The day after the impressive victory over top favorite Canada, the Danish national team has moved to Stockholm to take on the next challenge, the semifinal against Switzerland at Avicii Arena.
The question is whether the team and its coach have also landed mentally after the quarterfinal.
In the hockey world, you have to take things in pretty fast and let go of what has happened. Now it's about focusing on what happens tomorrow, says Swedish assistant coach Andreas Lilja and adds:
But at the same time, we have naturally done something historically fantastic that is extremely important for hockey in Denmark.
Joy and warmth
Even Denmark's national coach is Swedish, 48-year-old Mikael Gath with a past in Rögle. According to him, the key to success lies in the team's cohesion.
The Danish national team has almost always the same squad and many of them have played very many years together. It may sound a little cliché, but it's like a big family and when you come from the outside, you notice the joy and warmth that exists, says Gath, who has coached the team since 2023.
If Denmark's upset victory over Canada took the rest of the hockey world by surprise, Andreas Lilja has had faith in the team's strengths and just waited for it to "go right".
I have always believed in this team. I have worked with them for six years and know what they can do. When we do the right things, we play incredibly good hockey, he says.
More miracles?
Can you do this miracle again?
Yes, lightning has struck twice in the same place sometime, so we hope, says Mikael Gath.
Now we meet Switzerland tomorrow, who were one of my favorites beforehand. I think they play a fun and fast-paced hockey, they are creative, so it will be a challenge, but we absolutely do not feel beaten beforehand.
