Germany's CHRISTOPH ULLMANN of Koelner Haie lags a step behind Canada's BROOKS LAICH of the Washington Capitals during the international exhibition in the north German port city of Hamburg. (John Moskopf/Ice Hockey Info)

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Two goals from Vancouver Games veteran COREY PERRY of the Anaheim Ducks paced CANADA to a 4-1 victory over GERMANY in a final exhibition match before the soon-to-start 2010 IIHF World Championships being contested this year in Deutschland.

Eisbaeren Berlin forward SVEN FELSKI, on his 150th career international apperance for his country, gave Germany a fast start with a goal 136 seconds into the match before 6,237 spectators at the newly re-named 02 World Arena in Hamburg.

Assisting for Felski was hometown skater JOHN TRIPP of the Hamburg Freezers, a native Canadian and former National Hockey League player.

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DENNIS ENDRAS, who provided beaten finalist Augsburg Panthers with outstanding goaltending throughout the Deutsche Eishockey Liga playoffs this spring, was given the start in goal by German national team coach UWE KRUPP. (Tim Hauck/Hamburg)

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Perry, the only gold medalist from the 2010 Winter Olympics on Canada’s World Championships entry, tied the game after ten minutes on the power play and then extended the Canuck lead to 3-1 with another goal just 17 seconds into the third period.

Forwards RENE BOURQUE of the Calgary Flames and STEVE STAMKOS of the Tampa Bay Lightning each notched a goal and two assists in the game for Canada.

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Canadian forward CORREY PERRY (10) of the Anaheim Ducks evens the score in the first period against German goaltender DENNIS ENDRAS (44) of the Augsburg Panthers. Trailing on the play is German forward SVEN FELSKI (11), who had given the home side an early lead. (NDR photo)

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5/4/10 — Hamburg — CANADA 4 – GERMANY 1

• 1-0 — GER – 2:16 — Felski (Tripp, Barta)
• 1-1 — CAN – 10:37 — Perry (Tavares, Stamkos)
• 1-2 — CAN – 26:36 — Bourque (Cumiskey)
• 1-3 — CAN – 40:17 — Perry (Stamkos, Bourque)
• 1-4 — CAN – 54:30 — Stamkos (Perry, Bourque)

GERMANY

• Goaltenders: ENDRAS (Augsburg), 32nd KOTSCHNEW (Spartak Moscow)
• Defense : DIETRICH (Milwaukee-AHL), HOLZER (Dusseldorf); FISCHER (Wolfsburg), BRAUN (Berlin); KRUEGER (Cornell Univ), SULZER (Milwaukee-AHL); N. GOC, REISS (both Hannover)
• Attack : GREILINGER (Ingolstadt), M. GOC (Nashville-NHL), GOGULLA (Portland-AHL); WOLF (Iserlohn), ULLMANN (Koeln), MUELLER (Koeln); RANKEL (Berlin), HOSPELT (Wolfsburg), SCHUETZ (Portland-AHL); TRIPP (Hamburg), BARTA (Hamburg), Felski (Berlin)

CANADA – (all players NHL)

• Goaltender : MASON (St. Louis)
• Defense : DEL ZOTTO (NY Rangers), GIORDANO (Calgary); RUSSELL (Columbus), CUMISKEY (Colorado); STAAL (NY Rangers), BEAUCHEMIN (Toronto); BURNS (Minnesota)
• Attack : DUSHENE (Colorado), DOWNIE (Tampa Bay), PERRY (Anaheim); SMYTH (Los Angeles), WHITNEY (Carolina), LAICH (Washington); EBERLE (Springfield-AHL), BOURQUE (Calgary), STAMKOS (Tampa Bay); TAVARES (NY Islanders), PEVERLEY (Atlanta), KANE (Atlanta); OTT (Dallas)

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02 WORLD ARENA in Hamburg was formerly known as COLOR LINE ARENA until very recently. The arena, which has a capacity of 12,947 for ice hockey, was built at a cost of 83 million Euros and was first opened in November of 2002. (Siemens photo)

Nashville Predators forward MARCEL GOC (57) is the only National Hockey League player who will play for the host nation at this year’s IIHF World Championships being held in Germany this month. The 26-year-old has appeared at seven major internationals for Germany with six goals and 10 points from 35 games. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

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National team head coach UWE KRUPP has announced that five players competing professionally in North America have been added to the squad training for the upcoming 2010 IIHF World Championships to be held on home ice in Germany this May.

The good news for Germany is that the Nashville Predators were knocked out of the National Hockey League playoffs early.

That means forward MARCEL GOC, who led the Germans with two goals and three points at the Winter Games in Vancouver, is now clear to to lead the offensive for the host nation.

The 26-year-old Goc, a former 1st round draft pick of the San Jose Sharks (2001, # 20 overall), finished this most-recent NHL season with a career-high 12 goals and 30 points for Nashville in 73 games. 

The Milwaukee Admirals, Nashville’s top affiliate, were also eliminated from the American Hockey League playoffs; defensemen ALEXANDER SULZER (36 ga, 7 go 23 as, 30 pts), a Vancouver Olympian who skated 20 games (0 go 2 as, 2 pts, 4 pim) with the Predators this season, and ROBERT DIETRICH (79 ga, 6 go 37 as, 43 pts) became available for selection by Krupp as a result.

Neither player has appeared thus far for Germany in the international exhibitions contested so far this spring.

Forward FELIX SCHUETZ of the AHL’s Portland Pirates (67 ga, 13 go 14 as, 27 pts) arrived in time to skate Germany’s last exhibition versus Slovakia.

22-year-old PHILIP GOGULLA, the minor league teammate of Schuetz and one-time 2nd round draft choice of the Buffalo Sabres (2005, # 48 overall), did not. In his first season of professional hockey in North America, the former Koelner Haie player posted 15 goals and 35 points in 76 games for Portland in the AHL.

Germany’s two-goal man MARCEL MUELLER of EC Koeln. (DPA photo)

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SLOVAKIA defeated GERMANY 3-2 in an international friendly exhibition match Sunday before 1,400 Zuschauer at the Eissporthalle in Ravensburg.

Former NHL forward ANDREJ PODKONICKY of Czech club HC Liberec scored one minute and ten seconds into overtime to provide the visting Slovaks victory.

German Olympic forward MARCEL MUELLER of Koelner Haie had tied matters with his second goal of the match with 5:12 remaining in the third period.

Former Buffalo Sabres 1st round draft pick MAREK ZAGRAPAN of Russian club Severstal Cherepovets and MICHAL CHOVAN of HKM Zvolen scored first period goals for Slovakia; Mueller also added an opening period goal for Germany.

Canadian native ROB ZEPP of Eisbaren Berlin got the start in goal for Germany from head coach UWE KRUPP.

PETER HAMERLIK, the Boston Bruins 5th round pick and former farmhand, was selected to play for Slovakia by new head coach GLEN HANLON, the former national team trainer of Belarus. 

22-year-old forward FELIX SCHUETZ of the American Hockey League’s Portland Pirates (67 ga, 13 go 14 as, 27 pts), the Buffalo Sabres 4th round pick (2006, # 117 overall) and a three-time participant at the World Junior Championships for Germany, was in the Krupp’s line-up versus Slovakia.

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GERMANY — head coach Uwe KRUPP

• Goaltender : ZEPP (Berlin)
• Defense : HOERDLER (Berlin), HOLZER (Dusseldorf); BRAUN (Berlin), FISCHER (Wolfsburg); BUTENSCHOEN (Mannheim), BAXMANN (Berlin); SCHMIDT (Mannheim), KRUEGER (Cornell Univ)
• Forwards: LEWANDOWSKI (Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk), BARTA (Hamburg), KREUTZER (Dusseldorf); WOLF (Iserlohn), ULLMANN (Koeln), Ma. MUELLER (Koeln); RANKEL (Berlin), HOSPELT (Wolfsburg), GREILINGER (Ingolstadt); HAGER (Krefeld), Y. SEIDENBERG (Mannheim), SCHUETZ (Portland-AHL); TRIPP (Hamburg)

SLOVAKIA — head coach Glen HANLON

• Goaltender : HAMERLIK (HC Trinec)
• Defense : MAJESKY (AIK Skelleftea), STAROSTA (Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk); LINTNER (Dynamo Minsk), SVARNY (HC Litvinov); SLOVAK (Automobilist Ekaterinburg), GRANAK (BK Rogle Angelholm); MIHALIK (Norfolk-AHL), FRUEHAUF (Banska Bystrica)
• Forwards : BARTOVIC (HC Liberec), TATAR (Grand Rapids-AHL), PODKONICKY (HC Liberec); PANIK (Norfolk-AHL), ZAGRAPAN (Severstal Cherepovets), ZALESAK (HK 36 Skalica); BULIK (Banska Bystrica), CIERNIK (Koeln), HASCAK (HK SKP Poprad); CHOVAN (HKM Zvolen), MACHO (HC Mlada Boleslav), ZABORSKY (Assat Pori) 

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The EISSPORTHALLE RAVENSBURG in Baden-Wuerttemburg is home to German second division side EV Ravensburg and has an official capacity of 3,300 with 1,070 Sitzplatze (fixed seats).

Goaltender DMITRIJ KOTSCHNEW of Russian club Spartak Moscow was strong for Germany in the international exhibition with Switzerland in Fussen. Kotschnew finished with 39 saves and, for the most part, single-handedly held his side in the match. (Sportfoto-Cologne)

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Home-standing GERMANY lost a second consecutive international exhibition match to their rivals from SWITZERLAND on Saturday before a crowd of 1,293 at the Bundesleistungszentrum in Fussen. 

DAMIEN BRUNNER of EV Zug scored with 6:03 left in the third period to provide the Swiss with a 1-0 defeat of their German neighbors.

Switzerland’s returning goaltender MARTIN GERBER of Russian club HK Atlant Mytischy registered the shutout with 28 saves.

With Olympic forward ROMAN WICK of EHC Kloten out with a rib contusion, Swiss head coach SEAN SIMPSON used the opportunity to give 17-year-old sensation NINO NIEDERREITER of the Canadian junior hockey club Portland Winter Hawks his senior international debut. 

Niederreiter easily led Switzerland at this year’s IIHF World Junior Championships with six goals and 10 points from seven games.  

Germany head coach UWE KRUPP continues with an all-domestic contingent with no foreign-based help for his part.

Germany still leads the all-time series with Switzerland, 61-53 with 17 ties.

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April 24, 2010 — Fussen — SWITZERLAND 1 – GERMANY 0

GERMANY — head coach Uwe KRUPP

• Goaltender : KOTSCHNEW (Spartak Moscow)
• Defense : HOLZER (Dusseldorf), SCHMIDT (Mannheim); KRUEGER (Cornell Univ), BRAUN (Berlin); FISCHER (Wolfsburg), BUTENSCHOEN (Mannheim); HOERDLER, BAXMANN (both Berlin)
• Forwards : LEWANDOWSKI (Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk), BARTA (Hamburg), KREUTZER (Dusseldorf); WOLF (Iserlohn), ULLMANN (Koeln), Ma. MUELLER (Koeln); TRIPP (Hamburg), FELSKI (Berlin), RANKEL (Berlin); GREILINGER (Ingolstadt), HOSPELT (Wolfsburg), HAGER (Krefeld); Y. SEIDENBERG (Mannheim)

SWITZERLAND — head coach Sean SIMPSON

• Goaltender : GERBER (HK Atlant Mytischy)
• Defense : DU BOIS (EHC Kloten), VAUCLAIR (HC Lugano); BACK, GROSSMAN (both HC Davos); SEGER, GEERING (both SC Zurich); HELBLING, HIRSCHI (both HC Lugano)
• Forwards : CHRISTEN (EV Zug), AMBUEHL (Hartford-AHL), BRUNNER (EV Zug); SIMEK (Norfolk-AHL), MONNET (SC Zurich), BUERGLER (HC Davos); STANCESCU (EHC Kloten), JENNI (EHC Kloten), B. PLUESS (HC Fribourg Gotteron); SCIARONI (HC Davos), ROMY (HC Lugano), NIEDERREITER (Portland-WHL jrs)

Defenseman MICHAEL BAKOS of ERC Ingolstadt is injured and will not be participating in the upcoming World Championships to be staged in Germany. (Sportfoto-Cologne photo)

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At least one of GERMANY’s defensemen from the Winter Olympic sqaud which competed at the Vancouver Games will not be back to skate for head coach UWE KRUPP’s national team at the 2010 IIHF World Championships to be contested on home soil.

MICHAEL BAKOS of ERC Ingolstadt missed the final practice session before the friendly international versus Switzerland after being diagnosed by German national team doctor PETER PRODINGER to have a torn muscle of the oblique abdominal muscles.

Thus, the 30-year-old rearguard, who has represented Germany at five major international tournaments (26 ga, 2 go 4 as, 6 pts) including this past February’s Vancouver Games, has been formally ruled out of action for the coming World Championships, which begin on May 7.

Switzerland forward MARCEL JENNI mashes Germany forward ANDRE RANKEL in the face with an elbow along the boards during the international exhibition at the Helios Arena in Villingen-Schwenningen. (Keystone photo)

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The neighboring nations of GERMANY and SWITZERLAND renewed their long-running rivalry on ice for the 130th time in front of 3,731 at the Helios Arena in Baden-Wuerttemberg.

The 2-1 result favoring Switzerland and the new national team head coach SEAN SIMPSON does nothing to diminsh the already-mounting pressure for Germany, who are set to host the upcoming 2010 IIHF World Championships this May, and its head coach, UWE KRUPP, in particular.

28-year-old defenseman STEVE HIRSCHI of HC Lugano, who skated at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin and last appeared for Switzerland at a major international event in the World Championships the following year, scored first on the power play with 4:07 left in the second period to send the visiting Swiss in front.

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German defenseman KORBINIAN HOLZER (5), the fourth round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2006, has a look at the puck in the net after goaltender DMITRIJ KOTSCHNEW was beaten on a long-range blast from the not-pictured Swiss defenseman Steve Hirschi. (Keystone photo)

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Vancouver Games participant MICHAEL WOLF of the Iserlohn Roosters evened the match for Germany just 1:01 into the third period, also on the power play. Crucially for coach Krupp’s side, the Germans failed to add even more goals during the major penalty that had been assessed to Switzerland forward KEVIN ROMY of HC Lugano, the fourth round draft choice (2003, # 108 overall) of the Philadelphia Flyers.

22-year-old defenseman ROBIN GROSSMAN of HC Davos, a former junior international, grabbed the winner for Switzerland with another shot from the point at even-strength and only eight and a half minutes remaining in the match.

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Germany’s legionnaire goaltender Kotschnew of Spartak Moscow surrenders a second goal to the Swiss defense in the latter half of the third period at Schwenningen. (Keystone photo)

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Germany, despite the loss, still maintains a 61-52 lead (with 17 ties) in the all-time series between the two nations.

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SCORING SUMMARY — April 21, 2010 — Schwenningen

SWITZERLAND 2 – GERMANY 1

• 0-1 — 35:53 — SWITZ – Steve HIRSCHI (Back)
• 1-1 — 41:01 — GER – Michael WOLF (Ma. Mueller)
• 1-2 — 51:23 — SWITZ – Robin GROSSMAN (Stancescu)

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Germany’s former NHL forward JOHN TRIPP (21) tries to jam the puck between the pads of Switzerland goaltender DANIEL MANZATO, the ex-Albany River Rat of the American Hockey League, as defensemen RENE BECK (42) and JULIEN VAUCLAIR (3), the former Ottawa Senators farmhand, attempt to intercede. Looking on is Swiss Olympic forward ROMAN WICK (14), a 2004 fifth round pick of the Ottawa Senators. (del.org photo) 

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GERMANY — coach Uwe KRUPP

• Goaltender : KOTSCHNEW (Spartak Moscow)
• Defense : SCHMIDT, BUTENSCHOEN (both Mannheim); OSTERLOH (Frankfurt), HOERDLER (Berlin); HOLZER (Dusseldorf), BAXMANN (Berlin); KRUEGER (Cornell Univ), FISCHER (Wolfsburg)
• Attack : BARTA (Hamburg), LEWANDOWSKI (Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk), KREUTZER (Dusseldorf); RANKEL (Berlin), GREILINGER (Ingolstadt), FELSKI (Berlin); MA. MUELLER (Koeln), ULLMANN (Koeln), WOLF (Iserlohn); Y. SEIDENBERG (Mannheim), TRIPP (Hamburg), HAGER (Krefeld); GAWLIK (Frankfurt)

SWITZERLAND — coach Sean SIMPSON

• Goaltender : GERBER (HK Atlant Mytischy) 32 min; MANZATO (SC Rapperswil-Jona)
• Defense : SEGER (SC Zurich), HIRSCHI (HC Lugano); VAUCLAIR (HC Lugano), GEERING (SC Zurich); HELBLING (HC Lugano), DU BOIS (EHC Kloten); BACK (HC Davos), GROSSMAN (HC Davos)
• Attack : AMBUEHL (Hartford-AHL), B. PLUESS (HC Fribourg-Gotteron), WICK (EHC Kloten); STANCESCU (EHC Kloten), MONNET (SC Zurich), JENNI (EHC Kloten); CHRISTEN (EV Zug), SIMEK (Norfolk-AHL), DUCA (HC Ambri-Piotta); BUERGLER (HC Davos), ROMY (HC Lugano) SCIARONI (HC Davos); BRUNNER (EV Zug)

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The HELIOS ARENA located in Villingen-Schwenningen is home to the Deutsche Eishockey Liga’s SCHWENNINGEN WILD WINGS. The facility was first opened in 1976 and has an official capacity of 6,214. The majority of that figure is standing-room-only as the rink has only 1,792 fixed seats.

Norway goaltender ANDRE LYSENSTOEN (30) of Finnish second division club HeKi Heinola is left to scoop yet another puck out of his net during Germany's lopsided 8-2 victory at the Freiberger Arena in Dresden. (dpa photo)

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GERMANY struggled with nerves in the opening period but, for the second night in a row, enjoyed a three-goal burst in the second session and skated their way to a decisive 8-2 decision over the national ice hockey team of NORWAY in an exhibition match at Dresden.

Olympic forward MARCEL MUELLER of EC Koeln gave Germany a bright enough start with a goal in the fifth minute of the match.

The plucky Norwegians proceeded to put two pucks quickly past debutant PATRICK EHELECHNER of the Nuernberg Ice Tigers in the German goal, however.

Former junior international ROBIN DAHLSTROM of IF Frisk Asker, only fifteen seconds after Mueller’s goal, and Norwegian Olympian KRISTIAN FORSBERG of Swedish club Mo Do Ornskoldsvik left the home-standing Germans behind with just eight and a half minutes gone.

But, the versatile CONSTANTIN BRAUN of Eisbaeren Berlin would step into the breach before 3,087 Zuschauer at the Freiberger Arena in Saxony.

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The FREIBERGER ARENA, located in the historical German city of Dresden, is home to second division side ESC Dresdner Eisloewen, the Ice Lions. The facility was completed at a reported cost of 29.7 million Euros and has an official capacity of 4,127 for ice hockey with fixed seats accounting for 3,099 of the total. The first-ever game at the Freiberger Arena featured Eisbaeren Berlin contesting Czech Republic club HC Karlovy Vary in August of 2007.

• GER 1-0 —   4:23 — Marcel MUELLER
• NOR 1-1 —   4:48 — Robin DAHLSTROM
• NOR 1-2 —   8:31 — Kristian FORSBERG
• GER 2-2 — 11:03 — Constantin BRAUN
• GER 3-2 — 18:18 — Constantin BRAUN
• GER 4-2 — 20:31 — Alexander BARTA
• GER 5-2 — 23:33 — Daniel KREUTZER
• GER 6-2 — 32:13 — Patrick HAGER
• GER 7-2 — 47:42 — Sebastian OSTERLOH
• GER 8-2 — 57:26 — Marcus KINK 

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GERMANY

• Goaltender : EHELECHNER (Nuernberg)
• Defense : HOLZER (Dusseldorf), BAXMANN (Berlin); KRUEGER (Cornell Univ), BRAUN (Berlin); REUL, BUTENSCHOEN (both Mannheim); OSTERLOH (Frankfurt), HOERDLER (Berlin)
• Forwards : BARTA (Hamburg), LEWANDOWSKI (Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk), KREUTZER (Dusseldorf); RANKEL (Berlin), GAWLIK (Frankfurt), FELSKI (Berlin); MA. MUELLER (Koeln), ULLMANN (Koeln), WOLF (Islerlohn); Y. SEIDENBERG (Mannheim), HAGER (Krefeld), KINK (Mannheim)

NORWAY

• Goaltender : LYSENSTOEN (HeKi Heinola)
• Defensemen: HOLOS (Farjestad Karlstad), BONSAKSEN (Mo Do Ornskoldsvik); ODEGAARD, FOLLESTAD (both Frisk Asker); OSTLI (Storhamar), HENRIKSEN (Sparta Sarpsborg); MOSTUE (Storhamar)  
• Forwards : THORESEN (Salavat Yulayev Ufa), BASTIANSEN (Farjestad Karlstad), M. OLIMB (Vastra Frolunda Goteborg); ROYMARK (Vastra Frolunda Goteborg), Z. AASEN (Mo Do Ornskoldsvik), ANDERSEN (Sparta Sarpsborg); K. OLIMB (Frisk Asker), HOLTET (Farjestad Karlstad), MARTINSEN (Lillehammer); PAULSEN (Stjernen Fredrikstad), FROSHAUG (Manglerud Star), DAHLSTROM (Frisk Asker); FORSBERG (Mo Do Ornskoldsvik)

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Norway forward MATS FROSHAUG of Manglerud Star, a sixth round pick of the Vancouver Canucks at the 2008 NHL Draft, and German forward PATRICK HAGER (50) of the Krefeld Pinquine compete for the puck in Dresden. Hager had a goal in the exhibition match for Germany. (Private Press photo)

Eisbaeren Berlin forward ANDRE RANKEL saw his name written on the scoresheet as Deutschland shutout Norway 3-0 in a 'friendly' exhibition match from eastern Germany. (Picture-Alliance photo)

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GERMANY grabbed three goals within four minutes to open the second period for all the scoring that would be required to see off NORWAY 3-0 in an international exhibition match at Crimmitschau. 

MICHAEL WOLF (Iserlohn), ANDRE RANKEL (Eisbaeren Berlin), and CHRISTOPH GAWLIK (Frankfurt) all put pucks past Norway’s Olympic goaltender PAL GROTNES of IK Stjernen Fredrikstad inside the first 6:23 of the second period to power the German attack.

ALEXANDER BARTA of the Hamburg Freezers, who skated for Germany at the 2006 Turin Games but was left off the roster for the Vancouver Winter Olympics, might have added a fourth score late in the second session but was denied by the goalpost.

Germany attacker MICHAEL WOLF (16) accounted for zero goals and just as many points at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. The struggle to score goals was a major contributor to the disappointing results for head coach UWE KRUPP’s squad in Canada this past February. (Picture-Alliance photo)  

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A solid crowd of 5,164 Zuschauer (spectators) showed up at the KUNSTEISSTADION IM SAHNPARK in the eastern German city of Crimmitschau, located in the state of Saxony (Sachsen).

Kunsteisstadion is home to modest German second division side ETC Crimmitschau Eispiraten as it has been since 1964, when the club were competing in the Oberliga of the Deutsche Demokratische Republik (East German first division).

The official capacity at the Kunsteisstadion is 6,722 although it should be remembered that there are actually only 177 fixed seats (this does not include ten press seats). Fifty-six of the seats are reserved for the so-called VIPs. The overwhelming majority of the arena is standing-room only.

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KUNSTEISSTADION IM SAHNPARK (Art Ice Stadium in Sahnpark) in Crimmitschau, Saxony, is the long-time home of current German second divison side Eispiraten, the Ice Pirates. (Sebastian Muehlig/etconline.de)

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A measure of revenge then for Germany, who lost to Norway 3-2 at the 2008 IIHF World Championships in Canada.

Goaltender DMITRIJ KOTSCHNEW of Russian club Spartak Moscow, who had a pretty good season and better playoffs in the Kontinental Hockey League this year, earned the shutout for Germany.

Kotschnew did not pile up a great number of saves but produced an important stop of an attempt by Norway star forward PATRICK THORESEN of Russian club Salavat Yulayev Ufa in the second period to preserve a 1-0 German lead.

The 28-year-old native of Kazakhstan, who has appeared at two World Championships for Germany already, also saved twice from Thoresen and stoned the Swedish elite league’s leading scorer, MATS ZUCCARELLO AASEN of Mo Do Ornskoldsvik, in the third period, as well.

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Two Germans involved in the exhibition against Norway : goaltender DMITRIJ KOTSCHNEW (30) of Spartak Moscow, who registered a shutout, and ALEXANDER BARTA of the Hamburg Freezers. (Bongarts/Getty Images)

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23-year-old defenseman JUSTIN KRUEGER, the 7th round draft pick of the Carolina Hurricanes (2006, #213 overall) who just completed his senior campaign for Cornell University, made his international debut for Germany. 

Justin Krueger would be the son of RALPH KRUEGER, the recently retired coach of Switzerland’s national team. The elder Krueger, a native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, and product of Canadian junior hockey, enjoyed a long career in the old Bundesliga and appeared at both the 1981 and 1986 IIHF World Championships for West Germany. 

The younger Krueger was credited with a fine play which led to Rankel’s goal in the exhibition versus Norway in Crimmitschau.

Two Eisbaeren Berlin forwards were unavailable for selection by German national team head coach UWE KRUPP due to injury — T. J. MULOCK (hip) and FLORIAN BUSCH (chest).

One player not available to Norway was Olympic hero TORE VIKINGSTAD, scorer of four goals in as many matches at the Vancouver Games. The 34-year-old veteran of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga is at present still on duty with the Hannover Scorpions, who have reached the finals of the German playoffs.

Kassel Huskies forward MANUEL KLINGE, who scored a rare goal for Germany at the 2010 Vancouver Games on his debut at a major international tournament, has been ruled out of the 2010 IIHF World Championships hosted by Deutschland with a herniated disc.

SCORING SUMMARY — April 16, 2010 — Crimmitschau

Germany 3 — Norway 0

• 1-0 Ger : 22:34 — Wolf (Hoerdler, Mo. Mueller)
• 2-0 Ger : 24:50 — Rankel (Tripp, Felski)
• 3-0 Ger : 26:23 — Gawlik (Y. Seidenberg, Reul) 

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Former West German international defenseman HAROLD KREIS has been named as an assistant coach to the German national team for the 2010 IIHF World Championships to be staged in Koeln and Mannheim.

Kreis, a native of Winnipeg in western Canada, appeared at eight World Championships and two Winter Olympic Games and collectively skated 86 contests (5 goals, 28 points) for West Germany at those major international tournaments between 1979 and 1990. 

Kreis crossed the Atlantic to sign for ERC Mannheim of the West German Bundesliga in the summer of 1978 after a final season of junior hockey with the old Calgary Wranglers of the Western Canada Hockey League.

Kreis spent the next 19 seasons patroling the blueline in Mannheim.

Kreis, who will take over as head coach of Adler Mannheim next season, has spent the past two years in charge of EG Dusseldorf in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. Previously, Kreis cut his teeth as a top man with EHC Chur in Switzerland’s second division and later worked with HC Lugano and SC Zurich in the Nationalliga A before moving to Dusseldorf. Kreis claimed the Swiss championship in 2006 with HC Lugano and again with SC Zurich in 2008.

Kreis joins ERNST HOEFNER as an assistant on head coach UWE KRUPP’s national team staff seeking to improve upon Germany’s disappointing showing at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Host nation GERMANY and Olympic silver medalist the UNITED STATES will meet in the opening game of the 2010 IIHF World Championships in Gelsenkirchen on May 7.

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“SAVE THE SHARKS — Red Alert As Cologne Club Struggles On And Off Ice”

MARTIN MERK — IIHF.COM — (3/10/10)

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KOELN — Hockey fans in Cologne have reason to be happy as they look forward to world-class hockey when the 2010 International Ice Hockey Federation World Championships comes to town in May. But among that anticipation, dark clouds are gathering over Cologne’s 18,500 LANXESS ARENA, the largest arena used in European hockey.

KOELNER HAIE, of the German Ice Hockey League (DEL), was one of the top teams for years, even decades. When they moved into their new arena in 1998, they set a record average attendance of 13,400, which was a European record until 2003.

Things have changed dramatically for Cologne in the last two years. In 2009, Koelner Haie went from second to 15th in the 16-team league and have had to fight this year to earn a playoff berth. They’re currently in tenth place and average 9,954 fans, about half the capacity. That’s not enough for the eight-time champion to reach their goals — on the ice and in the books.

Before 2008, the club made the playoffs 27 straight seasons. But several transfers and coaching changes have weakened the team.

Because the fall in the standings has consequences on the club’s finances, Koelner Haie applied for short-time compensation from authorities and this year they were close to apply for insolvency proceedings. The Sharks’ longstanding patron HEINZ HERMANN GOETTSCH didn’t want to pay the bills by himself anymore last year, but a new investor group recently brought in reportedly 2 million Euros to save the club and play through the 2009-10 season. But it’s not enough.

The club currently have 1.5 million Euros debts and needs 500,000 Euros to cover costs for the rest of the season — and to avoid insolvency. That’s what the club made public to show that it’s red alert in Cologne. In the case of insolvency proceedings, the club could be excluded from the league for next season or even the playoffs.

“It was good to communicate the hard facts to the fans. Everybody understands now that we need help. We’re still alive, so we have to fight,” Koelner Haie CEO Thomas Eichin said to RHEINISCHE POST.

The news hit the people in the city hard. Koelner Haie is not just a sports team. Almost 70 fan clubs exist. And in Hoehner’s song, VIVA COLONIA, Germany’s party hymn number one that has been played nationwide weekend after weekend for seven years now, the group makes clear that Koelner Haie is one of the sports teams that belong to Cologne lifestyle same as Carnival and the landmark Cologne Cathederal.

Fans are collecting money for the club right now and have sold thousands of red t-shirts with the slogan “We are Sharks!”. Local celebrities and numerous pub owners show their helpfulness as well as the local football team 1.FC Koeln and their players. Hockey player ANDREAS RENZ posed between both club mascots, a shark and a goat. More than 40,000 Euros has been collected through an online petition. The local authorities were asked to help find new sponsors.

And kids have stopped by the office with their piggybank.

“Ice hockey as a sport is deep-rooted in Cologne and the Cologne people,” stated Mayor JOERGEN ROTERS. “There’s enormous interest in the long-term existance of this club and great fan support. The brand Koelner Haie may not die and we will do everything to help the club find new sponsors.”

“Everybody is asked to help that this traditional club does not disappear,” LUKAS PODOLSKI, a star of the German football national team and of 1.FC Koeln, told BILD. “For me, Cologne without the Sharks is unthinkable. Already as a little kid I enjoyed watching hockey games.”

Days after the financial situation became known, 18,523 fans came to the Rhine derby against Duesseldorf to show their solidarity. Unfortunately for the home team, they lost the game 4-3 and just 6,983 spectators came to the next game that ended with the same score against ERC Ingolstadt.

Koelner Haie needs to finish in tenth place to at least qualify for the pre-playoffs — two best-of-three series between the teams ranked sixth to tenth. If the club does not make the quarterfinals as planned in the budget, it will lose even more money.

That’s where the club can potentially find the biggest income : wins. “If we win many games, our problems will be solved automatically,” Eichin said.

The playoffs have already started for Cologne because every lost game can potentially end the season — and in the worst case even more than that. But the fans and the people in Cologne are ready to help the club find their way back.

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The KOELNER HAIE (Cologne Sharks) have fallen on hard financial times in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. The number of immediate on-ice victories for Cologne could very well decide the future economic viability of the club.

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Dieses Blog hat die Haie von Koeln sehr gern!

This author holds a red, # 27 — HELMUT STEIGER — Sharks jersey acquired at the old EISSTADION AN DER LENTSTRASSE in Koeln over the summer of 1989.

A good friend of this blog, a U.S. Army man who was stationed in what was West Germany at that time, proudly possesses a white, # 7 — THOMAS BRANDL.

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Swedish trainer HARDY NILSSON holds the Bundesliga championship plate high in the locker room after EC KOELN captured the German league title for the 1986-87 campaign. Next to Nilsson are Meisterspieler HELMUT STEIGER (27), left, and captain UDO KIESSLING (4), the one-time Minnesota North Star defenseman.

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Electronics manufacturer GOLDSTAR were the shirt sponsor for the Sharks at that time. Current German national team coach and former EC Koeln defenseman UWE KRUPP had just completed his third season for the Buffalo Sabres back then. There were several large pictures of Krupp, a future Stanley Cup winner, in the uniforms of both the Sharks and the Sabres in the team offices at the Lentstrasse Eisstadion the day I paid my unannounced visit.

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The old EISSTADION AN DER LENTSTRASSE, the former home of eight-time champion German ice hockey club, DIE HAIE von KOELN. Seven of the Sharks' eight titles were captured during their years at the Lentstrasse Eisstadion.

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I had been searching all over town for suitable, authentic game jerseys for my buddy and I but had only found frustration. Finally, I made my way to the team rink and stormed the offices. The secretaries in the office were very kind and, although that was not their regular spiel, were able to find and sell me proper Shark shirts!

Die Haie von Koeln moved out of the Eisstadion an der Lentstrasse (rink capacity – 7,200 — 1,870 seats) in 1998.

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The EISSTADION AN DER LENTSTRASSE in Koeln, Germany, was demolished in the summer of 2008. (Rudolf J. Loew photos)