joecct
04-26-2003, 06:57 PM
TAMPERE, Finland (Ticker) - It took 54 years for Denmark to make up for a 47-goal loss and about 12 minutes for the United States to find itself behind the eight ball.
Playing in the World Hockey Championships for the first time since 1949, the unherladed Danes stunned the U.S. on Saturday, posting a 5-2 victory in the opening Group B game at Tampere Ice Hall.
Also Saturday, Russia blew past Switzerland, 5-2, in Tampere; Canada blanked Belarus, 3-0, and Sweden defeated Latvia, 3-1, in Turku; and the Czech Republic upended Slovenia, 5-2, and Sweden defeated Latvia, 3-1, in Helsinki.
Denmark dropped a 47-0 decision to Canada in its previous World Hockey Championships appearance, allowing 13 goals in the first period, 16 in the second and 18 in the third as every member of the Canadian team scored at least three goals.
It was much different this time around as Kim Staal recorded two goals and two assists to help upset an American roster filled with several players trying to break into the NHL and a handful of others trying to stay there.
Among the most notable names on the U.S. roster is defenseman Phil Housley. Others include Matt Cullen, Jordan Leopold, Adam Hall, Ryan Miller and Damian Rhodes.
Miller started in the nets for the Americans and was pulled after allowing three goals on four shots in the opening 12:21 and never recovered. Bo Nordby-Andersen started the scoring at 6:06, Staal made it 2-0 at 9:48 and Jesper Damsgaard added another goal just over 2 1/2 minutes later.
Chris Rogles replaced Miller and stopped 25-of-27 shots. The 34-year-old Rogles has played professionally in Germany since splitting the 1995-96 season between the now defunct International Hockey League and East Coast Hockey League.
The Americans got on the board with 3:54 left in the first period, when San Jose Sharks defenseman Jim Fahey scored on a power play. But Ronny Larsen made it 4-1 at 3:09 of the second.
Kelly Fairchild scored 2:24 into the third period, but that was all the Americans could muster, despite outshooting Denmark, 44-31.
Playing in the World Hockey Championships for the first time since 1949, the unherladed Danes stunned the U.S. on Saturday, posting a 5-2 victory in the opening Group B game at Tampere Ice Hall.
Also Saturday, Russia blew past Switzerland, 5-2, in Tampere; Canada blanked Belarus, 3-0, and Sweden defeated Latvia, 3-1, in Turku; and the Czech Republic upended Slovenia, 5-2, and Sweden defeated Latvia, 3-1, in Helsinki.
Denmark dropped a 47-0 decision to Canada in its previous World Hockey Championships appearance, allowing 13 goals in the first period, 16 in the second and 18 in the third as every member of the Canadian team scored at least three goals.
It was much different this time around as Kim Staal recorded two goals and two assists to help upset an American roster filled with several players trying to break into the NHL and a handful of others trying to stay there.
Among the most notable names on the U.S. roster is defenseman Phil Housley. Others include Matt Cullen, Jordan Leopold, Adam Hall, Ryan Miller and Damian Rhodes.
Miller started in the nets for the Americans and was pulled after allowing three goals on four shots in the opening 12:21 and never recovered. Bo Nordby-Andersen started the scoring at 6:06, Staal made it 2-0 at 9:48 and Jesper Damsgaard added another goal just over 2 1/2 minutes later.
Chris Rogles replaced Miller and stopped 25-of-27 shots. The 34-year-old Rogles has played professionally in Germany since splitting the 1995-96 season between the now defunct International Hockey League and East Coast Hockey League.
The Americans got on the board with 3:54 left in the first period, when San Jose Sharks defenseman Jim Fahey scored on a power play. But Ronny Larsen made it 4-1 at 3:09 of the second.
Kelly Fairchild scored 2:24 into the third period, but that was all the Americans could muster, despite outshooting Denmark, 44-31.