Denmark beat Germany but will still miss the playoffs

07 May 2011 | Henrik Lundqvist

Germany still hasn’t lost a game in regulation in the World Championship but Denmark managed to steal 2 points from them.

The Danish team needed three points to still have a shot at the quarter finals but the coach Per Bäckman didn’t take the loss very hard: “We came for three points but we got only two. I am satistied with my guys today we were the better team and we had the king of the ice – Mikkel Bødker”.

Germany, who had secured a quarter final spot before the game already, got a 3-2 lead early in the third period but Denmark’s Nichlas Hardt tied it with two and a half minute remaining. The overtime period saw 10 shots on target, 4 for Germany and 6 for Denmark, but no goal.

In the shootout Mads Christensen and Mikkel Bødker scored for Denmark while Patrick Reimer was the only successful shooter for the Germans.

Reimer's goal wasn't enough
Photo: Roman Kucera

The German coach Uwe Krupp gave his comments to the game: “I saw a very tight game. We were a tired team today. Still I think we had our chances to win the game. At the end the mistake cost us three points and I saw another great effort, the guys went to the edge of what they are able to play in back-to-back games. We´ve got another point and that’s what this round is about.”

Mads Bødker opened the scoring for Denmark after 8 minutes of the first period. John Tripp tied it two minutes later. The other Bødker brother, Mikkel, made it 2-1 Denmark in the opening of the middle period but once again the Germans replied quickly. Alexander Barta scored 2-2 just 26 seconds later.

Germany took the lead for the first time early in the third period when Kevin Lavallee fired an unexpected shot from the blue line. Nichlas Hardt tied the game for Denmark with a back-hander late in the third period.

“We tried real hard to get those three points”, says the Danish captain Morten Green. “As we didn´t get them so we would try to qualify next year. Now we have to focus on the last game to leave a good impression. Slovaks are dangerous mainly in the offense even though they do not have a good time this championship.“