Are the DEB-Cracks still on track?

Fourth-final contender versus relegation candidate is the name of the game on Friday, when the German national ice hockey team meets the Italians, who are still winless. However, they should not underestimate coach Greg Ireland’s team.

What he gets out of the Italian team with mostly no-name players is something to be proud of and it is only through a lot of bad luck that they have not yet been able to win. However, the Italians only lost their last two games by a narrow margin and they should not let themselves be shot down against Germany either.

It is noticeable at this ice hockey world championship that favourites find it more difficult to achieve clear victories than in previous years. Austria’s success against the Czech Republic or Switzerland’s narrow 3:2 win against Kazakhstan are just two examples.

Therefore, our forecast for Germany against Italy on Friday is not a blowout victory for the DEB team either. However, we do expect them to come out on top in the end. Simply because the German team has the much stronger goalie on the ice in Philipp Grubauer.

Germany – statistics & current form

The German team is on course for the quarter-finals. The hard-fought victories against Slovakia and France were certainly a nerve-saver for this German team, which is still quite young in parts.

For the “medal” enterprise, the team is now also getting prominent support from the USA. Defenceman Leon Gawanke and forward Lukas Reichel come directly from the AHL, which only ended for both of them on Sunday.

How many grains do the DEB stars have left?

This already brings us to the central topic when it comes to the World Cup. How fit are the German players after this energy-sapping season? For the two back-up players, the season only ended on Sunday and also for many of the other players just a fortnight ago with Game 4 of the German championship.

Since Eisbären Berlin make up a strong portion of the team with five players, this aspect should not be underestimated. However, especially Eisbär Leo Pföderl proves at the World Championship with two goals so far that he doesn’t seem to be tired yet.

Germany rarely with many goals

What was already noticeable in the preparation of the DEB team is now continuing at the World Cup. In the last five games before the World Cup, the team scored more than three goals only once (in the 4:2 against Switzerland). In the remaining four games they scored only 1.75 goals per game.

Now at the World Cup, the German ice hockey men have also not yet been able to surpass the three-goal mark, which makes betting on a high victory for the DEB team not advisable. Since the odds on Germany vs. Italy are so much higher, a tip on Italy +3.5 is our clear betting recommendation.

Key Players:
G: Philipp Grubauer
D: Korbinian Holzer
D: Moritz Seider
LW: Lukas Reichel
C: Matthias Plachta
RW: Leo Pföderl

Italy – Statistics & current form

The Italian team was very close to a surprise against France, but then they conceded the equaliser just under a minute before the end and were finally defeated 2-1 after extra time.

As a reminder, Germany only managed a very close 3:2 against these Frenchmen, which was on shaky legs in the final stages, so these three teams are not as far apart as was sometimes the case in previous years.

Italians more attuned than the German team

This is partly because the Italian national team has been training together for a little longer and then of course because they have many players from HC Bolzano in their squad. A whole six players from the club already know each other from daily training during the year.

They have this advantage over the Germans, whose top players only joined just after the final of the German championship and who are always mixed up a little by further additions during the tournament.

Italians’ running strength impressive

The Italians also kept the game even against Denmark until the final third and also lost by only one goal difference. Among other things, an impressive 12 penalty minutes cost them the victory in the end.

Since the Italians also lost to co-favourites Switzerland only 2:5 and thus stayed within three goals, we don’t see this difference being so easy to beat against the German team either. For the DEB team vs. Italy, a tip on Italy +3.5 is therefore our preferred bet.

Key Players:
G: Andreas Bernard
D: Lorenzo Casetti
D: Peter Spornberger
LW: Luca Frigo
C: Matthias Mantinger
RW: Alex Petan

Germany – Italy Direct Comparison / H2H-Balance

The direct comparison of these two teams is far less clear than expected, even though the last duel last year went clearly to the DEB team with 9:4. Overall, however, Germany have only won three of the last five meetings.

They are also far from a 9:4 record at this World Cup, especially in the last third of the game, which often makes the games of the German team into low-scoring games. This could now blossom again against the Italians, who are also defensive.

We still see Germany ahead in the end, but not with more than a three-goal difference. Therefore, a bet on Team Italy +3.5 is the most promising betting option in our eyes for Germany vs. Italy.

Germany – Italy Tip

Germany is on a good run, but often they don’t do more than necessary in the process. In other words, the hockey men have yet to really sweep an opponent off the ice. We don’t expect them to do that against the hard-hitting Italians either.

For Team Germany against Team Italy, a bet on Italy +3.5 is the bet of our choice, since neither team is exactly a firework of goals. The 3:5 against Canada was the exception, but that was mainly due to the Canadians.

As a betting alternative, we therefore also look at sub-points. With the Ice Hockey World Cup and the matchup Germany vs. Italy, the odds on under 5.5 goals are so good that bets on them are definitely worth considering.