BRATISLAVA (Dispatches) -- Host Germany defeated Slovakia 4-1 on Sunday to win ice hockey’s 2021 Deutschland Cup with three straight victories, grabbing the trophy for the eighth time.
Slovakia placed second, with Switzerland third after edging out the Russian Olympic Team 3-2.
Germany got an early jump on Slovakia, scoring just 14 seconds into the tournament’s decisive match that serves as a warm-up event for the upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing. Leo Pfoederl capitalized on a rebound after one of his teammate’s shots.
The home team struck again in the 6th minute when Tobias Rieder concluded a nice passing play, stretching the lead to 2-0.
Slovakia’s Canadian coach Craig Ramsay decided to start 20-year-old HC ‘05 Banska Bystrica goalie Filip Belanyi, and he had his hands full on his national team debut. Rieder was close to stretching the lead to 3-0 but his shot bounced off the post later in the period.
Six minutes into the second stretch, Samuel Bucek brought the Slovaks back within striking distance when he took the puck deep on the left wing and slotted home past Wolfsburg Grizzlies goalie Dustin Strahlmeier.
Bucek’s call remained unanswered despite a powerplay and Slovakia instead conceded a goal late in the period on an unsuccessful penalty kill to make the scores 3-1.
Rieder’s second goal of the night in the final period set the final score 4-1 on a breakaway.