College Sports
IIHF – The Danish miracle
The shots on goal in the third period set this game apart from both the “Miracle on Ice” and the Belarusian victory over Sweden. The Danes outshot Canada by an impressive 22-10 margin to rally in that final stanza. They got the equalizer by Winnipeg Jets star Nikolaj Ehlers at 17:43 and the go-ahead goal […]
While towering Danish goalie Frederik Dichow had to be a hero just like Jim Craig and Andrei Mezin in 1980 and 2002 respectively, the latter two netminders saw their teams outshot in every single period.
Even without veteran NHL forwards like Lars Eller or Oliver Bjorkstrand, Denmark has found the offensive sparkplugs it needs. Olesen, who leads the Danes in scoring (4+6=10), has stepped up when it matters. He also got the one-handed, Peter Forsberg-style winner in the 2-1 shootout win over Germany that sent Denmark to the playoffs.
Still, everyone can see that without Ehlers’ willingness to suit up for his country after a tough NHL season, the Danes likely wouldn’t find themselves with the golden opportunity they now enjoy in the Swedish capital. Ehlers, 29, scored a career-high five playoff goals for Winnipeg, the NHL’s top regular-season, before an emotional second-round exit versus the Dallas Stars. His 520 career NHL points are tops all-time among Danes.
“He loves this team as much as anyone else does,” said forward Morten Poulsen, a Herning native. “Every chance he gets, he comes in. He’s just a massive part on and off the ice. He’s such a great guy. It doesn’t matter here if it’s a veteran player or guys who are here for the first time – he comes in with the same status as the rest, and we absolutely love to have him on our team. Exceptional player, and a guy we can thank a lot for in Danish hockey. You know, he’s just such a role model for all of us and for all the sports people and hockey people in Denmark.”
It’s all added up to an unforgettable moment for Danish hockey fans, Danmarks Ishockey Union, and the clubs, managers, coaches, and families who have worked hard to elevate the sport nationwide.
Jensen Aabo suggested that beating Canada was “probably the biggest moment in Danish sport.” Football fans might contest that assessment, citing Denmark’s jaw-dropping triumph at the UEFA Euro 1992 with a 2-0 final win over Germany – on Swedish soil, incidentally.
Yet remember, Denmark’s journey at this Ice Hockey World Championship is not yet over. We know coach Mikael Gath’s gutsy crew will play for a medal of some shade on Sunday. And then the fans and pundits can better judge where this heartwarming story fits into hockey history.
“It’s a fairy tale I don’t really want to wake up from,” said Jensen Aabo.