After two German leads, Canada comes back: Samuel Blais scores the 3-2 lead for the Canadians. © Pavel Golovkin/AP
The record world champion Canada was beatable, but Germany still loses the final of the Ice Hockey World Championship. As vice world champion, the first tournament under national coach Harold Kreis is nevertheless a success.
Tampere - Olympic silver in 2018, World Cup semi-finals in 2021, runner-up in the world championship in 2023: Only record world champion Canada was happier in the end than the German cracks, who nevertheless managed another ice hockey milestone as World Cup runners-up.
Germany lost their first World Cup final since 1930 to record world champions Canada 2:5 (1:1, 1:1, 0:3) in Tampere, but once again played their way into the hearts of the fans.
Will, passion and goals from John-Jason Peterka (8th minute) and Daniel Fischbuch (34th) were not enough for the first World Cup title in the end. The team of national coach Harold Kreis was better in the final for a long time, but travels home early on Whit Monday with silver as the first World Cup medal in 70 years, because Canada was more uncompromising in the end.
The last time there had been silver was in 1953, but at that time only four nations had played a group stage. Canada's NHL stars secured the World Championship title for the 28th time with the success against the selection of the German Ice Hockey Federation and are now the sole record champions again ahead of the currently excluded Russians. For German ice hockey, second place at the World Championships is the biggest success after Olympic silver in 2018.
National coach Kreis, as successor to Toni Söderholm, crowned his debut as head coach. The 64-year-old Canadian-born coach had already been there as assistant coach to Uwe Krupp when Germany reached the semi-finals in 2010. Although 15 top performers were injured and top NHL players Leon Draisaitl, Tim Stützle and Philipp Grubauer, among others, had cancelled, the veteran coach formed a sworn unit that was convincing in terms of combativeness and playfulness.
"Everyone really, really likes to play for Harry. He's just a great person with a great charisma and a great character," praised Frederik Tiffels of German champions EHC Red Bull Munich, who fired Germany into the final with his overtime goal in Saturday's famous 4-3 extra-time win over the USA.
This already exceeded the DEB's targets - quarter-finals and direct Olympic qualification for Milan 2026. With its triumphal march in Finland and Latvia, the DEB selection also thrilled the public at home. Among others, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) had sent their congratulations to the German team before the final. "I'm keeping my fingers crossed that you will shake the ice in #Tampere today and win the title," Baerbock tweeted a few hours before the game.
However, it was not enough for the big hit. The German team got off to a spirited start, did more for the game than the passive Canadians and took the lead after a beautiful shot from Germany's World Cup top scorer Peterka on a dream pass from Moritz Seider. With luck, the big favorite equalized. When Samuel Blais equalized (11th), a deflected puck made the action dangerous at all.
The Canadians looked beatable, the German team got better and deservedly took the lead again through the Düsseldorf fish book. This lead did not hold either, because the referees did not punish a clear foul by Canada before Lawson Crouse (38th/Arizona) equalized again. An unfortunate further goal conceded after his own defensive error by Blais (45th) paved the way for the favourites to success. Tyler Toffoli (52nd) of the Calgary Flames made the decision. Scott Laughton of the Philadelphia Flyers scored the final score into the orphaned goal (59th).
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Nevertheless, Germany seems to have firmly established itself among the top nations. "We played great hockey throughout the tournament. We've shown that we can not only fight against the big boys, but also play with them," captain Moritz Müller told MagentaSport. The ambitious goal of ex-DEB President Franz Reindl to be able to compete regularly for medals at major tournaments until 2026 was fulfilled earlier than expected and hoped. "Since 2018, everyone has been used to this very high level from the Germans," said World Federation President Luc Tardif on the final weekend in Tampere.
As always after an unexpected success like now, the question now arises as to how sustainably German ice hockey can use the momentum. The bid for the 2027 home World Cup last Friday could help if the DEB quickly creates concepts for young people and awareness in society. "I believe that we can always ignite something," said captain Müller, who had already won Olympic silver in 2018, about the successes of the national team. Dpa