“We want to win, that’s for sure,” emphasizes Head coach Roger Bader the goal for the game against Germany. That would be equivalent to reaching the quarter-finals. The batteries were charged on Thursday and the players and the entire staff had a full day off.
On Friday it was time to switch gears again and focus on the World Cup and the upcoming opponent. In the planning of Head coach Roger Bader we are now entering the third phase of this World Cup: “We always talk in phases. The first double with Great Britain and Hungary was the first, the second with Latvia and Switzerland was the second and now the upcoming double is the third phase. But we are now only talking about the game against Germany and we want to deliver a great game.”
Both teams know each other well and have faced each other twice in preparation. Both times our neighbors ended better, although they didn’t get off to an optimal start to the World Cup. After defeats against Finland (1:3), Latvia (0:2) and Switzerland (1:6), the team scored for the first time in the 3:4 defeat after a penalty shootout against defending champions USA.
Roger Bader: “Germany has a very good team, even if they haven’t been as successful at this World Cup as you might be used to. They have at least four NHL players with them. We certainly need a perfect game to beat them. We’re focusing fully on our things, playing our game and implementing our strengths.”
2026 IIHF ICE HOCKEY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
May 15, 2026 – May 31, 2026, Zurich and Friborg (SUI)
Defending champion: USA
Group A, Zurich: USA, Switzerland, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Austria, Hungary, Great Britain
Group B, Friborg: Canada, Sweden, Czech Republic, Denmark, Slovakia, Norway, Slovenia, Italy
Game plan
Austria vs. Germany
Sat., May 23, 2026, 8:20 p.m., Swiss Life Arena
Live on ORF 1
Finland vs. Austria
Sun., May 24, 2026, 8:20 p.m., Swiss Life Arena
Live on ORF SPORT +
USA vs. Austria
Tuesday, May 26, 2026, 4:20 p.m., Swiss Life Arena
Live on ORF 1
eishockey.at , Image: ÖEHV-Manuel Mackinger
