Kazakhstan loses again, Denmark hopes for a quarterfinal spot

Denmark against Kazakhstan. A game apparently less interesting than many others but, indeed, a very special one: after that yesterday Switzerland got beaten in the shootout by Sweden, the Danes had a key chance to win a spot in the quarters: Kazakhstan, already relegated, thus proved to be a really easy opponent to put down.

Jensen, Ivanov, and Dahm are ready to battle. (photo: Michal Eger)

Markus Lauridsen was, indeed, the first scorer of the game, assisted by Lars Eller and Jannik Hansen; Hansen was also the second goal's scorer, with the help of Frederik Storm. Storm was, in turn, also the assisting player for Nicklas Jensen's 3-0. Still, every goal was scored on powerplay.

Sebastian Dahm. (photo: Michal Eger)

It took the second period, and yet another powerplay for the Kazakhs to score: in fact, the only powerful element of this team, the "Canakhstan line" made of Dawes, Bochenski, and Boyd, prowed to be a bit dangerous, and it was Bochenski the author of Kazakhstan's lone point, assisted by Bochenski and Alexander Lipin (everyone of them playing in Barys Astana, a sort of farm team for the Kazakh national team). The last goal of the game came on powerplay thanks to Nikolaj Ehlers of the Winnipeg Jets, assisted by Markus Lauridsen of AIK.

Will Denmark go to the quarterfinals? They surely deserve to reach it, but just a Czech win against Switzerland tomorrow morning will guarantee it. Still, a Swiss victory in the overtime would be enough for the Danes to kick the Eisgenossen out.. 

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