Ivo Jaschick's
Eye on Europe
Ivo Jaschick Reports from Germany
Photos by Mathias Lehmann

Photos of Team USA at TUI Nations Cup by Mathias Lehmann

KARL GOEHRING	NOV 15 2005 - Last weekend there was a break in the best two leagues (DEL & Bundesliga) of Germany because of a tournament with five nations. Canada, Slovakia, Switzerland, the US and last but not least, the host, Germany. Over the last five years the “Deutschland Cup” was only played in Hannover. This year they split the schedule and Switzerland opened the renamed TUI-Nations-Cup in Zürich, Switzerland. The host lost after a hard fight 1-2 vs. Canada in OT. The next three games took place in the wonderful, new arena in Mannheim. Germany won against the USA 7-2 in the first game there.
CHRIS FERRARO The newcomer between the pipes in the German goal, Thomas Greiss (Cologne Sharks) showed a great performance and only allowed Brett Hauer and Peter Ratchuk to score two goals. The following day, the US lost to their native neighbour Canada 4-1. Another defender, Rich Brennan, scored the 3rd goal for Team USA during the TUI-Cup. They moved to Hannover for their final two games. On Saturday they were winning vs. the then-leading team from Switzerland 4-1. In this game they showed what their fans had missed, when their forwards scored their first goals. After getting a powerplay goal just 2:39 into the game (Headcoach Jeff Saur: We had a bad start but then we bounced back and I am now happy to know that we have forwards. They did a good job!) the “European Americans” came back and Blake Sloan from Timra IK (SWE) tied the match only 5:11 minutes later with a nice backhander. In the second period, they took command. After 3:26, former NHLer Ted Drury from the Krefeld Penguins (DEL) scored the game winning goal. Jon Disalvatore added a third goal only three minutes later when havin a two man advantage. After only 14 minutes in the same period, Ryan Kraft from the Kassel Huskies (DEL) secured the victory with a shorthanded goal. While beating Switzerland, the US boys took care for a thrilling Sunday. Canada was beating the German unity 4-1 and now the US squad was a 3-2 winner over Slovakia in the last match. That gave Canada the victory crown for the 3rd time (they also won in 2000 & 2002). Switzerland was awarded the silver medal followed by the US team. There had been some reasons for the weak US start into the games: 1. they met one day before for the first time 2. they only had one skating practice together 3. they are all taken from all over Europe (14 are earning their money in Germany, 2 more are playing in Finland, 2 in Switzerland, 1 from Italy and the last one from Sweden) but all have something in common: They are US boys and want to win. Team USA had to come together – I think that is the reason for “only” the third rank after winning the tournament the last two times.
PETER FERRARO	Brett Hauer (Davos, SUI) had been the most successful defender with 2g, 2 a – 4 p followed by Ted Drury (1,2-3; Krefeld Penguins), Chris Ferraro (1,2-3, Düsseldorf Metro Stars) and Ryan Kraft (Kassel Huskies). Huskie Ryan Kraft had 3 p (1g, 2a) while having no penalty minute in 4 games. The attendance in Zurich had been over 9.000 (1 game), in Mannheim there had been more than 22.000 (3 games) and in Hannover ca. 12.000 (!) fans came to watch the 6 games that were played on a weekend. The German Hockey Union (DEB) has to look for a new place to play the TUI-Nations-Cup. It has been the 6th Deutschland/TUI-Cup in Hannover but the number of attendance is not increasing. Hannover and surroundings is not a hockey area and I see no future there!   Top Home   2010 Western Hockey Network, Inc.