16 April 2009 was a busy night as 10 of the 16 participating teams in the 2009 IIHF World Championship were involved in international matchups.
In Riga, Slovakia beat Latvia 4-2 and kept their perfect record having beaten Czech Republic and Norway twice earlier this month. Slovakia played with virtually their best European team, but still expect their roster to be completed with a few NHL'ers (e.g. Michal Handzus (LA Kings), Andrej Sekera (Buffalo Sabres) and Boris Valabik (Atlanta Thrashers). Team Latvia will also be enforced by a few players from North America, namely Karlis Skrastins (Florida Panthers, Martins Karsums (Tamba Bay Lightning) and Janis Sprukts (Americans Rochester, AHL)
Latvia - Slovakia 2-4 (1-1, 1-1, 0-2)
16 April 2009, Arena Riga, Att: 4,629
0-1 13:28 Marcel Hossa (Lubos Bartecko, Juraj Stefanka)
1-1 19:40 Aleksandrs Nizivijs (Aigars Cipruss, Martins Cipulis)
1-2 23:24 Tomas Tatar (Michal Macho, Tomas Surovy)
1-3 31:21 Ivan Svarny (Rene Vydareny, Ivan Baranka) PP1
2-3 48.42 Rodrigo Lavins (Guntis Dzerins, Aigars Cipruss)
2-4 58:36 Branko Radevojevic (Ladislav Nagy)
LAT 7x2, SVK 10x2, SOG 24:32 (5:14, 6.11; 13:7)
LAT: S. Naumovs, G. Galvins, G. Pujacs (2), H. Vasijevs, A. Nizivijs, M. Cipulis (2) - R. Lavins, Kr. Redlihs (2), L. Darzins, G. Dzerins (2), A. Cipruss (2) - A. Jerofejevs, O.. Sorokins, A. Berzins, Mi. Redlihs (2), R. Jerimovs - A. Saviels (2), V. Blinovs, A. Sirokovs, G. Ankipans.
SVK: R. Stana, I. Baranka (2), R. Vydareny (2), M. Hossa, J. Stefanka, L.Bartecko - I. Svarny (2), T. Starosta (2), M. Macho, T. Surovy, T. Tatar, D. Granak (2), J. Obsut (2), J. Mikus, S. Ruzicka (2), B. Radivojevic (2) - P. Smrek, K. Kudroc (2), L. Nagy, M. Bartovic, R. Pavlikovsky (2).
Switzerland beat Norway 3-2 in Oslo. For Norway, this was sixth straight loss. The team is virtually complete. The bright spot is that Norway played its best game so far in the preparatons though the team showed a disturbing lack of efficency on the powerplay. Another comforting factor is that Norway still have two games to tune in, on Sunday vs Austria and on Monday vs Belarus. With no less than 8 games in 3 weeks, Norway has the most extensive exhibition game schedule and there is little doubt that the team will be very wellprepared for the World Championship.
Norway - Switzerland 2-3 (1-2, 1-1, 0-0)
16 April 2009, Jordal Amfi, Oslo, Att: 1,103
0-1 07:13 Romano Lemm (Sandy Jeannin, Roman Wick)
1-1 15:10 Per-Åge Skrøder (Mats Trygg, Patrick Thoresen)
1-2 16:32 Thomas Ziegler PP1
1-3 30:03 Patrik Bärtchl (Felicien du Bois) PP1
2-3 39:00 Per-Åge Skrøder (Patrick Thoresen) SH1
NOR 4x2, SUi 7x2, SOG 25:19 (11:7, 7:9, 7:3)
MVP: NOR: Patrick Thoresen, SUI: Daniel Manzato
NOR: R. Smith, J. Kaunismäki, T. Jakobsen (4), M. Holtet, L. E. Spets, P. Lorentzen, A. Bonsaksen (4), P. Å. Skrøder, M. Ask, M. Røymark, M. Trygg, A. Martinsen, B. Cziszar, K. Forsberg, M. Ylven, K. A. Olimb, L. E. Lund, P. Thoresen, M. Z. Aasen, A. Myrvold.
SUI: D. Manzato, T. Helbling (2), F. du Bois, R. Wick, R. Diaz,T. Deruns, T. Paterlini, T. Monnet, M. Seger, S. Jeannin, M. Reichert, T. Ziegler, R. Sannitz, P. Furrer (4), P. Bärtschi, R. Lemm, P. von Günten, J. Sprunger (2), K. Romy, R. Josi (2)
In Ravensburg, Germany beat Denmark 3-0. Compared with their previous exhibtion games, both teams were enforced with a number of players who have been involved in the playoffs. From North America, only Christoph Schubert (Ottawa Senators) has been locked-in for Germany. Goaltender, Sebastian Dahm (Syracuse Crunch, AHL), played his first full senior game for Team Denmark, he was quite solid with several exceptional saves though he didn't look good on Germany's powerplay goal. From North Amerca, Denmark will also be enfoced by the talented Mikkel Bødker (Phoenix Coyotes) and Peter Regin (Ottawa Senators/Binghamton Senators). They are both expected to play the other game vs Germany on Saturday. Denmark had high hopes that N.Y. Islanders would release Frans Nielsen. Frans Nielsen was injured before Christmas but has since played 40 games straight for the Islanders. Yet, the Islanders declined to release him, arguing that Nielsen should rehabitate his knee after he season. He is expected to be an important card for the Isles next season.
Germany - Denmark 3-0 (2-0, 1-0, 0-0)
16 April 2009, Eishalle, Ravensburg, Att: 3,500
1-0 11:18 Patrick Hager PP1
2-0 15:11 Phillip Gogulla (Michael Hackert)
3-0 26.00 Michael Wolf (Michael Hackert)
GER 8x2, DEN 8x2, SOG: 26:16 (10:3, 5:9, 11:4)
MVP: GER, DEN: Phillip Larsen
GER: D. Andras; S. Butenschön, C. Smidt, S. Osterloh (4), T. Mulock, M. Wolf, K. Hospelt, M. Bakos, Ma. Müller, M. Ancicka (2), A. Barta, A. Renz, M. Hackert (2), T. Greiinger, C. Ullmann, U. Maurer (4), P. Hager, D. Kreutzer (2), N. Goc, P. Gogulla (2), Mo. Müller.
DEN: F. Andersen, P. Hersby, P. Larsen, Mads Bødker, D. Villadsen (2), J. Damgaard (2), J. Jensen, R. Olsen, M. Green, K. Lykkeskov, M. Christensen, K. Staal (2), T. Dresler, T. Kisum, K. Pedersen (2), M. B. Christensen, M. Lie, N. Hardt (6), J. Jakobsen.
In the Czech Hockey Games, the host beat Sweden 2-1 while Finland defeated Russia 4-2 in Tampere.
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