The 2025 IIHf Women’s World Championship marks defender Lotti Odnoga’s 15th year representing her home country Hungary. The Hungarians have arguably the least favorable schedule of all ten teams, with two sets of back-to-back games.
The Ice Garden quickly chatted with Odnoga prior the tournament to discuss what Hungary’s strategy is to achieve success and her plans to maximize recovery through a back-to-back schedule.
TIG: What do you think will be the biggest challenge your team faces in the group stage of this World Championships & which games are you looking most forward to?
LO: The schedule for our team is pretty packed. We have back to back games and then a day off and back to back games again. Three out of our four games are played at 11 AM which is not usual for anyone, because most teams play their games early afternoon or in the evening. I am excited for all of our games, but I think the one I am most excited for is against Germany. Not too long ago, we lost to them in the Olympic qualifiers in a very absurd way so we want to prove to our self and everyone that we can be just as good as them.
TIG: What part of your game plan, physically or mentally, do you think will be most crucial in this tournament?
LO: At this level all the games require our best performance in order for us to be successful, so a big focus will be on recovery and preparation for the next game. We [are] really going to have to take care of our bodies during this tournament.
💡 2025 Worlds Preview: Hungary
TIG: What’s your favorite way to relax and recover in-between tournament games?
LO: I am usually the type of player who tries to use all our resources available from massage therapist to recovery boots, to vitamins and proper nutrition. To relax I enjoy finding smaller coffee shops in the area, and maybe bring a book to read, play cards, or just chat with my teammate,s either about the games or about something completely different to give our brains a bit of rest from hockey so we can come back fresher than before. There is always something happening during these big tournaments, so sometimes it is nice to find some quiet space and be able to think and regroup if needed.
TIG: How would you describe the playing style of this Hungarian team to fans who haven’t seen you play before?
LO: I would describe our team as heart driven. I think we are all aware that there is still a step compared to other bigger hockey countries, but we are not easy to scare off. We will go into every game with determination and knowing that anything can happen. Even if we get tired, we know that our common goal as a team, and our heart will push us through hard times.
