Third game, third victory: the Austrian national ice hockey team also wins against Latvia and is still unbeaten at the World Cup in Switzerland. Head coach Roger Bader’s team celebrated a 3-1 success.
“We feel incredible. It’s so much fun to celebrate with the boys after the win,” beamed Benjamin Nissnerwho scored the game-winning goal to make it 2-1 in the 45th minute in a power play. Before that, the two teams fought a battle on equal terms, with top-class scoring chances on both sides. Edelmetall prevented both Austria and Latvia from scoring in the first third.
There was a brief moment of shock at the start of the second period when Ramon Schnetzer limped off the ice after a blocked shot. The 29-year-old once again showed taking qualities and returned a short time later.
In the 26th minute, Tolvanen initially prevented the deficit. On the other hand, Latvia won the face-off in their own zone, but Austria followed up. Tim Harnisch finally got to the target and had time and space in front of the goal. His shot slipped under Kristers Gudlevskis’ pad to make it 1-0. In the 34th minute, Vinzenz Rohrer had the chance to make it 2-0, but was denied by the Latvian goalkeeper. Shortly afterwards, Simeon Schwinger also found a huge opportunity, but the lead remained narrow.
Just a few seconds after the start of the final third, Rudolfs Balcers put his team on the scoreboard and made it 1-1. Up until then there hadn’t been a single power play on either side. In the 44th minute, Oskars Batna checked Dominic Zwerger without a target, who then stayed on the ice and went into the locker room for a quick look. As a result, he missed the renewed leadership from Benjamin Nissner. Fortuna was in favor of red-white-red. The puck jumped behind Gudlevskis on his skate and rolled over the line. And Zwerger also returned shortly afterwards.
The third place in the 2023 World Cup now put pressure on them, but Austria defended hard and consistently. 95 seconds before the end of the game, the opponent also took their goalkeeper off the ice, tried everything, but fell apart because of Austria’s defense. Vinzenz Rohrer finally put the final point with the 3-1 into the empty goal.
There have never been three wins in the first three games for Austria in the history of A World Championships. History is being written year after year. The five-goal comeback against Canada in 2024 was just as historic as the first quarter-final in 31 years in Stockholm in 2025. “Now we can talk about the quarter-finals, that is definitely the next goal,” confirmed Head coach Roger Baderwho said about the game: “Of course this record makes me proud. We played against a strong opponent who had a lot of chances to score. What makes me particularly proud is how solidarity the team is. We don’t actually have to coach the boards because that’s how it works. They play in a disciplined manner, just as we planned in terms of the game system. We defend excellently and the team’s fighting spirit is such that it gives you goosebumps. We also had a very good one today with Atte Tolvanen Goalkeepers. The fact that you earn your luck at the end happens in sports and also in ice hockey. They may have had more of the game, but we also had good chances to score. We always kept them on the outside and were able to keep them away from the so-called good ice.
89th Ice Hockey World Championship
Latvia : Austria – 1:3 (0:0|0:1|1:2)
Goals: 0:1 Harnisch (28th), 1:1 Balcers (41st), 1:2 Nissner (45th/PP), 1:3 Rohrer (60th/EN)
hockey-news.info , eishockey.at , Image: ÖEHV-Nicolas Zangerle
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