Anders Bastiansen's shootout goal carried Norway to a 5-4 win. A strong early start to the game and an ever-present tenacity throughout were the keys to Norway's first victory at the 2018 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship.

"We wanted three points today, but we won the shootout and got two points, and we know that's going to be important during the tournament," said Norwegian forward Tommy Kristiansen.

Germany started this game unusually slow and sloppy, making early mistakes. Norway would jump on these opportunities without wasting their best chances in the first period.

Forty seconds into the game, Norway picked up a penalty when Mathis Olimb was called for hooking. Germany went on the power play but could not get anything going. Norway siezed the moment as Ken Andre Olimb scored 1:41 into the game while his brother was in the box.

With the man advantage, Germany was careless with the puck in their own zone. Ken Andre Olimb forced a turnover behind the net and brought the puck out in front and scored the shorthanded marker. The last time Norway scored a shorthanded goal was at the 2012 World Championships in a 6-2 win against Italy.

Norway followed this up with a power play goal at 7:31 of the first period. With Marc Michaelis in the box, Thomas Valkvae Olsen tapped a rebound out of midair into the net. Tobias Lindstrom's point shot was saved by Pielmeier, but Valkvae Olsen demonstrated great hand eye coordination with a backhand swat for
his first World Championship goal.

On the day, Valkvae Olsen had two-point game. Valkvae Olsen represented Norway at the 2016 and 2017 World Championships in seven combined games without registering a point.

Down two goals, Germany slowly found its way back. Offensive pressure picked up
and there was a brief flurry on the Norwegian net. Henrik Haukeland, in his first start in goal, made stop key stops, including one on Markus Eisenschmid when Niklas Roest was in the penalty box.

Still up 2-0, Norway became undisciplined and took another two minor penalties.
The fourth shorthanded chances for Germany in the period would not go unanswered. Patrick Hager finally scored when he put a shot on net that was initially saved but Steffen Thoresen inadvertently put the puck in his net while trying to clear the rebound.

Germany started to battle for pucks and were putting more pressure on. At 18:41
of the first period, Michaelis made up for the penalty that led to the second Norwegian goal. He raced with the puck into Norway's end and send a quick, high
shot over Haukeland's shoulder on the stick side.

Norway came back with a strong start to the second period with short crisp passing play that led to Bastiansen's goal at 1:36. Valkvae Olsen sent the puck
to Eirik Salsten whose backhand pass gave Bastiansen a clear shot on goal with Pielmeier out of position. For Bastiansen it was his second goal in as many games.

Not to be outdone, Hager scored his second of the game with :23 second left on a Norway penalty. His backhander on net hit defender Alexander Bonsaksen's skate in the crease and Hager shoed tenacity in going after the puck and sending it home.

"We got up 2-0 and then stopped playing," Kristiansen said. "Today, we worked hard all game and worked as a team. I think their first three goals were pretty
lucky. The first two, we scored for them."

With 9:47 remaining in the period, Daniel Sorvik sent a shot on net that Pielmeier whiffed in his attempt to catch it. The puck missed his glove and saw
nothing but net.

"I think the German goalie was a little nervous out there today," Kristiansen added. "He gave us a lot of rebounds, and we talked about getting shots on goal."

But before any spectators could get comfortable or worried, Yanic Seidenberg tied the score when he chipped a Matthias Plachta pass behind Haukeland. That goal came exactly 26 seconds after Sorvik's marker.

And there it stood as both teams would head into their second consecutive extra
time game in as many games in this tournament. In overtime, both teams had their moments. With 1:52 remaining in overtime, Leon Draisaitl was called for high sticking. It as a critical call as the game moved to the shootout he would
not be available to participate.

Mathias Trettnes, Tobias Lindstrom and, for the win, Bastiansen scored in the shootout to give Norway the win. Germany has now dropped its first two games of
the 2018 IIHF World Championship.

"The puck didn't bounce our way," Pielmeier said. "Sometimes a lucky bounce can
decide a game and both games we couldn't get. We have a good, young team who are developing, so this kind of game is good for them. "

JOHN SANFUL

Norway's Thomas Valkvae Olsen scores on Germany's Timo Pielmeier.

http://
--- SBBSecho 3.04-Win32
* Origin: TequilaMockingbird Online - Toms River, NJ (1:266/404)