Stellar Goaltending Has Team Deutschland Saying No Way Norway
Team Germany builds up a 4 - 1 lead and manages to stave off a third period come from behind surge by Team Norway
Photos and Story by Robert Thomas
“His family name is Kunst which means art in German. It was perfect art today it was an outstanding performance. It was huge thanks Simon it was your victory today,” Team Germany’s Lucas Sklorz said about his teammate goaltender Simon Kunst’s performance on Sunday evening.
Kunst had just put on what could arguably be called a goal tending clinic as he stopped what appeared to be numerous sure goals by his Norwegian opponents.
The first period saw Kunst somehow stop at least four sure Norwegian goals and he continued his stellar play into the remaining periods.
Kunst was also helped by a team that dove into the crease on two occasions to back up their goaltender after an initial stop.
Sklorz said he agreed Kunst’s goaltending kept Germany in the game when Norway could have easily put the game out of reach in the first 15 minutes.
Germany’s Bernhard hering goes in on the breakaway to open the scoring for Team Germany - MJ Independent photo
Germany’s head coach Andreas Pokorny said Kunst’s stellar effort was one of the keys to the German team’s victory.
“He kept us in the game…He played good, terribly good. We know when we are five on five (skaters) and we took the puck deep we could beat them,” Pokorny said.
Germany’s hot goaltending and Norway’s inability to put proper wood on their shots led to the final result, Norway’s Ola Oiseth said in the post game scrum.
“I think we are not shooting good enough. Whenever the spots open up we don’t capitalize on it…I think it’s a mix of us maybe having a little bit of high shoulders and not thinking about where we’re putting our shots of course he (German goaltender Simon Kunst) probably has the game of his life as well,” Oiseth said.
Germany would open the scoring on an unassisted breakaway goal by Bernhard Hering at the 1:41 mark of the First Period.
Before the period was over Norway would tie the game on a goal by Audun Bakke assisted by Ola Oiseth.
Team Germany (in white) work in deep behind Team Norway’s net. Germany played an aggressive game that caused them to have penalty problems but also lead to Germany scoring a key goal - MJ Independent photo
The Second Period saw Team Germany’s aggressive style of play land the team in penalty problems but goalkeeping saved them.
Germany would take the lead at 27:26 after a pass out front from the corner to Jan Malte Brelage who would score. The assists went to Hering and Frank Rennhack.
“It’s our game to put the puck deep and put pressure on them and then we can create a good chances so we scored one goal. But yeah before we took too much (many) penalties,” Pokorny said.
Sklorz said Germany’s penalty problems came from their aggressive style of play - an aggressive style. Germany did not give up, even though they took penalties because of it.
“No we weren’t worried that’s our system to play. We know that Norway has a good system and good skaters and our thing is the fight for the puck deep and be aggressive on them. Make them break their (game) plan. From the beginning we took too many penalties so we don’t come in our game really but we’re lucky our goalie was so good in the first and second periods,” he said.
The third German goal was one of the prettiest after Felix Schraeder would lose his left hand stick he would take a long hard wrist hand that found the top corner behind the Norwegian netminder.
Time of the goal was 29:42 with the assist going to Rennhack.
Germany’s Lucas Sklorz (left) heads into the corner against Norway’s Loyd Temi Solberg - MJ Independent photo
The Third Period saw Germany strike for their fourth goal at 31:22 when Hering scored assisted Schrader.
For people who thought Norway was done two quick goals by Ola Oiseth at 34:22 and 36:07 saw the momentum swing.
It also brought alive the very vocal Norwegian fans out for the game.
“To the end we stayed focus and luck was on our side. It was a big win. It was a big win for us,” German coach Pokorny said when asked about Norway’s third period surge.
With 1:55 left in the game Norway pulled their goaltender but at 44:17 Ingo Kuhli-Lauenstein would score the empty net goal.
The final score was Germany 5 and Norway 3.
German goaltender Simon Kunst makes a diving save in the second period - MJ Independent photo
For Norway’s Ola Oiseth, who was named Norway’s player of the game, the loss was huge.
“As you say it was a devastating loss. I think we gave away the game early on which made us have to come back which is always difficult in hockey…it is always hard in hockey to come back from a three goal deficit. As you say it was a good effort. We almost came back but almost is not good enough,” Oiseth said.
For Norway’s head coach Kenneth Babey the loss all came down to not capitalizing on early opportunities.
With German goaltender Simon Kunst making the first save his teammates dive into the crease to prevent Norway from converting the rebound - MJ Independent photo
“I think we didn’t capitalize on our opportunities in the first period. Their goaltender played very strong and made some very, very good saves throughout the game. But especially in the first period. And then we lost our structure in a second and they got up 3 to 1 on us,” Babey said describing the reasons behind Norway’s loss.
I’m proud of her guys valiant effort in the third period. They battled. They could have just stopped and said hey here win the game 10 - 1 but they fought hard. But it just wasn’t good enough in the end,” he said.
Sklorz said Germany was at the tournament to play and show their critics that they’re wrong.
“Everybody thought Germany would lose every match and got relegated to the B pool but we’re not here to make (to just be) present we want to do what we love maybe we can stay in the A pool,” Sklorz said.
Norway’s Audun Bakke (left) and Germany’s Bernhard Hering fight for the puck behind Norway’s net in the third period - MJ Independent photo
Despite the loss Babey said it’s something Norway cannot dwell on but take it all one game at a time. There are two more teams still to face in the B Pool.
“We have to refocus ourselves and get ready to play a very strong Chinese team,” he said, adding “it’s three games, and if we can win the next two we’ve got a shot at the crossover spot.”
Norway faces China today (Monday) at 3 PM at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.
Germany has the day off, and will play again on Tuesday at 11 am versus Italy.
Today’s Games
The tournament resumes today at 11 am when Czechia faces the United States at 11 am.
Norway faces China at 3 pm.
Team Canada versus Korea at 7 pm.
Tickets for all games are available through sasktix.ca .
