Release from 13.05.2023

World Cup opening defeats for Austria, Slovenia and Hungary

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With Austria, Slovenia and Hungary all three win2day ICE Hockey League nations of the World Championship started in Tampere and Riga respectively on Saturday. The ÖEHV team was narrowly defeated by France 1:2 after overtime and thus secured the first point. Hungary, playing in a group with Austria, conceded a 1:3 defeat against Denmark. Slovenia had no chance against Switzerland (0:7).

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In a very close game between Austria and France in Tampere/Finland, the French took the lead 31 seconds before the end of the first period with a goal by Tim Bozon in the power play. In the second period, both teams neutralized each other for the most part, before Austria got into the game better in the final period and was awarded a five-minute powerplay after less than four minutes. In the seventh minute of this period it was finally Thomas Raffl of champion EC Red Bull Salzburg who scored to equalize. The assists came from teammate Peter Schneider and legionnaire Marco Rossi. Just before the end of the game, France had a great chance to decide the game early. Both Marco Rossi and Manuel Ganahl (KAC) had to go to the penalty box. Goaltender David Kickert (RBS) saved the ÖEHV-team into the overtime, in which finally Sacha Treille scored in the powerplay after 39 seconds to decide the game for France. Austria thus lost the World Championship opener by a narrow margin, but earned an important point. Tomorrow, Sunday, Team Austria will play against Sweden at 19:20.

Hungary defeated by Denmark
Like Austria, Hungary is also in Group A in Tampere. At the beginning they had to deal with Denmark and conceded a 1:3 defeat. Denmark took the lead in the 16th minute when they were outnumbered. They also scored the 2:0 in the 30th minute in the power play. Both times Nikolaj Ehlers was the goal scorer. In the 47th minute, Hungary was able to reduce the score to 1:2, but in the 52nd minute, the favorite made everything clear with a goal to 3:1. Tomorrow, Sunday at 11:20, Hungary will face the USA in the second World Cup match.

Slovenia without a chance against Switzerland
Slovenia had no chance at the start of the World Championship in Group B in Riga/Latvia, where they were beaten 0:7 by Switzerland. After the first period, last year's quarterfinalists were leading 2:0, in the middle period Switzerland increased to 3:0. In the last period, the "Nati" added another four goals. Denis Malgin of NHL club Colorado was the only player to score twice. For Slovenia, the World Cup continues on Sunday at 11:20 against last year's finalist Canada.