Stutzle, Germany finding positives after stunning loss to Latvia

MILAN -- How can Team Germany beat Team USA if it can’t even win against Team Latvia?

Fair or not to the Germans, the question is probably being asked by fans, media and many others across the international hockey landscape after Latvia defeated Germany 4-3 on Saturday before the U.S. won 6-3 against Team Denmark.

In fact, Germany forwards JJ Peterka and Tim Stutzle were presented with that exact question in the context of that's what people outside their dressing room will be asking now, and neither of them even attempted to answer it.

They instead found the positives from their loss to Latvia.

"Well, I think for most parts today we dominated," Peterka said. "Yeah, maybe the puck wasn't bouncing our way. Nevertheless, we're not looking for excuses or anything, just have to be better tomorrow."

Germany plays the U.S. at Santagiulia Arena on Sunday (3:10 p.m. ET; Peacock, USA, ICI Télé, CBC Gem, TSN, CBC) in the last game of the preliminary round for both.

The United States (2-0-0-0) is going for a perfect record in group play and an automatic bye into the quarterfinals. Germany (1-0-1-0) is trying to overcome a stunning loss with what would undoubtedly be an even more stunning win.

"I mean, we had a lot of chances," Stutzle said. "I think we were the better team today. Still, we've got a lot to clean up. Can't give them so many grade As."

If Germany gives the U.S. even half as many grade A scoring chances as Latvia had, including a 5-on-3 power play for 1:20 (Latvia scored on it, by the way), it will be in way bigger trouble than it was Saturday.

Latvia is a small country used to being underdogs in international competitions.

The United States is huge and has a roster filled with NHL superstars.

"The Americans are an extremely tough opponent, unbelievably well-balanced and skilled team skating-wise," Germany coach Harold Kreis said. "We've got to get rested by then, play within our structure, play patient, good puck management."

And Germany is getting an American team still trying to round into form, with obvious parts of the game that need refining.

It was tougher for the United States against Denmark than anyone saw coming. It was down 2-1 after the first period, and ahead by one entering the third because a goal against at 19:57 of the second sliced the lead in half.

But the U.S. still won 6-3 and outshot Denmark 47-21 despite not being thrilled with how it played for the full 60 minutes.

"It's hard to play with us, to keep our pace the whole game," U.S. defenseman Quinn Hughes said after the win against Denmark. "They kept our pace in the first, but let's see if they can keep our pace in the second and third. If we do what we need to do, we should be in a good spot."

For context, Germany beat Denmark 3-1 on Thursday despite getting outshot 38-26.

For further context, Germany lost to Latvia, a team the U.S. defeated 5-1 on Thursday. It would have been 7-1 if not for two goals taken off the board because of successful coach's challenges; one each for offside and goalie interference.

"They have a good team, we know that," Stutzle said. "They're going to play fast. We've got to find a way to compete against them and play our game, and be good defensively."

The U.S. won't "push out" and "cheat" for offense, as Stutzle said Latvia was doing.

It would be surprising if the Americans didn't control the play for most of the game.

"We just have to find a way to play better defensively," Stutzle said.

Germany might get plenty of offensive zone time when it uses a top line of Leon Draisaitl in the middle of Stutzle and Peterka, as it did late in the second period against Latvia, when that line was put together, and all of the third.

But that line won't have the puck all the time against the Americans the way it did against the Latvians, and Germany's second, third and fourth lines won't be able to match up against the U.S. depth.

"We've got to be careful that we don't start running with the game," Kreis said. "We've got to play it shift by shift, be patient, and just have good puck management against the Americans."

Still, it might not be enough. The Germans know that, but the answer to the question posed at the top can be found inside their approach and the execution of their gameplan.

"We'll play our game and then see what happens," Draisaitl said.