Belarus wins its chance to challenge Canada

While watching the first half of the game only, you could not believe in what a thriller the match turned over. In a calm game, it was enough for Belarus to concentrate on powerplays to set its three goals lead after 32 minutes.

The first once was scored by Alexei Kalyuzhny, the second by Dmitri Korobov and the last one went to Andrei Kostitsyn. And it looked like the game is over for Slovakia, desperately waiting for Belarus to lose the game in regulation in a manner to keep its qualification chances.

But just seventeen seconds after Kostitsyn`s goal, Patrick Thoresen found a fast goal-reply to make it 1-3. And as Matiias Norstebo scored one more to Belarusian goal during the 45th minute, a real drama has started.

Like if they were playing for Slovakia, Norwegian players locked the opponent in its defending zone, wanting to tie it up. They did not manage it and lost the game 2-3, but what an impressive motivation they found for the game in which nothing could be earned for Norway?

"We did not play for Slovakia," says Mathis Olimb - one of the three Norway`s players in the tournament, "we played for our country and really wanted to win this game to get the nineth position after the tournament."

During the third period a big difference in energy level on both sides. While Norway was still fresh to skate up and down, Belarusian players were hardly following the tempo at some parts of the last session.

"We played a game yesterday in the afternoon, to get another early today," Belarussian starting goalie Kevin Laland said that thus he is even more impressed by the commitment of his teammates, "they were blocking the shots all the time. The sacrifice of them for the result was really nice to see."

Lalande actually is of a Canadian origin, and due to coincidence i results, he will face his mother-land`s national team as an opponent in the World Championship`s quarterfinals on Thursday, May 15.

"If you told me a couple of years agon that one day I`d be in the Czech Republic, wearing Belarusian jersey and playing against Canada, I`d say you are crazy," Lalande laughs.

"But now I am excited. It is something I am really looking forward to, it is going to be fun no matter on the result," he adds, "we need to respect Canada, but we must not to respect them too much."

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