Norway humiliates Germany

Both teams knew that a 3-point win could get them very close to the quarter final qualification - in the case of the Norwegians who had one point more (7) than the Germans (6) even a bit closer. After only beating the underdogs from Italy and a rather weak Danish team, Germany had to win more or less everything left to stay in the race for a top 8 spot. On the other side Norway left a far more stable impression in their first five appearances of the WC.

For Germany it should become the start of not less than a shocking 60 minutes nightmare, for Norway the begin of a big hockey party. The two very first attacks by the Norwegians led to a double by Norway's star attacker Patrick Thoresen of the KHL's SKA St. Petersburg in the first 90 seconds of play. Shortly after this the Scandinavians kept the pressure high and even added another one through Martin Røymark against a very nervous German defense. This forced the German side to substitute Dennis Endras, best player of the WC 2010 in Germany, and backing his side very well also in this tournament, with 5:35 played. At the time when he left the ice he had stopped only two of the five shots he faced. Former KHL goalie Dmitirj Kotschnew was the one to take his spot between the posts. Team Norway was alway a step ahead of their opponents and had almost no problems to create best scoring chances in the first half of period number one while Germany lost the puck more than once, desperately trying to change things. Until the end of the period Germany could calm the situation a bit but Norway's Lars Haugen had no diffculties to stop the rare efforts and keep his goal clean. The only time German players appeared on the video boards were when Gogulla, Goc and Lavallee took stupid penalties.



Anders Bastiansen against two Germans
Photo: Roman Kucera

At the begin of the middle period Germany tried to get their self-confidence back. A two minute power play due to a high stick by Mats Trygg was not used by the Germans. Only a minute after Norway was complete again, history was repeated. First a great pass by Mathis Olimb was fired into the right bottom corner by Lars-Erik Spets who was left completely alone in front of Kotschnew - a no go at this level. Then even Finnish born defender Juha Kaunismäki, not known for his goal scoring instinct wearing his national colours, was allowed to score his first ever WC goal and point in his 24th appearance. With every goal against Germany lacked more and more all features of a good ice hockey team. Jonas Holøs, Patrick Thoresen with his third for the hat trick, Per-Åge Skrøder and Mats Trygg did give the only 2.462 spectators in the Globen a feeling of what games of the old Sbornaya must have looked like during the 1970s against second class opponents. You probably get more pressure against in a practice session. In the 39th minute Patrick Reimer earned what cannot anymore be described as a "consolidation" goal and destroyed the shutout for Lars Haugen - probably the only Norwegian not so happy this evening.



Nikolai Goc defends against Per-Åge Skrøder
Photo: Roman Kucera

After 40 minutes Endras returned into the goal as his substitute Kotschnew let through six in the meantime. This time he kept his goal clean for 44 seconds when Skrøder made it 1-10. Seconds later Justin Krueger earned his first ever goal in the German jersey. In a game where everything worked perfectly for the Norwegians Mads Hansen answered with the 2-11 in the 44th minute. Marcus Kink took the puck out of the air like a golf swing for the third German goal in the 47th - under other circumstances this beauty would have celebrated for sure. A couple of minutes later Mats Trygg completed the dozen for Norway what caused Endras to leave the ice again what earned him some angry glimpse of Kotschnew who clearly didn't want to step on the ice a second time. When Christopher Fischer scored the fourth goal for the Germans, appropriately enough dressded in black, with three minutes left gave Germany its "best" offensive performance of the tournament. At least Kotschnew didn't have to pull the puck out of the net again - the only ray of hope for German ice hockey.

Man of the match was Patrick Thoresen with 6 points (three goals, three assists). He commented on the match: "We couldn't believe that we would score so many goals but Germany collapsed. We made some really nice goals." But he doesn't think it was Norways best match ever. "We have played many good games but today we just scored a lot of goals. With 9-1 after two periods we just looked at each other. What is going on? Is this for real? It was a lot of points but I didn't play at my best. But it's not often you score six points. I'll remember this game for a long time."

Per-Åge Skrøder: "Never believed we would score 12 goals but we got a good start with 3-0 after 5 minutes. Never experienced something like this."



The Norwegian fans had reason to celebrate their team
Photo: Roman Kucera

Alexander Barta told the media after the game: "It is one of the most bitter losses in German ice hockey history. I cannot explain this. Everything worked well for the Norwegians and for us it didn't."  German head coach Jakob Kölliker refused to comment on the game because "it would not change the fact that I have no words for such a loss".

Now Norway is four points ahead of Latvia and if the Eastern Europeans don't win on Monday against Denmark are already in the quarterfinals. For Germany an up-and-down tournament has come very close to its end. Their last remaining opponent is the Czech Republic.

 

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