The German goalkeeper Sandra Abstreiter has made the jump to the professional league in North America. The ice hockey star has big goals at the Women’s World Championship in Utica.
Sandra Abstreiter is a pioneer in ice hockey. She is the first and only German to play in the women’s professional league (PHWL) in North America, which started in January.
“It’s a cool feeling to be there. It’s great that I can represent Germany,” said the goalkeeper, who was born in Freising, Bavaria, in an interview with the German Press Agency. The keeper is also the great hope of the national team, which will face Denmark on Thursday (9 p.m. CEST/MagentaSport) at the start of the World Cup in Utica, USA. “Our minimum goal is the quarter-finals,” explained the 25-year-old, who plays for Ottawa. Sweden, China and Japan are the other opponents in the preliminary round.
Abstreiter is the star of national coach Jeff MacLeod’s team. She is the new hockey idol for women. It should also take the selection of the German Ice Hockey Association to a new level. “We want to do better than last year,” emphasized Abstreiter. In 2023, the national team finished eighth.
Keeper hopes for a surprise
There is still a bit missing from the top nations Canada and the USA. A medal is also unlikely given the strong Swedes and Finns. After that, anything is possible, even the best German goalkeeper thinks. “I will do everything I can to help the team win every game,” explained Abstreiter. “We have a good team.”
With a lot of match practice, Abstreiter did not travel to the USA. She has made three appearances in the PWHL so far. An injury stopped her at the start, and she also has great competition in Canadian national goalkeeper Emerance Maschmeyer. Just training with the top players takes her to a “different level,” she said, and she can also gain a lot as a substitute goalkeeper. “It might sound stupid: I can learn a lot even from the bench.”
US experiences to help
For the top German goalkeeper, the jump to North America is a big win. While the women’s Bundesliga sometimes plays in front of 100 to 200 spectators, almost 14,000 fans came to a match against Boston. The local arena is usually sold out with 8,500 spectators. “The fans received us very well. It couldn’t have been a better start for the league, but also for me,” explained Abstreiter. “The first time was very exciting. There were lots of new impressions.”
A group of entrepreneurs acquired the rights to the professional league in July 2023 and set up a six-team league within a few months. Three teams each from the USA and Canada take part. The teams don’t have real names yet; so far they’re just named after the cities. Following the example of the men’s NHL, the best women will play for the title under professional conditions in the coming years. This is currently unthinkable in Germany.
Abstreiter was selected at position 68 in the Ottawa draft last September. A high honor, as DEB sports director Christian Künast thinks. “Especially considering that not many European players were selected, this pick is of great importance for German women’s ice hockey,” said the former national goalkeeper. With Abstreiter as a role model as support, the DEB wants to narrow the gap to the top nations.
Source: Stern
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