NOR 3:1 1SL | Norway - Slovenia2 (World Championship)

World Championship

USA – Austria	5:3 (end)	\|	Norway – Slovenia2	3:1 (end)	\|	Russia – Latvia	6:0 (end)
Canada2 – Denmark	3:1 (end)	\|	Finland – Slovakia2	2:0 (end)	\|	Czech Republic – Sweden2	1:2 (end)

final

Norway

3:1 (2:1, 0:0, 1:0)

Slovenia2

Saturday 04.05.2013, 12:15 • World Championship

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		Both teams had excellent chances during the last 20 minutes but failed to use them so that the game stayed open for a long, long time. In the 59th minute Mads Hansen even had a penalty shot but didn't score. With four seconds left on the clock he made everything clear for his team though when he hit the empty net. Shots on goal: Norway 12 (25) – Slovenia 8 (22) Players of the game: Lars Haugen (Norway) and Sabahudin Kovacevic (Slovenia).
	60:00	Game over.
	59:56	Goal for Team Norway! Another break away opportunity for MADS HANSEN and with the empty net in front of him he stays cool and makes it 3-1 for Norway!! Assisted by Kristian Forsberg.
	59:41	Large crowd in front of the Norwegian net and the referees have to blow the whistle to stop the two teams. Then a large fight between several players on both teams develops...
	59:11	After a fast attack over the right wing Patrick Thoresen missed the empty net under pressure of two opponents!
	58:40	Kristan left the Slovenian net for an additional attacker!
	58:29	Hansen tried it with a shot into the right bottom corner but Kristan waited long and blocked the shot easily!
	58:29	Next break away chance for Norway and Mads Hansen misses the net while trying to deke out Kristan! But only because he was fouled from behind by Mitja Robar! Penalty shot!
	58:00	The last two minutes have been announced. Time is running out slowly but steadily for Slovenia.
	57:12	Huge break away opportunity for Norway to decide this match but Kristan blocked the puck!
	56:49	The Norwegians are back at full strength and didn't allow a single chance during the last power play.
	56:22	And once more the Norwegian defense keeps the Slovenians busy with a puck that ends up behind the Slovenian goal.
	55:59	Next long clearance by the Scandinavians.
	55:32	Another long clearance by the Norwegians and Slovenia have to start from behind their own goal again.
	54:49	Jonas Holos (Norway) gets two minutes for tripping.
	54:18	1-on-1 opportunity for Ziga Jeglic but instead of trying it with a shot into the far corner he tried to deke out Haugen and to get the puck into the left bottom corner – save by the goalie!
	53:59	Just after Norway won the face off they tried it with a blue line shot but Kristan covered the corner up in time.
	53:55	Shot towards the left corner by Ken-André Olimb after coming from the left wing. Easy glove save for Kristan.
	52:30	Slovenia try to stay in the Norwegian zone for moer than a few seconds while the Scandinavians don't know how to help them other than shooting the puck deep into the Slovenian zone.
	52:04	Icing Norway.
	50:32	Finally Slovenia increase their pressure in this period but Ziga Jeglic was not able to use his 1-on-1 opportunity as Tollefsen had his stick in between in the last moment just when Jeglic tried to deke out Haugen!
	48:37	The Norwegians with a shot from the left circle but the puck only hit the chest of Kristan.
	48:07	Norway with a shot from the blue line at height of the left wing. Kristan allowed a rebound but one of his defenders helped him out there.
	47:06	Shorthanded break away for the Slovenians just before the end of the Norwegian power play but despite having a 2-on-1 counter they didn't play it well and the last pass by Ales Kranj for Tomaz Razingar went wide!
	45:10	Robert Sabolic (Slovenia) gets two minutes for cross-checking.
	45:02	Big, big hit against Rok Ticar in the neutral zone. No penalty against Ole-Kristian Tollefesen who has hurt himself there. The Slovenians are furious about this decision.
	44:38	The Slovenians win a faceoff inside the Norwegian third but aren't able to keep the puck inside the zone. Chance wasted.
	43:03	The Slovenians are back at full strength.
	42:50	Norway keep trying it from the blue line but Kristan blocks all the shots with his pads – just not the one that hit the crossbar off course.
	41:39	Blue line shot by the Norwegians, blocked by a defender. Just before they hat hit the crossbar!!
	41:03	Ales Kranjc (Slovenia) gets two minutes for hooking.
	40:46	Slovenia came out of the dressing rooms with a lot of speed but they ran immidiately into a counter attack. Patrick Thoresen failed to score from short distance though thanks to the good save by Kristan.
	40:01	Start of 3rd period.
		The Slovenians had a superb middle period in which they were the clearly dominating side and had at least three big, big scoring opportunities! With some incredible saves goalie Lars Haugen kept Norway the small lead! Everything is still possible so stay tuned for the last 20 minutes! Shots on goal: Norway 2 (13) – Slovenia 10 (14)
	40:00	2nd period finished.
	39:54	A last attack by the Slovenians but they are stopped at the blue line by the Norwegian defense.
	39:25	Icing Norway.
	38:49	The Norwegians are back at full strength and were relatively succesful in avoiding more dangerous opportunities for their opponents.
	36:49	Mads Hansen (Norway) gets two minutes for slashing.
	36:41	Huge double chance for Slovenia! First Marcel Rodman failed in a break away and then Sabahudin Kovacevic appeared completely alone in front of Haugen who made a spectacular desperation save with his legs in the air when he tried to cover up as much of the goal as possible! Wow!
	36:15	Another very long clearance gives Slovenia time to take a breath.
	34:40	The Scandinavians have some trouble to keep the puck inside the Slovenian zone despite having one man more on the ice. Good penalty killing by the newcomers.
	34:42	Bostjan Golicic (Slovenia) gets two minutes for tripping.
	34:30	The Slovenians are investing more currently while Norway wait for counter attacks mostly.
	33:15	The game is becoming more physical in recent minutes and both teams are less friendly to each other. This time Ole-Kristian Tollefsen and Rok Pajic had a little argument.
	31:42	Bostjan Golicic gets a little emotional after he was denied a rebound following a blue line shot by one of his team mates that went straight into the gloves of Haugen.
	31:12	Niklas Roest was through alone inside the Slovenian third but he was stopped by a call of the referees.
	30:09	The Norwegians are back at full strength and can be happy not to have received the equalizer in the previous attack.
	29:45	David Rodman again in the centre of action when he left the puck for his brother Marcel who then tried to deke out Haugen from very short distance but his shot was blocked by the goalie!
	29:07	David Rodman with a shot from just right to the net towards the right bottom corner, pad save by Haugen.
	28:41	Very long clearance by the Norwegian defense towards Slovenian goalie Kristan.
	28:09	Marius Holtet (Norway) gets two minutes for holding.
	27:51	Slovenia with six skaters inside the Norwegian zone but they don't get moer than a harmless shot towards the left bottom corner.
	27:17	Delayed penalty against the Norwegians.
	26:08	Break away opportunity for the Slovenians as Norway's team captain Ole-Kristian Tollefsen was not able to keep the puck inside the offensive third after a won face off. In the following 1-on1- Haugen blocked a shot from short distance!
	25:06	After a counter attack Norway's superstar Patrick Thoresen who usually plays for SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL was denied a goal with a huge pad save by Kristan in the 1-on-1!
	24:18	Whenever the top division newcomers from Slovenia try it with a fast attack four Norwegian players try to block the passing ways. Very effective so far.
	22:59	Turnover by the Norwegians inside the neutral zone but a defender cleared the situation for them.
	22:23	There was a little hole in the ice of the neutral zone but the referees fixed it.
	21:43	Hard check by the Slovenians deep in the Norwegian defensive zone but they were not able to win the puck afterwards.
	20:52	Good pressing by the Norwegians at the start of the period but just when they conquered the puck on the left wing it went over the boards and flew into the player benches.
	20:01	Start of 2nd period.
		In a very entertaining first period Norway had more and the better chances. As a consequence twice the trio Anders Bastiansen -as the goal scorer – and the brothers Ken-André and Mathis Olimb with two assists each, were able to get them a 2-0 lead. Slovenia did look quite dangerous whenenver they came close to the net and were rewarded with a nice one-timer strike by Ziga Jeglic in the last minute of the period. Shots on goal: Norway 11 – Slovenia 4
	20:00	1st period finished.
	19:44	Goal for Team Slovenia! Just before the end of the period the Slovenians cut their deficit to the halt! Rok Ticar conquered the puck behind the Norwegian net, skated around it and gave a brilliant pass to his team colleague ZIGA JEGLIC whose one-timer from short distance found its way into the left bottom corner! Assisted by Rok Ticar.
	17:49	The Slovenians lost the puck behind their own net but their opponents were not able to punish this. Instead they almost allowed a dangerous counter attack.
	16:48	Back hand shot by the Slovenians, goes past the net.
	16:20	A lot of puck possession currently for Slovenia inside the Norwegian defensive zone but they are kept away from the goal by the defense.
	15:30	After their second goal the Norwegians completely took over the initiative and Slovenia have huge problems to get into offense themselves.
	14:48	Next dangerous attack for the North Europeans but just in front of Kristan they lost the puck.
	14:03	Goal for Team Norway! ANDERS BASTIANSEN has the break away for Norway and dekes out Kristan to score his second of the day – into the right bottom corner – the puck even went through the pads of the goalie first! Assisted by .Mathis Olimb and Ken-André Olimb.
	13:20	A lot is happening now in the neutral zone with players of both teams fighting for every puck. High class hockey in Stockholm so far.
	12:18	Pad save by Kristan against a shot from short distance, keeps his team in the match.
	11:50	Icing by Slovenia.
	10:47	The Slovenians are back at full strength.
	10:32	One of the Slovenian forwards almost intercepted the puck for a break away but two Norwegian defenders cleared the situation in time.
	10:13	The Norwegians keep the pressure high but the following blue line shot goes wide past the left post.
	09:42	Per-Age Skroder with a shot from the right circle but the angle was too sharp to cause any danger for Kristan.
	08:47	Jan Urbas (Slovenia) gets two minutes for hooking.
	08:47	Kristian Forsberg deflected a blue line shot standing just a metre away from the net. Big save by Kristan!
	08:08	The Slovenians are back at full strength.
	06:08	Ales Kranc (Slovenia) gets two minutes for tripping.
	05:22	The Norwegians are back at full strength.
	03:35	Rok Tičar almost with a good opportunity for the Slovenians but Haugen paid attention.
	03:22	Martin Roymark (Norwary) gets two minutes for interference. It's the first penalty of the game.
	03:19	It's a very aggressive begin by both teams who don't want to give gifts to their opponents in this very important game.
	02:33	Ziga Jeglić surprised the Norwegian goalie Lars Haugen with a fast shot that he didn't expect.
		Goal for Team Norway! Ken-André Olimb found ANDERS BASTIANSEN who fired the puck through the pads of Kristan from short distance! The early lead for the favourites! Assisted by Ken-André Olimb and Mathis Olimb.
	00:49	Norway have the better start and seek attack from the begin.
	00:01	Game started.
		The teams are on the ice and the game should start in a few seconds.
		Starting lineups: Norway: Haugen (Volden) – Holos, Bonsaksen, Trygg, Tollefsen (C), Sorvik, Solberg, Odegaard – Hansen, Skroder, Thoresen – Bastiansen, K.A. Olimb, M. Olimb – Holtet, Roymark, Forsberg – Spets, Ask, Martinsen, Roest. Slovenia: Kristan (Hočevar) – Gregorć, Robar, Kranjc, Kovačević, Tavželj, Pavlin, Pretnar – Jeglić, Tičar, Sabolić – D. Rodman, M. Rodman, Urbas – Razingar (C), G. Kopitar, Pajić – Musić, Pance, Goličić, Basić. Referees: Vladimír Baluška (SVK), Keith Kaval (USA) – Jimmy Dahmen (SWE), Pierre Dehaen (FRA)
		Off course Norway are the favourites as they have more experience at the highest national team level while Slovenia can't play with their superstars like Anže Kopitar who are still in the NHL playoffs with their teams.
		This will be game #1 of the 2013 IIHF World Championship for the two dangerous outsiders Norway and Slovenia. With a strong performance Norway reached last year's quarterfinals where they lost 2-5 against the Russians who later became champions. Slovenia on the other side managed to get promoted from Division IA last year with a spectacular 5-0-0-0 run. Even more important they reached the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in the third qualification round earlier this year – also qualified are the Norwegians.
		Welcome. Game starts at 06:15 EST / 11:15 GMT / 12:15 CET.

Commentary by

Dennis Mende

Goals & lineups Match log

Goals and assists: ?. Bastiansen (Olimb, Olimb), 15. Bastiansen (Olimb, Olimb), 60. Hansen (Forsberg) – 20. Jeglic (Ticar)

Norway: Haugen (Volden) – Holos, Bonsaksen, Trygg, Tollefsen (C), Sorvik, Solberg, Odegaard – Hansen, Skroder, Thoresen – Bastiansen, K.A. Olimb, M. Olimb – Holtet, Roymark, Forsberg – Spets, Ask, Martinsen, Roest.

Slovenia2: Kristan (Hočevar) – Gregorć, Robar, Kranjc, Kovačević, Tavželj, Pavlin, Pretnar – Jeglić, Tičar, Sabolić – D. Rodman, M. Rodman, Urbas – Razingar (C), G. Kopitar, Pajić – Musić, Pance, Goličić, Basić.

Referees: Vladimír Baluška (SVK), Keith Kaval (USA) – Jimmy Dahmen (SWE), Pierre Dehaen (FRA)

1st period

	03:22
	06:08
	08:47
	14:03
	19:44
1st intermission
2nd period
	28:09
	34:42
	36:49
2nd intermission
3rd period
	41:03
	45:10
	54:49
	59:56
Final