Double chance for Austria but no strike!

Big save for Huet! One of his team mates crashed into him but still he kept the puck outside!

With a shot from the slot Unterluggauer almost found the five-hole of Huet but the French goalie made a pad save!

After a time out the Austrians play with an additional attacker and Starkbaum left his net!

What a wasted chance for France! After a wonderful cross-pass their team captain Laurent Meunier had the puck just in front of Starkbaum who was already on the ground but with the net wide open he only hit the goalie's right leg! Incredible!

Nobody attacked Michael Raffl and the Austrian almost scored with a wrap-around! First he was stopped by Huet and then a defender cleared the rebound!

After a brilliant attack a one-timer of Damien Fleury from inside the slot was blocked to the side by Starkbaum!

Not much time left for Austria and it doesn't look like France would give the two-goal lead away anymore.

The Austrian attacks become a bit more desperate. They just chip the puck into the French third and see if they can get the puck back...

The Austrians tried it with several blue line shots but none of them was precise enough to beat Huet.

Dangerous play by Martin Schuming who just made it past two French forwards in his own zone to avoid a turnover!

Julien Desrosiers waited at the Austrian blue line and would have been through alone for a break away but the long pass by his team colleague went past him for an icing!

One-timer opportunity for the Austrians from the right wing! The puck goes just past the left post!

Huge opportunity for the French team! In a counter attack Pierre-Edouard Bellemare hit the right goal post and then Starkbaum covered the puck up with his back! The referees checked this during the video review but the no goal call stands!

After a perfect long pass the French had a lot of space on the left wing but didn't use it well. They only had a harmless shot that was cleared to the side by Starkbaum with a pad save.

Nice back hand try by one of the Austrian forwards just in front of Huet but a defender was in between.

Shot by the Austrians from the left wing, misses the net.

After a dangerous cross-pass from the right wing the French cleared the situation just in front of their own net.

Turnover in the neutral zone and Meunier was through but one of the Austrian defenders pulled him back. Incredible how that was no holding call.

Raphael Herburger with a nice run past three opponents in the neutral zone but his shot from the slot then was not precise enough and Huet made an easy glove save.

Last chance of the period but the Austrian shot from the right wing is blocked.

Another break away for Austria which ends left to the net. They waste far too many opportunities.

Austria tries to give the fast answer but the following shot from the slot only finds the gloves of Huet.

The counter almost led to the next goal for France but Starkbaum covered the left corner.

Three Austrians appeared at the right post of the French net but failed to get a shot on goal. Wasted opportunity.

On the other side of the ice a shot by Damien Fleury from the left wing went just wide past the right post.

Break away opportunity for Austria's Raphael Herburger but in the 1-on-1 he wasn't able to deke out Huet and only hit his pads! What a chance!

Nice combination between three French players on the left wing but the Austrian defense can force them into the corner while the Austrian penalty ends.

Damien Fleury tried it with a flat shot from inside the slot into the left bottom corner but Starkbaum paid attention and made the pad save.

Powerful shot by the French from the left circle through Laurent Meunier and Starkbaum just kep the puck outside of his net with the help of one of the defenders.

Damien Fleury is brought down inside the Austrian third after aggressive stick work by a defender but no penalty signals the referee.

The Austrians are looking all time to find a team mate in a good passing position but they look quite helpless at the moment.

Daniel Oberkofler is currently on the bench as the medical staff tries to stop his nose bleeding he recieved after a collision.

Jonathan Janil tried it from the left circle but only found the pads of Starkbaum.

Commercial break is over and the game can continue.

Welser with a shot from the right wing int othe gloves of Huet.

The Austrians more or less continue where they left in the first period – they dominate the game currently without having too big chances.

Icing by France.

The Austrians whose penalty killing worked well are back at full strength.

Long clearance by the Austrians ends up behind the French net. Gives the shothanded team some time to breathe.

Nice one-timer by the French from the slot but Starkbaum was there with an easy save to the side.

A lot of space for Sven Klimbacher on the left wing but the Austrian defender has to break the attack up as no team mate was there to help him out.

The French are back at full strength.

Antonin Manavian blocked a blue line shot of the Austrians and tried it with a fast counter but against two defensemen he had no chance and lost the puck in the right corner.

Almost the break away for the Austrians but Michael Raffl wasn't able to controll the nice pass from inside the neutral zone!

Thomas Hundertpfund with a shot from the right circle, only finds the chest of Huet.

The French team leaves their opponents a lot of puck possession in the last minutes. Still Austria isn't able to create opportunities and France waits patient for counter attacks.

Fast 2-on-2 attack for France but the Austrian defense didn't allow a shot on goal.

Icing by France.

Thomas Pock with a shot from a central position, easily blocked to the side by Huet.

The Austrians try to calm down the match a bit and look for opportunities now themselves.

Austria's NHL star Thomas Vanek who usually plays for the Buffalo Sabres, had the best chance for them so far when he tried it with a fast shot from the left circle that was deflected by Huet with his shoulder over the net!

Good pass from behind the net by "Les Bleus" but Damien Fleury wasn't able to get the puck.

The Austrians look shocked and have problems to even come close to the French net.

Yorick Treille received the puck with his back to the net, turned around and then fired it towards Starkbaum but the Austrian goalie made the save.

Again France tries it with a shot from the blue line but it misses the net.

First attack by the French team. Sacha Treille tried it from the blue line before Bachet was there for the rebound. Starkbaum kept his goal clean.

The Austrians immidiately won the puck and Raffl tried it with a first shot which missed the net of Huet.

Starting lineups:

France: Huet – Manavian, Auvitu, Bachet, Hecquefeuille, Janil, Besch, Moisand – Treille Y., Meunier, Desroiers – Fleury, Bellemare, Treille S. – Henderson, Roussel, Da Costa – Raux, Guttig, Bertrand.

Austria: Starkbaum – Pock, Lakos, Unterluggauer, F. Iberer, Schumnig, Lukas, Klimbacher, Altmann – Welser, Iberer, Schuller – Raffl, Koch, Vanek – Latusa, Hundetpfund, Baumgartner – Oberkofler, Peintner, Herburger.

Referees: Fraňo (CZE), Vinnerborg (SWE) – Blümel (CZE), Hunnius (GER)

For France and Austria there exist only very limited chances to make the quarterfinals in the strong Helsinki group. Still the match between the two teams is extremly important as both need every point possible to avoid the last place in their group and thus relegation to Division IA.

In their opening match France stayed completely chanceless against Slovakia (2-6) and trailed them even 0-5. On the other side the Austrians were close to a surprise against the NHL based USA national team (3-5) where they even had a 2-0 lead.

Which team can earn the better position for the rest of the group stage, we'll see very soon.

Welcome. Game starts at 05:15 EST / 10:15 GMT / 11:15 CET.