GERMANY (1-0-2-0) vs. FRANCE (0-0-3-0): Feb. 17, 6:10 a.m. ET
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Germany entered the tournament as a sleeper medal favorite and started out strongly in Group C play with a 3-1 win over Denmark. The sledding was tougher after that, as Germany suffered a mild upset in a 4-3 defeat to Latvia before a 5-1 letdown to the superior USA. Germany finished third in the group.
France entered the event as the IIHF’s 14th-ranked team, only really berthed a spot because of Russia’s exclusion, but the French did not embarrass themselves. When mid-pack Switzerland managed a modest 4-0 win in their opening contest, it was clear France wouldn’t be the easiest out, and it gave Czechia quite a fright before eventually falling 6-3. Canada, wanting to run up the score for goal differential purposes, had its way with France, closing out the group stage with a 10-2 win. But it doesn’t feel like playing France is an automatic win for Germany.
WHEN THEY LAST MET IN BEST ON BEST…
Germany and France shared a group when best-on-best play kicked off at the 1998 Nagano Olympics. Germany earned a 2-0 win, with Olaf Kolzig earning the shutout and Leon Draisaitl’s father Peter notching a goal and an assist.
TOP SCORERS
Germany
1. Tim Stutzle, F: 3 GP, 4 G, 0 A, 4 PTS
2. Leon Draisaitl, F: 3 GP, 1 G, 2 A, 3 PTS
3. JJ Peterka, F: 3 GP, 0 G, 3 A, 3 PTS
4. Lukas Kaible, D: 3 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 2 PTS
5. Frederik Tiffels, F: 3 GP, 0 G, 2 A, 2 PTS
France
1. Louis Boudon, F: 3 GP, 2 G, 1 A, 3 PTS
2. Justin Addamo, F: 3 GP, 0 G, 2 A, 2 PTS
3. Charles Bertrand, F: 3 GP, 0 G, 2 A, 2 PTS
4. Hugo Gallet, D: 3 GP, 1 G, 0 A, 1 PT
5. Sacha Treille, F: 3 GP, 1 G, 0 A, 1 PT
(four others with one point)
GERMANY
We knew the Germans were one of the top-heaviest teams in the Milan field, blessed with a handful of elite players including forwards Draisaitl and Tim Stutzle and defenseman Moritz Seider. But the German stars couldn’t carry the rest of their squad sufficiently during the group stage despite some noteworthy efforts from blueliner Lukas Kaible vs. Latvia and goaltender Maximilian Franzreb against the Americans. Stutzle’s four goals tied Canada’s Macklin Celebrini for the group stage lead, but if the Germans are to make any serious noise during the playoff rounds, they’ll need the Edmonton Oilers version of Draisaitl who is one of the greatest per-game Stanley Cup playoff performers of all-time. Leon was merely good in the preliminary round but needs to be All-World.
FRANCE
Led by longtime NHL veteran Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, the French put up a surprisingly feisty effort across their three preliminary-round games. While they lack anything close to the overall talent of any team in the field aside from Italy, the French showed in a few key moments they could still pounce on an opponent who didn’t take them seriously. Louis Boudon surprised the Czechs with back-to-back goals in a shocking game that France led 3-2 in the second period before the Czechs tied it and retook the lead 4-3 after what will forever be known as The Line Change. Towering forward Sacha Treille surprised Canada’s Jordan Binnington with a howitzer of a shot for a goal in the France’s third game, while blueliner Pierre Crinon earned notoriety first by landing a heavy (and dirty) hit on Nathan MacKinnon, then ragdolling Tom Wilson during the retaliatory skirmish later in the period. France won’t make it easy on you physically.
BURNING QUESTIONS
Germany: Can Moritz Seider take over a game offensively? Seider, the Detroit Red Wings’ top star, has had a ton of responsibility handing opposing teams’ top attackers; he played more than 27 minutes against USA. But he came away from the group stage with a single point despite tying for second on the team with 11 shots. An opponent lacking elite forwards in France could give Seider a bit more room to freelance with the puck on his stick.
France: Can Stephane Da Costa translate his KHL success into an Olympic splash? He’s been one of the Russian league’s most dangerous scorers for more than a decade but hasn’t found the net so far in Milan. Da Costa does skew more toward playmaker than sniper, but France’s most skilled forward needs to step up in a game in which his team will be outshot and must finish its rare opportunities efficiently.
PREDICTION
France gave a spirited effort in a tough Group A draw against, arguably, three of the top six teams. Germany is thus France’s weakest opponent so far in the tourney. The gap between the sides is significant nevertheless. Germany still has a chance to compete for a medal and should lean on its NHL stars in desperation mode. Germany wins 5-1.
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