AUT 3:1 NOR | Austria - Norway (Olympics - Men)

Olympics - Men

Olympics - Women

Austria – Norway	3:1 (end)	\|	Russia – Slovakia2	1:0 (2:0 after SO)	\|	Slovenia2 – USA	1:5 (end)
Finland – Canada2	1:2 (after OT)

final

Austria

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

Norway

Sunday 16.02.2014, 09:00 • Bolshoy Ice Dome, Sochi • Olympics - Men

		That's the final buzzer, and Austria have claimed their first win in this year's Winter Olympic Games with a 3-1 victory against Norway! Michael Grabner opened up the scoring in the fifth minute before Michael Raffl quickly made it two, but Per-Age Skroder pulled the Norwegians within one. Despite creating enough chances to equalise they lacked the quality to finish them off and Grabner grabbed his second late on to ice it. Thanks for following the game with us, and join me late for Russia against Slovakia in the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi! (11:26:49)
	60:00	Game over.
	59:56	Thoresen under pressure backhands the puck wide of the left post with just a few seconds left in the game
	59:21	Haugen has been pulled for the extra skater just after Grabner could have grabbed a hat trick for himself!
	58:23	Goal for Team Austria! MICHAEL GRABNER slips through the Norwegian defence one on one and he puts Haugen on the ice before hitting the empty net, 3-1! Assists- Daniel Welser
	58:02	Zuccarello tries to get something going but his attempt is weak and deflected wide
	57:23	Norway also go offside. They haven't got long to save the game now with just 02:37 remaining
	56:09	Austria go offside
	55:59	Bonsaksen one times it off a Zuccarello pass back to the point but it's right into the goalkeeper's body!
	55:22	Norway poorly cough up the puck in their own zone and they rely on Haugen to bail them out!
	54:22	Lange! Excellent save from the Austrian goaltender! Olimb has space to line up a curling wrister but Lange reacts brilliantly !
	53:48	The puck finds its way to Nodl on the crease who twists and misses the near post when it seemed easier to hit the target! That was a big chance there for Austria to practically finish it
	52:26	Ask! Good positional attack from the Norwegians and Lange makes an alert kick save as Ask fires the puck in low from the right!
	51:57	Rosseli Olsen is well placed on the doorstep but the puck bobbles up and Lange scoops it up in his glove to relieve the danger!
	50:46	Low pass from Thoresen into the slot but it evades everyone
	49:52	Skroder has space in the Austrian zone, opts to drive the puck in on goal from distance and it's right down Lange's throat
	49:26	Grabner! Real turn of pace as he streaks through the defence but the angle is too tight to trouble the netminder!
	48:09	Norway's powerplay just isn't working today and their opponents are back at full strength
	48:02	Better attempt this time from Ken Andre Olimb, and Lange beats it away with his glove
	46:51	Three big slapshots for Norway but they lack power and quality as they're blocked!
	46:09	Grabner on the right misses the target when well placed! And straight after that Altmann of Austria for tripping has been sent to the penalty box
	45:28	Neat skate through the neutral zone and into the attack from Zuccarello, but his pass into the slot is cut out easily
	44:36	Icing from the Norwegians
	43:45	Both teams are now back at full strength
	42:49	Zuccarello finds the open Mats Trygg but up close he can't beat Lange when in a great position!
	42:35	Vanek looks for Pock on the crease but it goes straight through to Haugen who clears
	41:54	Raffl skates away one on one but at the vital moment a Norwegian stick gets back and pokes the puck away!
	41:35	That powerplay didn't last for long though. Thoresen for interference has been called and for now it's a four on four game
	41:08	Andre Lakos for tripping has received the first penalty of the third period and it's a powerplay chance for Norway to tie the game
	40:11	Early period rush from Mads Hansen as he breaks through the defence but he loses the puck off his stick when shaping to shoot!
	40:01	Start of 3rd period.
		Statistics after the first two periods- Shots on target- 20-25 Penalty minutes- 8-6 Saves made by the goalkeeper- 24-18
	40:00	2nd period finished.
	39:52	It's now the final few seconds of the second period
	39:31	Vanek! What a backhand tip, but it doesn't get the reward it deserves as the puck drifts wide of the net!
	39:01	Hard pressure from Norway and they create a couple of big opportunities to level the game up! Lange laying on the ice somehow stretches enough to keep the puck from crossing the line!
	37:47	Unexpected wraparound attempt from Rosseli Olsen and Lange shows alert reactions!
	37:21	A spinning Lange holds on to a strong pass in towards his goal
	36:05	Norway are now back to full strength
	35:34	Good puck movement around the net from Austria and the Norwegian defender manage to clear the puck as Koch dangerously puts the puck on the crease
	34:31	Ulmer! Close up on the left he's denied by a good Haugen save with his mask!
	34:05	Ken Andre Limb for interference in that play has been penalised and Austria have a powerplay opportunity
	34:05	Lange looks in pain after he holds on to a fierce Ask wrister, and tempers flare in the aftermath as this game is really hotting up
	33:04	Lebler! Haugen didn't see his slapshot from distance and for the second time in quick succession the woodwork saves Norway!
	32:53	Wow, what a sequence of play! At first Thoresen sets up Bonsaken who snipes into the goalkeeper's pads, and then at the other end Vanek on the left of the crease hits the far post when Haugen was already beaten, how didn't he score!
	31:50	Austria are back to full strength
	31:07	Ken Andre Olimb drops a shimmy against his defender, shoots sharply but Lange is right behind it!
	29:50	To go along with that pressure they're now going on the powerplay, Herburger for roughing has been sent to the penalty box
	29:14	Norway are now skating with renewed vigour, they know that this game is there for the taking
	28:05	Goal for Team Norway! Just as the game gets underway again the Norwegians get on the board! Thoresen from behind the net feeds PER-AGE SKRODER who on the doorstep sends it past the goalkeeper, it's game on at 2-1! Assists- Patrick Thoresen
	27:45	And there is a short stoppage while the glass is being repaired and cleared up
	27:45	A massive hit is put in against Jonas Holos by Nodl and the glass has even been smashed!
	27:08	Norway are now back at full strength
	26:52	Unterluggauer! Heavy slapper from the point which flies wide of the goal!
	25:47	Haugen with his blocker pushes a Koch slapshot into the boards
	25:08	Austria now go on the powerplay, Zuccarello for holding has been punished by the referees
	25:05	Nodl! His second big chance of the match and he one times the puck wide of the far post when free on the right!
	23:21	Olimb picks up the puck in his own zone and charges towards the Austrian net, but the defenders do well to pressure him out wide
	21:56	Icing from Austria
	21:33	Zuccarello from the right faceoff circle forces Lange into a reasonably comfortable save
	20:51	Brilliant skate from Michael Raffl who darts in between three defenders, finds a teammate on the crease who backhands wide of the target
	20:01	Start of 2nd period.
		Statistics after the opening period of play- Shots on target- 10-17 Penalty minutes- 6-2 Saves made by the goalkeeper- 17-8
	20:00	1st period finished.
	19:30	It's been an entertaining first period and there are just 30 seconds left of it
	18:52	Ask at the other end one times it from the right faceoff circle and it shaves the left post!
	17:45	Nodl! He carries the puck on a two on one breakaway, shoots himself looking for Haugen's glove side and he smacks the post!
	16:10	Pacy attack from Austria and as the puck is battered towards goal Haugen makes a sprawling dive coming out of his goal to freeze
	15:23	That was a big chance for Norway but they couldn't take it and it's a five on five on five hockey game again
	14:46	Altmann is now back on to the ice for Austria
	14:40	The puck is squirming all around the crease and somehow Lange and his defenders manage to prevent it from crossing the goal line!
	14:11	Zuccarello! He has free ice in front of him, drives into it and goes for a high wrist shot but Lange flashes leather!
	13:23	Quite quickly this has become a five on three powerplay, Michael Raffl for high sticking has been sent to the penalty box
	12:35	Norway are just starting to take the initiative and now they're going on the powerplay, Mario Altmann for slashing has been penalised
	11:28	Ask through traffic shoots weakly and the goalkeeper sends it away with ease
	10:33	Under pressure Thoresen wrists it low looking for a teammate to get a touch on it but the puck goes straight through
	10:10	Thoresen pokes a rebound on the crease looking to go five hole but Lange closes his pads to good effect
	09:16	Olden! Skating hard into the zone he wrists the puck looking to go glove side and he only just misses the target!
	08:36	Icing is committed by Austria
	08:22	Norway's defence really does look porous, and they need to get into the game soon if they're going to make an impact in this one
	06:52	Goal for Team Austria! MICHAEL RAFFL tries a wraparound and the puck slithers under the body of Lars Haugen, powerplay goal and it's 2-0! Assists- Michael Grabner
	05:59	Raffl tips a low shot from Grabner up close but Haugen sees it with his glove
	05:52	Morten Ask for almost strangling his opponent with his stick has been sent to the penalty box officially for roughing, and Austria now go on the powerplay
	04:27	Goal for Team Austria! Excellent goal from the Austrians! MICHAEL GRABNER unmarked on the left is found by a cutting cross ice pass and he shelves it first time, it's 1-0! Assists- Thomas Pock and Robert Lukas
	03:52	The Norwegians try to get set up in the zone, but Lange cuts out a pass close to his net
	03:25	Low effort into Haugen's right post and he freezes for a faceoff
	02:51	Austria are now back to full strength
	02:35	Ken Andre Olimb snaps a pacy wrist shot just wide of the left hand post! And the Grabner skates away one on one shorthanded, but Haugen stands tall to keep the score level!
	02:13	Icing from the Norwegians
	01:59	Patrick Thoresen cleverly deflects a pass into the crease and the Austrian goalkeeper reacts well with his pads!
	00:51	Thomas Vanek for roughing has got a quick penalty and Norway go on the powerplay almost straight away
	00:31	The game gets going with a hard battle against the boards behind the Austrian net, but Austria manage to clear
	00:01	Game started.
		Both sides are now heading out on to the ice and it's almost time to get started!
		Starting lineups: Austria: Lange (Swette)- Trattnig, Lakos, M Raffl, Vanek, Grabner- Pock, Lukas, Latusa, Koch, Lebler- Altmann, Iberer, T Raffl, Nodl, Hundertpfund- Unterluggauer, Ulmer, Oberkofler, Welser, Herburger Norway: Haugen (Volden)- Holos, Bonsaksen, Zuccarello, Olimb, Thoresen- Trygg, Tollefsen, Ask, Olimb, Rosseli Olsen- Solberg, Odegaard, Olden, Skoroder, Bastiansen- Hansen, Roymark, Forsberg, Roest, Dahlstrom Referees: Sindler, Walsh, Cameron, Schrader.
		Both teams are yet to even claim a point in the tournament so far this year, so today something has to give. Austria opened up with a thrilling 8-4 defeat against Finland and then going down somewhat meekly to the Canadians 6-0. Norway fared slightly better against Canada losing only 3-1, but they got thrashed by Finland 6-1.
		These are the Group B standings before today's round of games- 1. FIN W2 L0 GF 14 GA 5 PTS 6 2. CAN W2 L0 GF 9 GA 1 PTS 6 3. NOR W0 L2 GF 2 GA 9 PTS 0 4. AUT W0 L2 GF 4 GA 14 PTS 0
		Good morning everyone, and welcome to Sochi for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games. Today we start off with men's ice hockey, where the two minnows of Group B Austria and Norway faceoff against each other.
		Welcome. Game starts at 09:00.

Commentary by

Shaun Nicolaides

Goals & lineups Match log

Goals and assists: 5. Grabner (Pock, Lukas), 7. Raffl (Grabner), 59. Grabner (Welser) – 29. Skroder (Thoresen)

Austria: Lange (Swette)- Trattnig, Lakos, M Raffl, Vanek, Grabner- Pock, Lukas, Latusa, Koch, Lebler- Altmann, Iberer, T Raffl, Nodl, Hundertpfund- Unterluggauer, Ulmer, Oberkofler, Welser, Herburger

Norway: Haugen (Volden)- Holos, Bonsaksen, Zuccarello, Olimb, Thoresen- Trygg, Tollefsen, Ask, Olimb, Rosseli Olsen- Solberg, Odegaard, Olden, Skroder, Bastiansen- Hansen, Roymark, Forsberg, Roest, Dahlstrom

Referees: Sindler, Walsh, Cameron, Schrader

1st period
	00:51
	04:27
	05:52
	06:52
	12:35
	13:23
1st intermission
2nd period
	25:08
	28:05
	29:50
	34:05
2nd intermission
3rd period
	41:08
	41:35
	46:09
	58:23
Final