Teddy da Costa forces his way through the Norwegian defense on the left wing. His shot from the left circle goes just wide before he checks Jonas Holos into the net which then is moved out of its original position.

3-on-3 counter by the French but the puck carrier is stopped with a hard check and the chance is gone.

On the other side of the ice a shot from within the slot by Teddy da Costa is deflected wide by a defender.

2-on-2 attack for Norway but Per-Age Skroder fails to get a precise pass to his team mate...

The Norwegians start with high pressure. The French defense is only able to clear the puck at cost of an icing.

A shot from deep inside the neutral zone almost beats Haugen who barely deflected the puck wide past the right bottom corner!

A hard shot by the Norwegians from close to the left circle is easily caught by Huet.

Two minutes are left on the clock. Will we see the decision in the regular time or will we see overtime?

Sondre Olden receives a pass at the right wing but fails to get a shot on goal or to find a team mate with a cross-pass.

Both teams intensify their efforts after a couple of calm minutes.

France's Antoine Roussel waits in front of the goalie crease but fails to beat Haugen with a deflection towards the right bottom corner!

Morten Ask with a brilliant cross-pass for Sondre Olden but he fails to get the puck into the right bottom corner from close to the left circle!

A Norwegian defender with a blue line shot but easy pad save for Huet.

The French offense wins a face off close to the Norwegian blue line but the following two shots on target are stopped by Haugen without problems.

Morten Ask deflects a shot from the right circle after waiting just right to the French net but Huet stops the puck.

Norway are investing more at this stage of the hockey game. Martin Roymark appears just in front of the goalie crease but from short distance is stopped by Huet.

Sondre Olden receives the puck deep inside the French third after Morten Ask chips it towards the net but then he can't beat Huet.

Both sides try to calm down the game a bit. Especially in defense the teams look shaky today.

2-on-3 attack for Norway but Martin Roymark tries it himself from the left circle rather than giving a pass to his better positioned team mate and can't beat Huet from short distance!

A pass by Stephane da Costa from the right wing finds Yohann Auvitu but the following one-timer from close to the blue line doesn't cause any harm for the Norwegians.

No Norwegian attacker is even near French attacker Nicolas Ritz whose shot from within the slot is stopped by Haugen.

A long clearance by the French causes an icing.

It looks like France can keep the momentum on their side. They start with a lot more offense than in the previous two periods and they already appeared dangerously in front of Haugen.

France win the face off in the Norwegian third and Stephane da Costa almost gets the last shot on target of the period but it is blocked by a defender.

Misunderstanding between two Norwegian players – icing.

Icing by France.

The Norwegians try to get the momentum back but the French have a lot of self confidence now!

Again Janil in the center of attraction after receiving a pass within the slot but he is stopped by Haugen.

French defender Jonathan Janil tries it with a powerful shot from the blue line but misses the net to the right.

A shot by a French forward from the left wing with a sharp angle is stopped by Haugen before Antoine Roussel can go for the rebound!

The French attack over the right wing but Antonin Manavian fails to controll the puck and they have to break up the attack.

Counter opportunity for the French but Damien Fleury is not able to get a shot on target from the right wing and after skating behind the Norwegian net also fails to find a team mate with the final pass...

France are back at full strength.

Shorthanded attack by the French offense but from the left circle they can't beat Haugen.

The Norwegians have trouble to create danger in their current power play. Morten Ask just failed to keep the puck inside the French third and while trying to re-enter it he skated into an offside call.

France is being successful in defense and they keep the puck away from their own third currently.

The French keep the puck isnide the Norwegian third for almost half a minute but don't get a shot on target before a defender clears the situation.

A Norwegian attack over the right wing ends with a harmless shot from the right circle straight into the gloves of Huet.

Anders Bastiansen has a lot of space on the left wing but his cross-pass towards the second post is missed by Ken Andre Olimb.

After a harmless shot from the left wing that was no problem for Haugen due to the sharp angle, there is a fight between Luc Tardif and an opponent but no penalties are neessary.

Norway are back at full strength.

The Norwegians try it with a shorthanded counter but are stopped inside the neutral zone.

French defender Yohan Auvitu receives the puck close to the right circle but his shot is not placed well enough to beat Haugen who makes an easy glove save.

Norway again have the better start into the period and force France back into their own third.

France is only dangerous with counters so far while Norway try to attack over the wings constantly.

The French are back at full strength without allowing any big opportunities this time.

The Norwegians haven't yet found into their power play formation.

Icing against Norway.

France try to give the fast answer but after a 3-on-3 counter Pierre-Edouard Bellemare isn't able to surprise Haugen from close to the left circle.

A long pass is intended for Yorick Treille but he fails to stop it at the Norwegian blue line – icing against France.

Fleury with a counter over the right wing but his shot from the right circle towards the left bottom corner is blocked to the side by Haugen.

Good forechecking by the French offense but Stephane Da Costa isn't able to controll the puck when he tries to deke out Haugen and the chance is gone.

France is back at full strength. It's about time after several big opportunities for the Scandinavians.

Mathis Olimb with a shot from the right circle after not being attacked aggressively but Huet is able to block the puck to the side.

A rather harmless French power play is over without any harm for the Norwegian defense.

Jonas Holos wins the puck inside the neutral zone and tries to break through via the right wing but without help of a team colleague he loses the puck.

"Les Bleus" have trouble creating danger or even to find their way into the Norwegian defensive zone.

3-on-2 attack for France over the right wing and Roussel tries it himself but Haugen is able to deflect the shot wide before another French forward can reach ist.

Niklas Roest steals the puck from a defender on the right wing and skates towards the right circle but his shot from there towards the right top corner is stopped by Huet in the French net.

After a blue line shot by Team Norway, the French defense is forced to fire the puck out of their own zone for an icing.

Norway have the better start and play with a lot of pressure on the wings, already had 2 or 3 dangerous shots towards the French net.

France are the "home team" and play in blue jerseys while Norways as the guests play with white jerseys and blue shorts.

The teams are on the ice which means the game can start soon.

Starting lineups:

France: Huet (Hardy) – Auvitu, Besch, Manavian, Amar, Janil, Chakiachvili, Dieudé Fauvel – S. da Costa, Roussel, Bellemare – Treille, Meunier (C), Desroisiers – Fleury, Guttig, T. da Costa – Tardif, Henderson, Ritz – Raux. Head Coach: Dave Henderson.

Norway: Haugen (Söberg) – Holös, Ödegaard, Trygg, Bonsaksen, Sörvik, Espeland – Bastiansen (C), K. Olimb, M. Olimb – Hansen, Röymark, Forsberg – Olden, Skröder, Ask – Stene, Martinsen, Roest – Dahlström, Thoresen. Head Coach: Roy Johansen.

Referees: Olenin (RUS), Piechaczek (GER) – Schrader (GER), Valach (SVK).

The group A match between France and Norway this Saturday is not one for points against relegation in the first place but one that could lead either team into the quarterfinals of the 2014 IIHF World Championship in Minsk. Before this game Norway was 4th in the group with 6 points in 4 games while France collected 5 points in 4 games for the 5th place.

Norway started as favourites into their first two games against Italy (3-0) and Denmark (4-3) to stay out of any relegation trouble. They then went on to lose against Sweden (1-2) and Slovakia (2-5) despite showing good performances on the ice throughout the third period.

For France it was a dream start with a win against Canada (3-2 SO) but already in the next game they were taken back to earth with a last minute loss against recently promoted Italy (1-2). The French team underlined their class though against Slovakia (5-3) the following day before a third period comeback against Sweden (1-2) was not enough.

Norway's top scores are Mathis Olimb (4 points) along with Morten Ask and Per-Åge Skrøder (3 points each); France's most successful players in this tournament so far have been current NHL forwards Stéphane Da Costa and Antoine Roussel with three points each.

An open game without favourites can be expected!

Welcome. Game starts at 05:45 ET / 11:45 CET / 12:45 local time in Minsk.