Showing Some International Love: Final Olympic Qualification - Group D

Germany host Group D of the Final Olympic Qualification round. They seem to have the easiest competition amongst the three hosts. Austria and Italy will try to burst the German bubble, and the Netherlands are more than likely just happy to be here after upsetting Hungary in the last round.

Note: Most information from the IIHF website.

World Rankings

10 - Germany
15 - Austria
16 - Italy
24 - Netherlands

Rosters

Rosters as of February 6th

Austria

Goalies: Bernhard Starkbaum (MODO), Rene Swette (Klagenfurter AC), Fabian Weinhandl (Vienna Capitals)
Defense: Mario Altmann (EC VSV), Florian Iberer (Klagenfurter AC), Andre Lakos (Vienna Capitals), Robert Lukas (Black Wings Linz), Martin Schumnig (Klagenfurter AC), Matthias Trattnig (EC Red Bull Salzburg), Gerhard Unterluggauer (EC VSV)
Forwards: Gregor Baumgartner (Black Wings Linz), Thomas Hundertpfund (Klagenfurter AC), Matthias Iberer (Graz 99ers), Thomas Koch (Klagenfurter AC), Manuel Latusa (EC Red Bulls Salzburg), Daniel Oberkofler (Black Wings Linz), Markus Peintner (EC VSV), Michael Raffl (Leksands IF), Thomas Raffl (Red Bull Salzburg), Rafael Rotter (Vienna Capitals), David Schuller (Klagenfurter AC), Martin Ulmer (EHC Biel)

Germany

Goalies: Dennies Endras (Alder Mannheim), Dimitrij Kotschnew (Hamburg Freezers), Robert Zepp (Eisbaren Berlin)
Defense: Jens Baxmann (Eisbaren Berlin), Constantin Braun (Eisbaren Berlin), Nicolai Goc (Alder Mannheim, DEL), Benedikt Kohl (Grizzly Adams Wolfsburg), Moritz Muller (Kolner Haie), Felix Petermann (EHC Red Bull Munchen)
Forwards: Alexander Barta (Rogle BK), Garrett Festerling (Hamburg Freezers), Jerome Flaake (Hamburg Freezers), Philip Gogulla (Kolner Haie), Kai Hospelt (Grizzly Adams Wolfsburg), Marcus Kink (Alder Mannheim), Marcel Muller (MODO), Daniel Pietta (Krefled Pinguine), Andre Rankel (Eisbaren Berlin), Patrick Reimer (Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers), Felix Schutz (Kolner Haie), David Wolf (Hamburg Freezers), Michael Wolf (Iserlohn Roosters)

Italy

Goalies: Daniel Bellissimo (Timra IK), Adam Dennis (HC Alleghe), Thomas Tragust (HC TWK Innsbruck)
Defense: Christian Borgatello (HC Bolzano), Matt De Marchi (Hockey Milano Rossoblu), Alexander Egger (HC Bolzano), Armin Helfer (HC Val Pusteria), Armin Hofer (HC Val Pusteria), Trevor Johnson (HC Valpellice), Nicholas Plastino (BIK Karlskoga), Christian Willet (HC Val Pusteria)
Forwards: Anton Bernard (HC Bolzano), Nathan Di Casmirro (HC Valpellice), Nicola Fontanive (HC Alleghe), Markus Gander (HC Bolzano), Pat Iannone (HC Val Pusteria), Marco Insam (HC Bolzano), Diego Iori (Hockey Milano Rossoblu), Diego Kostner (HC Lugano), Vince Rocco (HC Alleghe), Giulio Scandella (IK Oskarshamn), Emanuel Scelfo (SV Renon), Robert Sirianni (HC Valpellice)

Netherlands

Goalies: Ian Meierdres (Tillburg Trappers), Deniz Mollen (Eindhoven Kemphanen), Martijn Oosterwijk (Friesland Flyers)
Defense: Nick de Jong (HYS The Hague), Mike Overweg (Eindhaven Kemphanen), Jurryt Smid (Friesland Flyers), Dax van de Velden (Amsterdam Gs), Ivy van den Heuvel (Tillburg Trappers), Jordy van Oorschot (HYS The Hague), Bjorn Willemse (Tillberg Trappers)
Forwards: Mickey Bastings (Tillburg Trappers), Kevin Bruijsten (Friesland Flyers), Mitch Bruijsten (Geleen Smoke Eaters), Tony Demelinne (HYS The Hague), Sander Dijkstra (Friesland Flyers), Diederick Hagemeijer (Tillburg Trappers), Levi Houkes (HYS The Hague), Raphael Joly (HYS The Hague), Marcel Kars (Amsterdam Gs), Marco Postma (HYS The Hague), Ritchie van Hulten (Tillburg Trappers), Roland Wurm (HYS The Hague)

Schedule

February 7
Austria - Italy
Germany - Netherlands

February 8
Austria - Netherlands
Italy - Germany

February 10
Netherlands - Italy
Germany - Austria

Last 5 International Matches

Austria: Win (Hungary) - Loss (Slovenia) - Loss (France) - Win (Italy) - Loss (Slovenia)
Germany: Loss (Norway) - Loss (Czech Republic) - Win (Canada) - Win (Switzerland) - Win (Slovakia)
Italy: Loss (Russia) - Loss (Sweden) - Loss (Slovenia) - Loss (Austria) - Loss (France)
Netherlands: OT Loss (South Korea) - Win (Lithuania) - Win (Croatia) - Win (Lithuania) - SO Win (Hungary)

Predictions

1 (Qualify) - Germany
2 - Austria
3 - Italy
4 - Netherlands

Like I said in the intro, Germany isn't facing stiff competition. Austria and Italy will battle for second, and need a huge slip-up by Germany to take over first. The Netherlands were a surprise in the last qualification round, but it's more likely for them to keep the score within 5 each game than expect a win this time around.