:00 mark of the match. The impotent Austrians also skated with the man-advantage for a fourth time in succession after Germany defenseman FRANK HOERDLER of Eisbaeren Berlin was caught hooking with little more than four minutes having expired in the second session. But Zepp, who was starting no less than his third international contest for Germany against the neighboring arch-rivals from Austria on this 2012/13 campaign, was not about to concede on this day.

It was a fine way for the resilient German netminder to rebound from his own personal debacle in the preceding IIHF World Championships contest against Slovakia, to be certain.

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Germany center PATRICK HAGER (50) of ERC Ingolstadt, the 24-year-old former Rosenheim Star Bulls and Krefeld Pinguine attacker who notched the game-winning goal for Deutschland against Oesterreich at the Albert Schultz Halle in Vienna this past September in the third period of the so-called “Jubilaeum Laenderspiel” staged in conjunction with the 100th anniversary celebration of the Austrian Ice Hockey Federation.
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It was not until center DAVID SCHULLER of AC Klagenfurt was sent to the penalty box for holding just one minute past the halfway point of this Group H match at the Hartwall Arena in Helsinki that the Austrians, themselves, were finally forced to skate shorthanded.

Germany’s new captain Ehrhoff put three of his game-high four shots on target in the second period but was denied each time by in-form Austria goaltender BERNHARD STARKBAUM of Swedish Elitserien club Mo Do Ornskoldsvik; as for Deutschland center MARCUS KINK, it was his third shot of the contest which proved to be the charm that broke a German scoring drought against stingy Austria at the annual IIHF World Championships that had been approaching a full decade, itself.

The 28-year-old Adler Mannheim attacker picked up a loose puck in center ice and breezed past one player in the netural zone. After crossing the blue line, the ambitious Kink knifed right through two Austria defenders and burst in on net all alone. A simple wrist shot was all it took for Germany to break the scoreless deadlock precisely at the 17:00 mark of the second period.

Kink’s third career goal for Deutschland at a major international tournament ended a negative streak for Germany of having not scored a goal against Austria at the annual IIHF World Championships for an astonishing 140 minutes and 50 seconds. That, to put things in perspective further, is the equivalent of two complete games plus just a little over another entire period. Germany national team veteran ALEXANDER BARTA, the teammate of the Austrian netminder Starkbaum with Swedish side Mo Do Ornskoldsvik this past season who was among those dropped by the trainer Cortina after the Olympic qualification disaster, was the last player to score a goal for Deutschland against Oesterreich at the IIHF World Championships (in the first period of the 2-2 draw with the Austrians at the 2005 edition in Vienna).

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Germany’s work was not done, however, as Zepp, himself, picked up two minutes for tripping with only six seconds to play until the second intermission. But Cortina’s charges were successfully able to kill off that penalty as well as the holding infraction that was whistled on Koelner Haie right wing FELIX SCHUETZ roughly eight minutes into the third period. In fact, the Germans did not just shut down the opposing power play but, indeed, short-circuited the entire Austrian attack throughout virtually the whole final frame.

There would be no repeat of events in Bietigheim-Bissingen, where the Germans, in a fateful third period of play, had tragically failed to protect what had already been gained. Clearly having learned that painful lesson, Germany went on to dominate possession while outshooting Austria 11-3 in the last twenty minutes at the Hartwall Arena. There was one last power play to be dealt with after Germany defenseman TORSTEN ANKERT of Koelner Haie, the 24-year-old rearguard who is appearing at a major international tournament for the very first time ever, was boxed for interference at the 58:28 mark of the match.

Not surprisingly, the Oesterreich trainer Viveiros used the occasion to exchange the goaltender Starkbaum with an extra attacker in order to provide the trailing Austrians with what amounted to another two-man advantage on the power play. The NHL star Vanek had one last big chance and boomed a slapshot shot from the left face-off circle but the Buffalo Sabres winger was denied by the determined Zepp, who originally spent four years playing professional hockey in North America but passed almost all of that time with the Florida Everblades in the lower level East Coast Hockey League.

Kink was awarded his second goal of the game after stealing the puck from Vanek in the neutral zone just outside the Austrian blue line. The influential native of Duesseldorf, who netted only 11 goals after 67 games in all competitions this term for Adler Mannheim, missed his attempt at the wide open net but had been ruthlessly chopped down in the process by the obviously frustrated defenseman THOMAS POCK, the 31-year-old University of Massachusetts – Amherst product who skated this past season with the Lake Erie Monsters in the American Hockey League. It was an open and shut case for a penalty shot, which was, with Oesterreich having already pulled its goaltender, simply awarded to the Germany center by the match referees.

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Germany goaltender ROB ZEPP (72) of Deutsche Eishockey Liga champion Eisbaeren Berlin focuses on the puck with lethal Austria star left wing THOMAS VANEK (26) of the NHL’s Buffalo Sabres lurking on the doorstep during the Alpine border battle that was the IIHF World Championships Group H tussle at the Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland.
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IIHF World Championships
Group H – Helsinki, Finland
Hartwall Arena – attendance : 6,820
referees : Bulanov (Russia) and Croft (United States)

GERMANY 2 – AUSTRIA 0

37:00 … GER – Kink (unassisted)
59:51 … GER – Kink (unassisted) – shg, eng

shots-on-goal : GER 35 – AUT 27 … penalty minutes : GER 16 – AUT 10

GERMANY : Zepp – Ehrhoff, Ankert; Baxmann, Hoerdler ; N. Goc, Mueller ; Krueger – Rankel, M. Goc, Schuetz ; Gogulla, Ullmann, Wolf ; Seidenberg, Kink, Tripp ; Pietta, Hager, Mauer ; Greilinger

AUSTRIA : Starkbaum – Pock, Lakos ; Unterluggauer, F. Iberer ; Schumnig, Lukas ; Altmann – Vanek, Koch, Latusa ; Welser, Schuller, Kristler ; Raffl, Hundertpfund, Herburger ; Peintner, Oberkofler, Baumgartner ; M. Iberer

NOTES — Germany captain CHRISTIAN EHRHOFF led all skaters with 26:08 of ice time while his constituent in the National Hockey League with the Buffalo Sabres, Austria left wing THOMAS VANEK, was the next most utilized on either side with 23:13 of ice time … Germany defenseman FRANK HOERDLER of Eisbaeren Berlin logged 19:18 of ice time while NHL legionnaire MARCEL GOC of the Florida Panthers, with 16:50 of ice time, skated the most among all Deutschland forwards.

“It’s definitely nice to beat Austria. It’s never easy. They did find a way to steal the Olympics from us. So it’s not really much revenge, because they’re still going to the Olympics,” stated Germany national team right wing JOHN TRIPP of Koelner Haie, the 36-year-old NHL veteran who represented Deutschland at the Winter Olympic Games hosted by his native Canada in 2010.

Germany goal-scoring hero MARCUS KINK of Adler Mannheim along with left wing MICHAEL RAFFL of Swedish second division club IF Leksands, the developing 24-year-old who led Austria with five shots on target in the contest, were selected as the Players of the Game.

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The very first Eishockey-Laenderspiel between DEUTSCHLAND (Germany) and OESTERREICH (Austria), the neighboring rivals with the common language, was contested over a century ago in Prague on March 12, 1912. A little over ten months after the Germans defeated the Austrians 4-1 in what was then Bohemia, the two countries met yet again for the first time ever at a major international ice hockey tournament. There in Munich, on January 27, 1913, the bronze medal-winning hosts hammered the Austrians 14-4 during the third official edition of the IIHF European Championships.

Austria improved rapidly, however, and powered, in part, by forward HERBERT BRUECK, the skilled EV Wien star who would later join contemporary German powerhouse Schlittschuh Club Berlin, won the IIHF Europoean Championships tournament in 1927. The Germans, led by the goal-scoring of SC Berlin legends RUDI BALL and GUSTAV JAENECKE, were crowned kings of Europe after finishing second at the first-ever IIHF World Championships in 1930 while the Austrians celebrated their second European title every bit as much as the bronze medal earned at the 1931 IIHF World Championships in Poland. Deutschland repeated as European champions at the 1934 IIHF World Championships even though it was Austria who defeated their Alpine adversaries from Germany in Milan that year.

That was the golden age of Austro-German ice hockey …

AUSTRIA versus GERMANY
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1913 – EC – Munich …………. GERMANY 14 – AUSTRIA 4
1927 – EC – Vienna …………. AUSTRIA 2 – GERMANY 1
1928 – OG – St. Moritz ……… GERMANY 0 – AUSTRIA 0
1929 – EC – Budapetst ……… AUSTRIA 1 – GERMANY 0
1932 – EC – Berlin …………… GERMANY 1 – AUSTRIA 1
1933 – WC – Prague ………… AUSTRIA 2 – GERMANY 0
1934 – WC – Milan …………… AUSTRIA 2 – GERMANY 1

1956 – OG – Cortina ………… WEST GERMANY 7 – AUSTRIA 0
1957 – WC – Moscow ……….. EAST GERMANY 3 – AUSTRIA 1
1965 – WCB – Pori …………… WEST GERMANY 2 – AUSTRIA 1
1966 – WCB – Zagreb ………. WEST GERMANY 6 – AUSTRIA 3
1969 – WCB – Ljubljana …….. WEST GERMANY 8 – AUSTRIA 0
1969 – WCB – Ljubljana …….. EAST GERMANY 11 – AUSTRIA 3
1971 – WCB – Bern ………….. EAST GERMANY 11 – AUSTRIA 3
1973 – WCB – Graz ………….. EAST GERMANY 12 – AUSTRIA 2
1974 – WCB – Ljubljana …….. WEST GERMANY 4 – AUSTRIA 2
1977 – WCB – Tokyo ………… EAST GERMANY 7 – AUSTRIA 1
1979 – WCB – Galati ………… EAST GERMANY 7 – AUSTRIA 0
1982 – WCB – Klagenfurt …… EAST GERMANY 7 – AUSTRIA 4
1986 – WCB – Eindhoven …… AUSTRIA 6 – EAST GERMANY 4
1987 – WCB – Canazei ………. AUSTRIA 7 – EAST GERMANY 3
1989 – WCB – Oslo ………….. EAST GERMANY 4 – AUSTRIA 0
1990 – WCB – Megeve ………. AUSTRIA 3 – EAST GERMANY 2

1994 – OG – Lillehammer …… GERMANY 4 – AUSTRIA 3
1996 – WC – Vienna …………. GERMANY 3 – AUSTRIA 0
2002 – OG – Salt Lake City …. GERMANY 3 – AUSTRIA 2
2003 – WC – Helsinki ………… GERMANY 5 – AUSTRIA 1
2004 – WC – Prague …………. GERMANY 3 – AUSTRIA 1
2005 – WC – Vienna …………. GERMANY 2 – AUSTRIA 2
2009 – WC – Bern ……………. AUSTRIA 1 – GERMANY 0
2013 – WC – Helsinki ………… GERMANY 2 – AUSTRIA 0

(key — OG : Winter Olympic Games, WC : World Championships, WCB : World Championships B Pool)

Prior to its dissolution of the former Deutsche Demokratische Republik (German Democratic Republic or East Germany), the Bundesrepublik Deutschland (Federal Republic of Germany) never lost a major international tournament game to the Alpine adversaries from Austria.

Since the reunification of Germany, the Austrians have now lost six of eight major international matches to its traditional arch-enemy on ice but that record, of course, does not include the famous “Eishockey Cordoba” of this past February, the result which will prevent the Germans from skating in the men’s ice hockey tournament at the XXII Winter Olympic Games in Russia next year.

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The national team of GERMANY added battle-tested defenseman JUSTIN KRUEGER of the American Hockey League’s Charlotte Checkers to its roster just in time for the important mid-week clash with neighboring Austria in the Helsinki-based group at the 2013 IIHF World Championships in Scandanavia.

Krueger, the son of the former Switzerland national team coach who led the Ivy Leaguers from Cornell University to the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference title and a subsequent appearance at the annual NCAA men’s ice hockey tournament in 2010, formally became available after Charlotte were knocked out of the AHL playoffs by the Oklahoma City Barons on Saturday, May 4th; however, the 26-year-old blueliner, who will be appearing at the annual IIHF World Championships for a fourth consecutive campaign, missed Germany’s contest with Russia on Sunday (May 5th) as well as the Slovakia match on Monday while still traveling to Finland.

Krueger was chosen in the seventh round (# 213 overall) of the 2006 National Hockey League Draft by the Carolina Hurricanes and totaled 15 points (one goal) in 69 AHL regular season contests for the Checkers this term. The intelligent third-year professional, who skated his rookie 2010/11 season with SC Bern in Switzerland’s crack Nationalliga A before signing an entry level contract with the Carolina organization, will bring a fair amount of valuable experience to trainer PAT CORTINA’s defensive corps in Helsinki. Indeed, the Germans have brought three defensemen to this year’s IIHF affair who have never before appeared at a major international event.

The registration of Krueger, who reportedly was paid a total of $ 105,000 by the Hurricanes to skate this entire season in the AHL, means that Germany have reached its full compliment of 22 skaters.

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Germany defenseman JUSTIN KRUEGER of the American Hockey League’s Charlotte Checkers, the quintessential stay-at-home type whose father, Ralph Krueger, is the current head coach of the Edmonton Oilers in the National Hockey League as well as a former West Germany national team member, himself, has already made three appearances (23 ga, 1 go, 3 pts) at the annual IIHF World Championships in his brief professional career.

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Slovakia goal-scoring hero TOMAS ZABORSKY of Russian Kontinental Hockey League club Avangard Omsk originally began his professional career in the New York Rangers organization after being selected in the fifth round of the 2006 National Hockey League Draft but spent the majority of his rookie season in the East Coast Hockey League after failing to earn a regular place with the Hartford Wolf Pack, the Rangers’ top affiliate in the American Hockey League.

2006/07 … 59 ga … 19 go … 43 pts …… Saginaw (OHL jrs)
2007/08 … 68 ga … 31 go … 69 pts …… Saginaw (OHL jrs)

2007/08 ….. 2 ga ….. 0 go ….. 1 pts …… Hartford (AHL)
2008/09 ….. 8 ga ….. 1 go ….. 3 pts …… Hartford (AHL)
2008/09 … 28 ga ….. 4 go … 12 pts …… Charlotte (ECHL)
2008/09 … 19 ga … 10 go … 16 pts …… Dayton (ECHL)

2009/10 … 43 ga ….. 9 go … 26 pts …… Assat Pori (Finland)
2010/11 … 47 ga … 23 go … 33 pts …… Assat Pori (Finland)
2011/12 … 52 ga … 35 go … 59 pts …… Assat Pori (Finland)
2012/13 … 52 ga … 21 go … 41 pts …… Avangard Omsk (Russia KHL)

Zaborsky established himself as a legitimate threat in his second term with Finnish elite league side Assat Pori and has continued that goal-scoring trend despite a lucrative move to Russian club Avangard Omsk of the multi-national Kontinental Hockey League at the start of this past season.

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Slovakia left wing VLADIMIR ZABORSKY (67) of Russian KHL club Avangard Omsk hammers Russia center SERGEI MOZYAKIN of Metallurg Magnitogorsk, the 32-year-old veteran who led the Kontinental Hockey League in scoring this season for the third time in his career, along the boards during the 2013 IIHF World Championships – Group Helsinki contest at the Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland.

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Slovakia defenseman VLADIMIR MIHALIK (56) of HC Slovan Bratislava, the first round selection (# 30 overall) of the Tampa Bay Lightning at the 2005 National Hockey League Draft who only ever skated 15 NHL games over the course of four seasons of professional hockey in North America before returning to Europe, and veteran Germany left wing MICHAEL WOLF of Islerlohn Roosters battle for position in front of the net during the 2013 IIHF World Championships – Group H contest at the Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland.
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A pair of third period goals from a debutant player once considered not even good enough by the New York Rangers to sustain a regular place with the American Hockey League affiliate rallied defending silver medalist SLOVAKIA to a come-from-behind 3-2 victory over hard-luck GERMANY in Group H play at this year’s IIHF World Championships.

The result was a most frustrating loss for the Germans, who came into the Helsinki clash having beaten Slovakia in eight out of twelve all-time contests at major international tournaments including the last three meetings on the trot. Trainer PAT CORTINA’s side did do yeoman’s work at both ends of the ice for long stretches of time, however, two of the goals conceded by Germany were given away rather cheaply. Still, on the whole, the Germans were a bit unlucky to not get at least something from the game and now find themselves having earned just one of nine possible points in the Group H standings.

In the wake of Germany’s failure to qualify for the men’s ice hockey tournament at the XXII Winter Olympic Games to be held in Russia next winter, both Cortina and current Deutsche Eishockey Bund president UWE HARNOS remain under a white-hot spotlight at this year’s annual IIHF affair. Some German supporters who found their way to Finland feel that the root cause of the national ice hockey team’s problems may not entirely rest with the trainer. Just outside Germany’s VIP box at the Hartwall Arena in Helsinki was prominently hung a large banner that read, “harNOs WAY”.

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Germany winger MICHAEL WOLF (16) of Iserlohn Roosters had already scored 42 goals on 123 appearances in all international matches for Deutschland in his career prior to the start of this year’s IIHF World Championships.
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The Germans got off to an uncharacteristically fast start against Slovakia at the Hartwall Arena and found themselves ahead with only a little over four minutes having expired off the game clock. Adler Mannheim defenseman NIKOLAI GOC floated a rising shot from the left point that veteran Iserlohn Roosters winger MICHAEL WOLF skillfully deflected down and through the legs of Slovakia netminder RASTISLAV STANA from Russian Kontinental Hockey League club CSKA Moscow. The diminutive but experienced Wolf was able to score his 10th career goal for Germany at major international tournaments despite being cross-checked in the back by Slovakia defenseman MAREK DALOGA of Czech Extraliga club HC Pardubice.

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TOMAS SUROVY of HC Lev Pravda, a Prague-based representative from the Czech Republic in the Russian-dominated Kontinental Hockey League, had an excellent chance to haul Slovakia level a little over six minutes into second period after receiving a smart cross-ice pass but the 31-year-old right wing who once skated 126 National Hockey League games (27 go, 59 pts) over the course of four years in the Pittsburgh Penguins organization, had his shot slam off the near post with the German netminder already beaten.

The Slovakians were actually held off the scoreboard by the Germans for more than half the contest in Helsinki before defenseman MICHAEL SERSEN of HC Slovan Bratislava, the fifth round (# 130 overall) pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins at the 2004 NHL Draft who is appearing at the annual IIF World Championships for a third year in succession, launched a long, routine shot from the right point that Germany goaltender ROB ZEPP of Deutsche Eishockey Liga champion Eisbaeren Berlin saved but did not control.

On hand in the slot to snap up the inviting rebound for Slovakia was a hustling MARIO BLIZNAK of HC Slovan Bratislava, the 26-year-old center who skated six NHL games (1 go, 0 as) over parts of two seasons for the Vancouver Canucks before signing with HC Sparta Prague in the Czech Republic Extraliga at the start of the 2011/12 campaign.

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Germany regained the lead just three minutes into the third and final period after Adler Mannheim center MARCUS KINK took a pass from veteran right wing JOHN TRIPP of Kolener Haie in the neutral ice and sped into the Slovakia defensive zone; faced with a one-on-one situation opposite NHL defenseman ANDREJ SEKERA of the Buffalo Sabres, the 28-year-old forward who serves as captain of his club team in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, went to the backhand and produced a surprising shot that the Slovak netminder Stana got a piece of but could not keep out.

The seasoned 33-year-old who once made six appearances (3.13 avg, .890 save pct) in the vaunted National Hockey League for the Washington Capitals during the 2003/04 campaign, would not be beaten again, however, and went on to finish with 30 saves in the Group H match against Germany.

Stana, a two-time Olympian who has now been on the roster of Slovakia at twelve major international tournaments in his career, was recalled for the first time since the 2010 IIHF World Champinships held in Germany and had only played 14 games (2.75 avg) in his career at major international events heading into this year’s annual IIHF affair in Scandanavia.

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Germany’s advantage did not last for long as Slovakia promptly went on the counterattack. Pinching in from the left point, defenseman VLADIMIR MIHALIK of HC Slovan Bratislava carried along the boards and swung around behind the net before sending a perfect pass out into the slot. Ready and waiting was TOMAS ZABORSKY of Russian KHL club Avangard Omsk, the 26-year-old left wing who was chosen in the fifth round (# 137 overall) of the 2006 NHL Draft by the New York Rangers, who then shot past the German netminder Zepp first time to bring the Slovaks level at the 45:41 mark.

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The Slovaks were buzzing in the offensive zone again when disaster befell the Germans with a little over seven minutes to go in the Group H game in Helsinki. Zepp, the 31-year-old native Canadian who spent two seasons with Finnish elite league outfit Saipa Lappeenranta before transferring to Eisbaeren Berlin in the summer of 2007, sought to smother the puck but made a complete mess of his attempt. Although Germany center MARCEL GOC was in the immediate vicinity, the NHL-Crack with the Florida Panthers was caught very much by surprise and, thus, unable to lend any assistnace.

Zaborsky, meanwhile, was more than happy to accept the gracious opportunity and merely backhanded underneath the unfortunate Zepp in order to notch his third goal for Slovakia at this year’s IIHF World Championships.

The Germans created their share of chances down the stretch (while also shooting a puck off the iron) but were unable to solve the in-form Slovakia netminder Stana and fell for the third consecutive time at the Hartwall Arena in Finland. Deutschland captain CHRISTIAN EHRHOFF of the Buffalo Sabres, who spent the first half of this season skating in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga for the Krefeld Pinguine (32 ga, 8 go, 26 pts) while the NHL’s Lockout situation went unresolved, promised the results from Helsinki would improve. “We’re going to keep chipping away and sooner or later the pucks will go in.”

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Germany right wing JOHN TRIPP (21) of Koelner Haie, the 36-year-old National Hockey League veteran who has now appeared in more than 100 international matches for Deutschland in his long and well-traveled career, is thwarted by Slovakia netminder RASTISLAV STANA (31) of Russian club CSKA Moscow during the 2013 IIHF World Championships – Group H contest at the Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland.
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IIHF World Championships
Group H – Helsinki, Finland
Hartwall Arena : attendance 5,078
referees : Frano (Czech Republic) and Rieber (Switzerland)

SLOVAKIA 3 – GERMANY 2

04:01 … GER – Wolf (N. Goc, Gogulla)
33:30 … SVK – Bliznak (Sersen)
43:01 … GER – Kink (Tripp, Kohl)
45:41 … SVK – Zaborsky (Mihalik, Kukumberg)
52:46 … SVK – Zaborsky (Miklik, Kukumberg)

shots-on-goal : SVK 33 GER 32 … penalty minutes : SVK 4 GER 2

SLOVAKIA : Stana – Mezei, Sekera ; Daloga, Sersen ; Vydareny, Jurcina ; Mihalik – Radivojevic, Bliznak, Kopecky ; Hudacek, Stumpel, Satan ; Zaborsky, Kukumberg, Miklik ; Bartek, Olvecky, Surovy

GERMANY : Zepp – Ehrhoff, Hoerdler ; N. Goc, Mueller, Baxmann, Ankert ; Kohl – Rankel, M. Goc, Schuetz ; Gogulla, Ullmann, Wolf ; Seidenberg, Kink, Tripp ; Noebels, Hager, Mauer ; Greilinger

Notes — Germany captain CHRISTIAN EHRHOFF totaled 29:20 of ice time while making his 80th career appearance in the national team uniform … Eisbaeren Berlin skipper ANDRE RANKEL, who was appearing in his 70th international contest on behalf of Deutschland, was the next most prominent player having skated one second more than twenty minutes for the Germans.

Adler Mannheim left wing YANNIC SEIDENBERG was chosen as Player of the Game for the Germans while defenseman MICHAEL SERSEN of HC Slovan Bratislava won similar honors for Slovakia.

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Germany right wing JOHN TRIPP (21) of Koelner Haie, the 36-year-old native Canadian who skated 43 National Hockey League games for the Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers before crossing the Atlantic Ocean to sign for Adler Mannheim at the start of the 2004/05 Deutsche Eishockey Liga season, and Russia defenseman ANTON BELOV (7) of Avangard Omsk jockey for position during the 2013 IIHF World Championships – Group H contest at the half-filled Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland.
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In a contest that was certainly much closer than the final score indicated, a hat trick from the veteran superstar and solid goaltending from his fellow National Hockey League legionnaire as well as a favorable call from the match referees late in the third period all combined to help defending gold medalist RUSSIA to a 4-1 triumph over hard-working GERMANY in the Group H round robin contest at the 2013 IIHF World Championships.

“We had more of the play,” noted Germany left wing ANDRE RANKEL of reigning Deutsche Eishockey Liga champion Eisbaeren Berlin after the game. Rankel looked to have drawn the Germans level with just over five and a half minutes remaining in the match after slipping a rebound past Russia netminder SEMYON VARLAMOV, the National Hockey League legionnaire under contract to the Coloardo Avalanche. But Germany’s star NHL defenseman CHRISTIAN EHRHOFF from the Buffalo Sabres was harshly ruled to have violated the regulations with respect to the goaltender’s crease and, thus, Rankel’s strike was disallowed.

“A controversial decision since Ehrhoff had been pushed by the opponent,” observed one German publication.

Whatever the case, Russia continued its traditional winning ways against Germany thanks in large part to three goals from NHL star ILYA KOVALCHUK of the New Jersey Devils. The 30-year-old sniper with the 15-year contract worth $ 110.0 million dollars raised his career tally to 35 goals on his 90th appearance for Russia at a major international tournament. Including the record inherited from what was the now dissolved Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the powerful Russians improved their all-time record against the Bundesrepublik Deutschland at major international tournaments to an impressive 42 wins against just two losses.

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Germany did enjoy the benefit of three opportunities with the power play in the first period alone but were unable to convert.

Despite being outshot 8-4 by the Germans in the first period, the Russians went out in front less than three and a half minutes into the second session after EVGENY MEDVEDEV of Ak Bars Kazan, the 30-year-old defenseman who had a goal and an assist in the 6-0 victory over Latvia to begin this 2013 IIHF World Championships, faked a slapshot at the point and then zipped a diagonal pass down low to the unmarked Kovalchuk, who patiently waited a brief moment before skillfully roofing the puck over the right shoulder of Germany goaltender DENNIS ENDRAS from Adler Mannheim.

Russia doubled its advantage just past the midway point of the match when highly-paid right wing ALEXANDER RADULOV of CSKA Moscow, the first round choice (# 15 overall) of the Nashville Predators at the 2004 NHL Draft, knifed in on the German net. Endras was able to repel the initial assualt to his left but Radulov collected his own rebound behind the net and quickly fed his national team linemate Kovalchuk out in front at the left side of the net. The scrambling Endras never had much of a chance as the New Jersey Devils legionnaire promptly netted his second goal of the game.

Germany had no luck shortly thereafter when inexperienced FRANK MAUER, the 25-year-old right wing who totaled 12 goals and 27 points in 52 D.E.L. games for Adler Mannheim this season, smacked his shot off the goal post in the 33rd minute of the contest.

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Germany, who were blanked 2-0 by Russia in the round robin of the 2012 IIHF World Championships last season, finally got on the scoreboard five minutes into the third period while skating on the power play. A point shot from veteran MICHAEL WOLF, the 32-year-old winger whose 55 points (23 goals) from 53 games for Iserlohn Roosters were the fourth-highest total in the D.E.L. this term, clanked off the iron but evergreen JOHN TRIPP of Koelner Haie was on hand to jam the rebound home and notch his seventh career goal for Germany at a major international event. The never-say-die Germans, who ended up outshooting the Russians 27-26 over the three periods of play, now had everything to skate for in the final fifteen minutes.

Deutschland, to review, only claimed its first-ever victory over Russia (and its predecessor, the Soviet Union) at the annual IIHF World Championships in Slovakia two years ago after Endras had turned aside all 31 shots faced when Germany triumphed 2-0 over the mighty Sbornaja.

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DEUTSCHLAND HATTE KEIN GLUECK — the half-pictured ANDRE RANKEL of Eisbaeren Berlin has the puck in the back of the net as Germany defenseman CHRISTIAN EHRHOFF (10) of the Buffalo Sabres is sandwiched between the fellow NHLers for Russia, goaltender SEMYON VARLAMOV (1) of the Colorado Avalanche and center ARTEM ANISIMOV (42) of the Columbus Blue Jackets, late in the third period of the 2013 IIHF World Championships – Group H contest at the Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland.
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Three minutes after the unfortunate Rankel, who had only netted one goal in 34 career games for Germany at major international tournaments heading into this 2013 IIHF World Championships, saw his potential game-tying goal waved off by the Scandanavian match officials, the explosive Radulov rendered that questionable decision something of a moot point by bursting into the offensive zone and beating the German captain Ehrhoff in a one-on-one situation. Endras was able to halt the backhand effort from the CSKA Moscow right wing who reportedly earned $ 9.2 million dollars this season skating in the domestic Kontiental Hockey League. But, with all the instincts of a true world-class goal shark, Kovalchuk was lurking on the play and easily cashed in the rebound opportunity in order to complete his noteworthy hat trick for Russia.

With his third goal against Germany in Helsinki, the veteran New Jersey Devils superstar overtook the talented Alexander Ovechkin, who is still competing with the Washington Capitals in the Stanley Cup playoffs and, therefore, not available for national team duty in Finland this spring, as Russia’s all-time leading goal-scorer at major international tournaments.

DENIS KOKAREV of two-time defending KHL champion Dynamo Moscow, the 27-year-old right wing who is one of ten returning players from the Russian squad that celebrated the gold medal at the 2012 IIHF World Championships in Scandanavia twelve months ago, sealed the deal with an empty net goal.

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IIHF World Championships
Group H – Helsinki, Finland
Hartwall Arena – attendance : 3,705
referees : Johansson (Sweden) and Rantala (Finland)

RUSSIA 4 – GERMANY 1

43:20 … RUS – Kovalchuk (Medvedev)
30:09 … RUS – Kovalchuk (Radulov)
45:03 … GER – Tripp (Wolf, Ehrhoff) – ppg
58:20 … RUS – Kovalchuk (Radulov, Medvedev)
59:39 … RUS – Kokarev (Soin, Svitov) – eng

shots-on-goal : GER 27 RUS 26 … penalty minutes : RUS 10 GER 2

RUSSIA : Varlamov – Nikulin, Biryukov ; Tyutin, Medvedev ; Denisov, Belov ; Ryasenski – Kovalchuk, Loktionov, Radulov ; Popov, Anisimov, Perezhogin ; Mozyakin, Tereshenko, Petrov ; Soin, Kokarev, Svitov

GERMANY : Endras – Ehrhoff, Hoerdler ; N. Goc, Mueller ; Baxmann, Ankert ; Kohl – Rankel, M. Goc, Schuetz ; Gogulla, Ullmann, Wolf ; Seidenberg, Kink, Tripp ; Greilinger, Hager, Mauer ; Pietta

Notes — Germany captain CHRISTIAN EHRHOFF accumulated 33:06 of ice time … Krefeld Pinguine forward DANIEL PIETTA, the 26-year-old who made four appearances (0 go, 0 pts) for Deutschland at the 2012 IIHF World Championships last season, was formally registered for this year’s tournament and included in the line-up for the contest with defending champion Russia.

For the sake of history here, the old Soviet Union compiled a perfect record of 16 wins with zero losses or ties in matches against the old Deutsche Demokratische Republik at major international ice hockey tournaments.

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Finland right wing JANNE PESONEN (20) of Russian Kontinental Hockey League club Ak Bars Kazan, the 30-year-old veteran who racked up 32 goals to go along with 82 points in 70 American Hockey League games for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Penguins during the 2008/09 campaign, watches as Germany goaltender ROB ZEPP (72) of Deutsche Eishockey Liga champion Eisbaeren Berlin secures the puck in his glove during the 2013 IIHF World Championships – Group H contest at the Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland.
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Despite skating shorthanded for the equivalent of three-quarters of an entire period, embattled GERMANY came within a minute and a half of defeating host FINLAND for the first time at a major international tournament in twenty years before eventually falling 4-3 after extra time in the opening match for both sides at the 2013 IIHF World Championships.

There is little question that the national team program of Germany is under the proverbial microscope after failing to qualify for the men’s ice hockey tournament at the XXII Winter Olympic Games to be held next year in Sochi, Russia. Against the host Finns at the Hartwall Arena, the Germans certainly came under heavy scrutiny from the match officials, who ended up assessing Canadian-Italian legionnaire trainer PAT CORTINA’s charges no fewer than nine minor penalties. Germany might have also fared better with more luck from the goal post in Helsinki, as well.

Nevertheless, Germany still earned what could prove to be a very significant point in the Group H standings against Finland and, perhaps more importantly, generated a certain amount of confidence and optimism not just among the national team players, but, indeed, the people of Deutschland, as well.

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Finland trainer JUKKA JALONEN, who has been in charge of the national team since the beginning of the 2008/09 campaign, returns only six skaters and no goaltenders from the squad that lost the bronze medal match at home in Helsinki to the Czech Republic last season. Jalonen, who steered Suomi to the gold medal triumph at the 2011 IIHF World Champinoships in Slovakia and sports a career record of 26 wins and 13 losses behind the bench for Finland at major international tournaments, has only one National Hockey League player on his roster at the 2013 IIHF World Championships but has left two places open. Forward LAURI KORPIKOSKI, the first round pick (# 19 overall) of the New York Rangers at the 2009 NHL Draft who has scored 42 goals in 197 NHL games the past three seasons for the Phoenix Coyotes, did not dress for the opening contest with Germany.

PETRI KONTIOLA of Russian Kontinental Hockey League club Traktor Chelyabinsk, the 28-year-old center who skated a dozen NHL games a collected five assists for the Chicago Black Hawks during the 2007/08 campaign, sent the Finns to the lead with a power play goal roughly ten and a half minutes into the contest after taking a cross-ice pass from JUHA-MATTI AALTONEN of Swedish Elitserien side BK Rogle Angelholm and slamming the puck into a wide open net.

But the Germans were able to equalize halfway through the match when center MARCEL GOC of the Florida Panthers, one of the two NHL players in Deutschland’s line-up, picked out FELIX SCHUETZ of Koelner Haie all alone in front of the net; quick stickhandlilng enabled the 26-year-old right wing, who spent two seasons skating for the Portland Pirates in the American Hockey League before signing with ERC Ingolstadt in the summer of 2010, to fake out Finland netminder JONI ORTIO, the Calgary Flames prospect who spent this past term out on loan with IFK Helsinki, and register his sixth career goal for Germany at a major international event.

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Germany right wing FELIX SCHUETZ (55), the fourth round selection (# 110 overall) of the Buffalo Sabres at the 2006 NHL Draft, tied for the Koelner Haie team lead with 23 goals and finished second with 41 points in 50 Deutsche Eishockey Liga contests this season.
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The Germans continued with their parade to the penalty box in the latter half of the second period, however, and Finland were, once again, able to capitalize with just over half a minute to skate before the second intermission. Right wing JANNE PESONEN of Russian KHL club Ak Bars Kazan, who appeared in seven NHL games for the Pittsburgh Penguins during the 2008/09 season, did very well to redirect the point shot from defenseman JUUSO HIETANEN of Russian KHL club Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod. The Finns might have had a few more goals, though, were it not for the 22 saves that Germany netminder ROB ZEPP of Eisbaeren Berlin, the 31-year-old naturalized Canadian who spent two years with Finnish elite league side Saipa Lappeenranta after leaving the Florida Everblades of the East Coast Hockey League in the summer of 2005, recorded in the first forty minutes of play.

Despite being heavily outshot, the Germans hauled themselves level yet again only two seconds after veteran defenseman OSSI VAANANEN of Jokerit Helsinki, the highly experienced 32-year-old who skated 479 NHL games for the Phoenix Coyotes, Colorado Avalance and Philadelphia Flyers and is appearing for Finland at his ninth major international tournament, was sent off for holding early in the third period.

Goc won the ensuing faceoff cleanly and NHL colleague CHRISTIAN EHRHOFF of the Buffalo Sabres blasted a rocket right past Ortio, the 22-year-old youngster who was representing Finland at a major international event for the very first time ever, to net his fifth career goal for Germany in a major international tournament.

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Germany’s star NHL defenseman CHRISTIAN EHRHOFF (10) of the Buffalo Sabres is pestered by Finland center JUKKA-PEKKA HYTONEN (15) of Russian KHL club Amur Khabarovsk behind the net during the 2013 IIHF World Championships – Group H contest at the Hartwall Arena in Helsinki.
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Deutschland looked to be in great shape after defenseman TORSTEN ANKERT of Koelner Haie, one of three German blueliners who are appearing at a major international tournament for the first time in their careers, found the back of the net with a long, low drive from the right point. Indeed, Germany were only a little over three minutes away from upending stubborn Finland at a major international event for the first time since the 1993 IIHF World Championships in Moscow. But, alas, it was not to be.

The skillful Kontiola made a sensational play to bat the puck out of the air, baseball-style, at the side of the net and then swoop out in front to slot the black disc past the bamboozled German goaltender with a little less than a minute and a half remaining in regulation time. Goc was then boxed for tripping only just before the sixty minutes had expired, which meant that Germany were forced to start the overtime period with just three skaters defending against the Finns’ four. Just after the penalty expired, 24-year-old winger SAKARI SALMINEN of Kalpa Kuopio skated into the left faceoff circle and rifled a wrist shot that 27-year old winger VELI-MATTI SAVINAINEN of Assat Pori was able to deflect ever so slightly.

Germany had battled like a champion, nonetheless, in its first meaningful international match since the historic Olympic qualification debacle.

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On the heels of Deutschland’s historic reunification, Finland have now won fifteen times while falling just once in the 17 matches with Germany at all major international tournaments since 1991. The two nations first met at a major international event during the 1939 IIHF World Championships in Basel, Switzerland (the Germans triumphed 12-1 on that occasion). As for the all-time series at the majors between the two countries, the Finns have won 37 while the Germans have won 11 with eight matches having been tied (this is the official record of the Bundesrepublik Deutschland, of course.)
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IIHF World Championships
Group H – Helsinki, Finland
Hartwall Arena – attendance : 12,115
referees : Frano (Czech Republic) and Kirk (Canada)

FINLAND 4 – GERMANY 3 … (ot)

10:22 … FIN – Kontiola (Aaltonen, Pesonen) – ppg
30:21 … GER – Schuetz (M. Goc, Rankel)
39:27 … FIN – Pesonen (Hietanen, Kontiola) – ppg
42:34 … GER – Ehrhoff (M. Goc) – ppg
56:55 … GER – Ankert (M. Goc, Gogulla)
58:31 … FIN – Kontiola (Pesonen)
61:58 … FIN – Savinainen (Salminen, Mantyla)

shots-on-goal : FIN 38 GER 18 … penalty minutes : GER 18 FIN 6

FINLAND : Ortio – Lepisto, Heitanen ; Laakso, Mantyla ; Vaananen, Jalasvaara ; Kukkonen, Melart – Pesonen, Kontiola, Aaltonen ; Salminen, Viitaluoma, Haataja ; Savinainen, Koskiranta, Pihlstrom ; Hagman, Hytonen, Antilla

GERMANY : Zepp – Ehrhoff, Hoerdler ; N. Goc, Mueller ; Baxmann, Ankert ; Kuhl – Rankel, M. Goc, Schuetz ; Wolf, Ullmann, Gogulla ; Seidenberg, Kink, Tripp ; Greiling, Hager, Mauer ; Noebels

Notes — new captain CHRISTIAN EHRHOFF logged 29:30 minutes of ice time for Germany, including 10:36 of the last period and all but two seconds of the overtime session … MARCEL GOC, who totaled 19:54 of ice time, assisted on all three German goals and, in doing so, posted a career high for points in one game at a major international tournament.

The official record of the old Deutsche Demokratische Republik (commonly known as East Germany) against Finland at major international tournaments was eight wins against ten losses with one draw.

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Vielleicht gibt es eines Tag, dass in der beruehmte National Hockey League mit der Philadelphia Flyers schlittschuhlaufen kann MARCEL NOEBELS.

Es ist immer ein gute Erfaehrung fuer ein Eishockey-Spieler, bei den Weltmeisterschaften mit dem Nationalmannscahft zu erscheinen. Die Philadelphia Flyers und den deutschen Nationalmannschaft muss bestimmt gluecklich sein, dass nach Finnland geflogen hat der 21-Jaehrige. Es ist ein wichitger Schritt in der Entwicklung des Spielers.

Noebels hat sein richtige WM-Debuet fuer Deutschland in das erste Spiel gegen Gastgeber Finnland auch gemacht. Er hatte ein echte Chance in dem ersten Teil auch gemacht, aber der finnische Torhueter Joni Ortio von IFK Helsinki seinem Schuss blockiert. Es war noch ein gute Leistung fuer der junge Nati-Neuzugang.

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In diesem Jahr, Noebels begann mit der dritten Mannschaft der Philadelphia Flyers. Es kein Arbeit-Streit in der NHL gewesen, wuerde dann der junge deutsche Mittelstuermer warscheinlich nicht an die Trenton Titans in der East Coast Hockey League gegangen. Aber verdient Noebels eine Foerderung im Januar nach 11 Tore und 30 Punkte aus 31 Spiele in der ECHL.

Keine Ersemester-Spieler in der ECHL hatte mehr Punkte als Noebels, der zweimal mit Deutschland bei den IIHF Junioren-Weltmeisterschaften bereits erschienen.

Auch sehr gut mit dem zweiten Kader der Philadelphia Flyers hat Noebels gemacht. Die Adirondack Phantoms in den letzten paar Jahren eines der schwaechsten Mannschaften in der American Hockey League gewesen. Doch noch ansammelte der junge deutsche Angreifer 13 Tore und 23 Punkte aus 43 Spiele in der AHL.

Nur zwei Spieler fuer die Adirondack Phantoms in diesem Jahr mehr Tore als Noebels geschossen hat.

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Der neue deutsche Landspieler MARCEL NOEBELS begann seine Karriere als ein Profispieler in der East Coast Hockey League mit der Trenton Titans, der die dritte Mannschaft von der Philadelphia Flyers.

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Two experienced National Hockey League players, the Buffalo Sabres’ $ 40.0 million dollar defenseman CHRISTIAN EHRHOFF as well as Florida Panthers center MARCEL GOC, spearhead the struggling national team of GERMANY competing at the 2013 IIHF World Championships in Scandanavia this spring.

On the heels of the historic disaster that was the attempt to qualify for the men’s ice hockey tournament at the 2014 Winter Olympic Games to be held in Sochi, the disappointed Germans are looking to get the national team program back on the right track and will skate against host Finland, powerful Russia, defending silver medalist Slovakia, Olympic qualifiers Austria and Latvia, the United States as well as France in the Helsinki-based Group H.

Under the stewardship of Swiss trainer JAKOB KOLLIKER, the national team of Germany imploded at the end of the 2012 IIHF World Championships, which were also co-hosted by Finland and Sweden, as evidenced by the truly embarrassing losses (12-4 to Norway and 8-1 to the Czech Republic) to close out the tournament. Kolliker was correctly shown the door by the Deutsche Eishockey Bund after last year’s disgrace. Particularly given the colossal Olympic failure this past February, the very same marching orders will be issued to Canadian-Italian legionnaire PAT CORTINA should the Germans not give a good account of themselves this time out.

GERMANY forwards
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Philip GOGULLA – Koelner Haie ……………… (6) … 39 ga … 4 go … 22 pts
Manfred WOLF – Iserlohn Roosters …………. (7) … 38 ga … 9 go … 17 pts
Christoph ULLMAN – Adler Mannheim ………. (7) … 44 ga … 4 go … 17 pts
John TRIPP – Koelner Haie ……………………. (6) … 39 ga … 6 go … 10 pts
Marcel GOC – FLORIDA PANTHERS ………… (8) … 42 ga … 6 go … 10 pts
Felix SCHUETZ – Koelner Haie ……………….. (3) … 20 ga … 5 go ….. 9 pts
Thomas GREILINGER – ERC Ingolstadt …….. (5) … 27 ga … 4 go ….. 5 pts
Andre RANKEL – Eisbaeren Berlin …………… (7) … 34 ga … 1 go ….. 4 pts
Yannic SEIDENBERG – Adler Mannheim ……. (3) … 11 ga … 1 go ….. 4 pts
Marcus KINK – Adler Mannheim ………………. (2) ….. 9 ga … 1 go ….. 3 pts
Frank MAUER – Adler Mannheim …………….. (1) ….. 5 ga … 0 go ….. 3 pts
Patrick HAGER – ERC Ingolstadt …………….. (2) … 12 ga … 0 go ….. 1 pts
Daniel PIETTA – Krefeld Pinguine ……………. (1) ….. 4 ga … 0 go ….. 0 pts
Marcel NOEBELS – Adirondack (AHL)

(appearances on German roster at major international tournaments in parenthesis)

total international games for Germany — Ullmann 131, Wolf 123, Gogulla 112, Greilinger 106, Tripp 101, M. Goc 78, Seidenberg 68, Rankel 67, Schuetz 67, Hager 62, Kink 55, Mauer 36, Noebels 2

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Koelner Haie left wing PHILIP GOGULLA (87), the former second round selection (# 48 overall) of the Buffalo Sabres at the 2005 National Hockey League Draft who skated one season in the American Hockey League for the Portland Pirates before returning to Deutschland in the summer of 2010, netted the only goal of the game to help Germany knock off neighboring rival Switzerland in the quarterfinals of the 2010 IIHF World Championships.
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The Germans, with the noteworthy exception of the three-time Olympian Ehrhoff, are extremely inexperienced on the blue line as a whole with three regulars having never before skated at a major international tournament. And MORITZ MUELLER, the 26-year-old rearguard from Koelner Haie, has not appeared at a major international tournament since the 2009 IIHF World Championships. Therefore, the NHL veteran from the Buffalo Sabres who will be appearing at a major international tournament for the ninth time can be expected to skate 30 minutes, if not more, each time out for Deutschland.

The trainer Cortina left room for two skaters on the initial roster registered with IIHF tournament officials and it is presumed that one more defenseman will be added at a later date; one possible candidate that has been mentioned in German press is JUSTIN KRUEGER, the Cornell University graduate who is still involved in the American Hockey League playoffs with the Charlotte Checkers.

GERMANY defensemen
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Christian EHRHOFF – BUFFALO SABRES ….. (8) … 46 ga … 4 go … 10 pts
Frank HOERDLER – Eisbaeren Berlin ……….. (4) … 25 ga … 3 go ….. 5 pts
Nikolai GOC – Adler Mannheim ……………….. (4) … 24 ga … 1 go ….. 2 pts
Moritz MUELLER – Kolener Haie ………………. (1) ….. 6 ga … 1 go ….. 1 pts
Torsten ANKERT – Koelner Haie
Jens BAXMANN – Eisbaeren Berlin
Benedikt KOHL – Wolfsburg Grizzly Adams

(appearances on German roster at major international tournaments in parenthesis)

total international games for Germany — Ehrhoff 77, Hoerder 74, N. Goc 56, Mueller 49, Kohl 34, Baxmann 20, Ankert 7

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Experienced defenseman CHRISTIAN EHRHOFF, the 30-year-old native of Moers who will serve as captain of Germany at the 2013 IIHF World Championships, scored five goals and totaled 22 points while posting a plus/minus defensive rating of + 6 in 47 games for the playoff-less Buffalo Sabres in the National Hockey League this season.
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Solid, if not standout, play between the pipes is of the utmost importance to the Germans because of the harsh reality that the national team simply just do not score very many goals per game, historically speaking. The naturalized Canadian ROB ZEPP of Deutsche Eishockey Liga champion Eisbaeren Berlin, the 31-year-old native of Newmarket, Ontario, who appeared in two of Germany’s three matches at the unsuccessful Olympic qualification tournament in February, also started two games for Deutschland at the 2010 IIHF World Championships. The stock of Adler Mannheim netminder DENNIS ENDRAS, the 27-year-old national team veteran who honored as the Most Valuable Player at the 2010 IIHF World Championships, appears to have dropped a bit since Cortina has been installed as trainer.

GERMANY goaltenders
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Dennis ENDRAS – Adler Mannheim …… (5) … 18 ga … 3.23 avg … 90.8 svpct
Rob ZEPP – Eisbaeren Berlin ………….. (1) ….. 2 ga … 1.54 avg … 95.6 svpct

(apperances on German roster at major international tournament in parenthesis)

total international games for Germany — Endras 61, Zepp 19

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Adler Mannheim shot-stopper DENNIS ENDRAS (44) has posted a record of seven wins against nine losses on his 18 appearances for Germany at major international tournaments and is, in fact, the only goaltender to have been triumphant for Deutschland at a major international tournament since Dimitri Patzold was victorious at the 2009 IIHF World Championships in Switzerland.

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Germany Olympic veteran MARCEL MUELLER (25), the 24-year-old forward who had previously skated three NHL games for Toronto Maple Leafs in his career but did not have his contract Swedish club Mo Do Ornskoldsvik renewed after a lackluster 2012/13 campaign in the crack Elitserien, topped the national team with three goals during the spring Testspiel schedule but was not included by Deutschland trainer Pat Cortina in the squad bound for the 2013 IIHF World Championships in Scandanavia.
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There is little doubt that, although the record of one win against seven losses is dreadful, the Testspiele results for the national team of GERMANY this spring only mean so much. For starters, the domestic campaigns of Krefeld Pinguine and Wolfsburg Grizzly Adams did not end until after the first week of April while champion Eisbaeren Berlin and runners-up Koelner Haie did not conclude the annual Deutsche Eishockey Liga playoffs until the end of the third week in April. Furthermore, it must be said that Canadian-Italian legionnaire PAT CORTINA, who probably should be removed as national team trainer so that he might singularly focus on his duties behind the bench of Deutsche Eishockey Liga club EHC Red Bull Munich, wisely deployed a multitude of different players, many inexperienced at the international level, over the course of Germany’s eight exhibition matches.

In the wake of the disaster that was the Olympic qualification tournament, a thought to the future is every bit as important as avoiding the dreaded relegation drop at the annual IIHF World Championships …

GERMANY ‘TESTSPIELE’ RESULTS
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04/05/13 … Belarus 4 – Germany 3 … (shootout)
04/06/13 … Belarus 4 – Germany 2

04/12/13 … Germany 1 – Czech Republic 3
04/13/13 … Germany 1 – Czech Republic 3

04/20/13 … Germany 0 – Sweden 8
04/21/13 … Germany 5 – Sweden 2

04/26/13 … Switzerland 2 – Germany 1
04/27/13 … Switzerland 3 – Germany 2 … (shootout)

GERMANY goals
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Marcel MUELLER (Mo Do Ornskoldsvik – Swe) 3, Frank MAUER (Adler Mannheim) 2, Martin HINTERSTOCKER (EHC Red Bull Munich) 1, Rene ROETHKE (Straubing Tigers) 1, Bernhard EBNER (EG Duesseldorf) 1, Uli MAURER (EHC Red Bull Munich) 1, Patrick KOEPPCHEN (Hamburg Freezers) 1, Christoph ULLMANN (Adler Mannheim) 1, Patrick HAGER 1, Nikolai GOC (Adler Mannheim) 1, John TRIPP (Koelner Haie) 1, Manfred WOLF (Iserlohn Roosters) 1