Germany hangs on for 5-4 win over Japan
The Germans had just a little too much for Japan to overcome today
Japan is still waiting for its sun to rise. A gutsy Japanese team gave Germany a run for its money Sunday afternoon at Helsinki's Hartwall Arena, but ultimately succumbed 5-4 in the tournament opener for both teams.
Although Japan never led on the scoreboard, this was one of its best shots ever at securing its first win in the elite division, reminiscent of last year's 5-3 loss to the Czechs in Sweden.
Sven Felski led the Germans with two goals, while Andreas Morczinietz, Tino Boos and Boris Blank added singles. Eduard Lewandowski chipped in two assists.
"After we scored on our chances early, we thought the game was over," said German Head Coach Hans Zach. "But the Japanese came back and played a good fast game, and made it difficult for us."
Chris Yule put on a remarkable display of finesse and speed for Japan with a goal and two assists. Daisuke Obara, Kengo Ito and Masatoshi Ito had the other Japanese goals.
Just 46 seconds into the game, the Germans opened the scoring when Morczinietz waltzed in on goal after taking a pass from and easily faked out Japanese netminder Jiro Nihei.
At the other end, German goalie Robert Muller had to be sharp to make a glove grab off Chris Yule after the nifty forward made a rush stickhandling down right wing.
Germany increased its lead to 2-0 at 4:17 when Sven Felski accepted a pass from Tobias Abstreiter in front of Nihei and showed patience in tucking the puck home.
At 8:34, the first power play goal of the night came from Germany's Tino Boos, who took Eduard Lewandowski's Gretzky-like feed from behind the net and beat Nihei, who was caught moving the wrong way.
"The start of the game was a disaster for Team Japan," said Head Coach Timo Tuomi. "We had a much different game plan for the start."
Just over two minutes later, the Japanese got on the board with a spectacular deke by Yule, who spun around in front of Muller before putting the puck under the crossbar and tumbling to the ice.
Yule was the key to Japan's second goal with 2:44 left in the opening stanza, swirling around the German net and setting up defenseman Kengo Ito, who tipped the puck through Muller to reduce the gap to 3-2.
But the Japanese lost their momentum when Boris Blank slid a shot on goal from the high slot that got past Nihei's outstretched pad, making it 4-2 Germany with just 15 seconds left in the period.
An uneventful second period was highlighted by the improved play of Japan's Nihei in goal. Nihei made perhaps his finest save of the game at 8:53 of the middle frame, sprawling on his back and gloving a floating puck that threatened to bounce into the net as the Germans buzzed his crease. Minutes later, he stoned Blank on a backhand deke in close.
At 7:02 of the third, Yule's stunning cross-ice feed off the rush bore fruit when Masatoshi Ito one-timed it past Muller, who got a piece of it but not enough to prevent the score from going to 4-3.
The Germans immediately picked up the tempo of their play, but the Japanese kept coming too. Kengo Ito had a glorious chance for a one-timer in the slot that Muller just deflected wide with his glove.
With seven minutes left, Germany took a penalty for too many men on the ice, apparently frazzled by the relentless comeback pressure of Japan. The men in red and white cycled furiously around Muller's net, vying for the power play equalizer.
But they couldn't get it, and Sven Felski knew exactly what to do when he got a breakaway, firing the disc past Nihei with 3:03 left.
The never-say-die attitude of the Japanese paid dividends with 16 seconds left, when Yule tapped home a Ryan Kuwabara rebound at the edge of Muller's crease to make it 5-4. But that's as close as they would get.
"I think we played good in the second and third periods," said Tuomi. "And Germany is a very tough team."
"We're not just here as underdogs," added Nihei. "We want to prove that we belong in the top group, both for ourselves and the coach, since he is back in his home country."
A vocal contingent of German fans stood clapping, pounding drums and singing in the seats behind Muller's end of the rink for the first and third periods. It's a tradition with this group, who compete with Latvian supporters for the title of loudest hockey lovers.
Germany outshot Japan 28-21.
The Player of the Game for Germany was Len Soccio, while Kengo Ito earned an ovation to go with his Tissot watch for Japan.
Quelle: IHWC.net
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