Denmark – Italy 2:0 (0:0; 0:0; 2:0)
Cologne // Italy is relegated
Sixth-placed Denmark (4 points) against eighth-placed Italy (one point). The Danes went into this game as favorites. The Azzurri needed a 3-point win to avoid direct relegation. The Scandinavians, on the other hand, cannot be relegated as they will automatically be there as hosts in 2018.
As was to be expected from a closer look at the two teams' previous goal statistics, there were no goals in the first half. But NHL experienced Nikolaj Ehlers (Winnipeg Jets) got the Scandinavians out of a power situation with 29 seconds left. In the end, the favorites had 10:4 shots on goal - but all of them were too harmless to endanger the goalkeeper Sebastian Dahm (DEN) or, on the other hand, Andreas Bernhard (ITA).
91 seconds of power play at the beginning of the middle period, but Denmark did not act consistently enough and only managed two goals on goal. Ehlers was always at the puck, trying to organize the game a bit. After all, he was the Dane with the highest points with four assists. But the Italian bulwark held. 0-0 after 40 minutes.
All indications were that not too many goals would be scored in the final third either. There was still 2:49 to go when a penalty was whistled against Italy – “High stick”! After 25 seconds, Nichlas Hardt struck mercilessly and sent Italy back into the B group. Italy still had 2:24 left to achieve the impossible. They took the goalie off the ice and had the puck in their own third. Larkin passed the puck from left to right to a teammate, who fell and pushed the puck into his own goal. Since there are no own goals in ice hockey, the last Dane to reach the goal was credited with the goal - Peter Regin.
Italy had a taste of the A-World Cup with a young team, but will have to compete again in the Div.IA next season.
Clayton Beddoes, Assistant Coach of the Azzurri: “We knew it would be difficult. But there was hope that we would be able to stay in the A-WM with a win. As you can easily see, we struggled especially on offense - six goals in six games speaks volumes. The defense was pretty good, we fought and gained experience. Luck wasn't exactly on our side and we lacked experience. But next year we’ll attack again!”
Goals: 1:0 (57:36) Hardt {PP}; 2:0 (58:47) Regin {ENG}
Penalties: 2 (DEN) : 4 (ITA)
Audience: 5.653
Russia – Latvia 5:0 (2:0; 2:0; 1:0)
Cologne // Sbornaja back at the top
The Russians wanted to get back to the top of the table, which they had lost to the USA the day before - but only because of one less game. Latvia wanted at least a point to have a better starting position in tomorrow's crucial match against Germany. In the very well-attended Lanxxess Arena (16.439 visitors), the Russians immediately took command.
Even in the first five minutes there was more action in the evening game between Russia and Latvia than in the previous game between Denmark and Italy. In the 3rd minute, Sergei Plotnikov's brilliant performance failed Ivars Punnenovs in the Latvians' goal. In the 5th minute it was Yevgeni Kuznetsov (Tampa Bay Lightnings) who was left behind in a one-on-one. From a corner of the south curve came a timid “Latvia, Latvia!”, while the rest of the stadium intoned a loud “Russia, Russia!” In the 13th minute, the arena shook - Bogdan Kiselevich had shot from the blue line and the puck fidgeted in the net. 1:19 before halftime there was a scramble in front of the Latvian goal after the puck crossed the goal line in a confusing situation, shot by Ivan Telegin - 2-0.
As soon as they were back on the ice, the Sbornaja struck again mercilessly. Vladislav Namestnikov (Tampa) got on the scoresheet with a power play goal in the 21st minute of the game - his third goal of the tournament. Ilya Sorokin in the Russian goal defused everything that came through - it wasn't that much, but that poses a lot of danger. In the 39th minute, Nikita Kucherov made the score 4-0 at halftime with his fifth goal of the tournament. From a central position, he hammered a back pass from Artemi Panarin (Chicago Blackhawks) half-high to the right of the post.
Power play for Team Russia in the 54th minute – and the Russians don't have to be asked three times. After just 20 seconds, Anton Belov scored his first World Cup goal when he ran the ball from the left half and nailed it into the far corner to make the final score 5-0.
Vladislav Gavrikov: “Above all, it was a difficult start. Then we took off and won and now we're preparing for the next game tomorrow against the USA. We have to act better in defense and be more aggressive in attack - or act more aggressive at all!
Goals: 1:0 (12:10) Kiselevich; 2:0 (18:41) Telegin; 3:0 (20:57) Namestnikov {PP}; 4:0 (39:00) Kucherov; 5:0 (53:17) Belov {PP}
Penalties: 8 (RUS) : 8 (LAT)
Audience: 16.439
Text: Ivo Jaschick