World Championship for Ice Hockey - Hotel collision triggers team gathering following Sweden loss.
Following the 1:6 loss against Sweden, national coach Harry Kreis (65) maintained a calm exterior. However, in the team hotel, an intense argument broke out. Kreis lectured the players on their performance. It was time for a change.
What transpired?
Shortly after 11:30 PM on Monday night, the team was still far from done. They convened for a meeting with a frustrated national coach. The defeat needed to be addressed.
Kreis: "We conceded thirty-five shots in forty minutes, which is too many. We're going to focus on our strengths and virtues - fighting spirit and determination. We lost numerous battles against Sweden in the first two periods. We also have a psychologist with us, but I don't need him. I'm the coach."
Players' self-criticism
The players were also critical of their performance following the Sweden defeat.
Jonas Müller (Eisbären Berlin): "We weren't fully prepared from the beginning, were always a step behind, and lost many duels. We should have had more shots on goal. If you don't put in enough effort, your opponent will take advantage."
Captain Moritz Müller (Cologne Sharks): "We're all playing cautiously and carry the baggage of last year with us. We're allowing too many shots, and now we need to come together as a team. We also need to have more fun. It wasn't about the fight. I can assure you."
Mo. Müller: "We head into the locker room, and everyone drinks water. Beer doesn't make sense a day before the game."
However, there was an optimistic perspective with the slogan: "Boys, the World Cup starts NOW."
Victory against Latvia on Wednesday (4:20 PM, ProSieben, MagentaSport, Deutschland.TV) is a necessity. Ideally, they would win all four remaining games against Latvia, Kazakhstan, Poland, and France. Three wins might even be enough for the quarter-finals.
View all matches of the 2024 Ice Hockey World Championship live on Sportdeutschland.TV (ad)
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Source: symclub.org
