The game started well for Denmark, with the Hansen-Eller-Ehlers line coming out strong, as expected. Eller made a great pass to Jannik Hansen, but the shot went off the post. At 7:23, Eller took the first penalty of the game, but Sabastian Dahm held strong and the penalty kill held Norway off the board.
Dahm made some really stellar saves to keep it a 0-0 game, before Mats Zuccarello took Norway’s first penalty. Denmark created some good chances, but were unable to get anything past Lars Haugen, and the period came to an end with no score. As is tradition, Denmark was outshot 15-6, and Dahm stood tall.
If period one was nearly all Norway, period two was nearly all Denmark. Nicklas Jensen would open the scoring 1:06 into the second, sneaking past the Norwegian defenders undetected, and capitalizing on a nice feed from Frederik Storm.
Ehlers then made a great play, forcing a turn over, rushing off ice, before passing to Eller. While Eller’s shot didn’t find the back of the net, the play continued, and Jesper B. Jensen snapped the puck home with authority, putting the Danes up 2-0. Eller and Daniel Nielsen picked up the assists.
Eller took his second penalty of the game, a double minor for high-sticking, and the Danes finished the period short-handed. Dahm continued to have a strong game, but was tested much less, as Denmark put up 15 shots to Norway’s 10. The Danes killed the penalty off successfully, though Anders Bastiansen nearly poked one past Dahm a few seconds later.
8:06 into the third, Oliver Lauridsen took Denmark’s fifth penalty of the game, but a strong penalty kill, led by a huge shot block by Eller, held the fort. Unfortunately, Denmark would go right back on the penalty kill, as they were dinged for too many men. Eller, who had an uncharacteristically bad game penalty wise, took his second double minor of the game, but the Danes’ penalty kill remained superb, and forced Norway to spend a lot of time chasing the puck down into their own end. Dahm made some incredible saves, including one off the mask, and his second off the shaft of his stick.
Nicklas Jensen would score his second of the game into an empty net, giving Dahm the much deserved shut out. Denmark didn’t make it easy for themselves, giving up 43 shots and taking 16 minutes of penalties, but they looked good, and if they can clean up the penalties, they will only continue to improve.
Denmark’s next game will be tomorrow at 1:15 pm EST when they take on Sweden, while Norway faces Switzerland at 9:15 am.
