Denmark without NHL profiles lose to rivals Norway in final test before Winter Olympics

Norway beat the Danes 3-2 in overtime
Norway beat the Danes 3-2 in overtimeLars Moeller / Zuma Press / Profimedia

The Danish Ice hockey national team led 1-0 but eventually lost 3-2 to bitter rivals Norway in the last warm-up tournament before the Winter Olympics in Milan in February.

In the third and final test match, a poor second period proved costly for Denmark, who conceded two quick Norwegian goals.

Denmark responded well in the third period and restored parity at 2-2, before Norway won the match with a decisive goal in overtime.

This made it one win and two defeats in the mini-tournament in Epinal, France, for the Danish team. Denmark had lost to France on Thursday and won against Hungary on Friday.

It should be said that National team coach Mikael Gath was handicapped by the absence of a host of Danish profiles going into the tournament. 

Denmark took a 1-0 lead at the end of the first period when Nick Olesen searched past a Norwegian defender and flicked the puck into the net past goalie Henrik Haukeland.

However, Norway responded well in the second period, where Denmark was under pressure most of the time.

Just over five minutes into the second period, Norway's Thomas Berg-Paulsen tied the score at 1-1 when he followed up on a save by Danish goalie David Grubak. The Norwegian intercepted the puck and slipped it around the Rungsted goalie's left leg and into the net.

Four minutes later, Norway made it 2-1 through Samuel Solem, who was left completely unmarked at the back post.

Denmark recovered their best hockey in the third period and tied the game at 2-2 with just over six minutes left when Mathias From scored via deflection, and then the tension increased in the final phase.

There were no further goals in the third period, and then it went into overtime, where Patrick Elvsveen decided the match.