ÖEHV: Austria goes into the Euro Hockey Challenge with this squad: – Hockey-News.info
Day X is approaching – in less than three weeks Austria’s men’s ice hockey national team started against Sweden in the A World Championship. Next Wednesday, head coach Roger Bader will gather 28 men in Vienna for the fourth preparatory camp, with an average age of 26.8 years, who will bring a total of 1,222 games with them. On Thursday, the Euro Hockey Challenge will also kick off against Sweden in the Steffl Arena in Vienna, where Finland and the Czech Republic will be played in Ostrava (CZE) on Saturday and Sunday.
The two strong performances by Austria against Italy at the weekend made it difficult for head coach Roger Bader to reduce the squad: “Unfortunately, that’s part of the game. Such decisions are always difficult. I appreciate every single player who has played in the national team war over the past few weeks. Everyone was fighting for a place at the World Cup, they did a good job and more than underlined their sporting value.”
For the goalkeepers, the decision was made for the trio Bernhard Starkbaum, David Kickert and David Madlener, who will also form the World Cup goalkeeper team.
The defenders were reduced from 12 to 10 men and the forwards from 18 to 15. The squad for the Euro Hockey Challenge now consists of 28 players.
“Our focus now is on the games. Three games in four days and that against only co-favorites for the world title, so we are forced to take the next step,” explains Roger Bader.
While the focus in the previous weeks was on your own game, rhythm, strength and endurance, etc., it’s now time to get used to the rhythm of the game, the high speed and the individual playing strength of the top nations, Roger Bader: “That too adapting will be our job.”
On Thursday, the home crowd will face eleven-time world champion Sweden in Vienna, who will also be the opening opponent at the A World Championships in Tampere.
After the Euro Hockey Challenge, where you meet the other co-favorites Finland, reigning Olympic champions, and the Czech Republic at the weekend, the squad will be reduced again.
At the final team camp in Schwenningen (GER), this will then include 26 men, 25 of whom will finally travel to Finland. Marco Kasper will also join the national team next week, but no decision has yet been made on AHL export Marco Rossi.
Four Nations Tournament Ostrava from April 28th to May 1st
April 28, 2022, 7:00 p.m., AUT – SWE, Vienna
April 30, 2022, 12:00 p.m., AUT – FIN in Ostrava
1 May 2022, 4 p.m., CZE – AUT in Ostrava
Camp IV., Schwenningen
May 8, 2022, 5:00 p.m., GER – AUT in Schwenningen
www.eishockey.at, image: fodo.media/Harald Dostal