Finnish Lions edge Denmark in start to IIHF World Championships campaign

Swedes given a fright by Ukraine, Finland's next opponents

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The 2005 Ice Hockey World Championships got under way in Austria on Saturday, and the first round of games produced some unexpectedly close encounters and some stuttering starts among the fancied teams.
      The Finns could only edge out Denmark by the odd goal in three, thanks to a powerplay goal from Jere Karalahti in the first period and a second from Niko Kapanen at the beginning of the third. It wasn't quite as close at the scoreline suggests; Kasper Degn scored the consolation goal for the Danes in the final minute and their goalie Peter Hirsch played out of his skin, making around 30 saves to the 14 of Finland's Fredrik Norrena.
      Points are what count, of course, and the Danes are no pushover, but all the same Finnish head coach Erkka Westerlund would probably have wanted a slightly wider margin to instil confidence for the matches ahead.
     
But Finland were by no means the only team to look sluggish out of the blocks.
      Canada made heavy weather of defeating Latvia 6-4, Russian blushes were spared by two late goals in their 4-2 win over hosts Austria, and Sweden struggled at times in overcoming Ukraine, who came back from 2-0 to level things before Daniel Alfredsson saved the day mid-way through the third period. Ukraine are Finland's next opponents, before an anticipated encounter with the "Auld Enemy" Sweden.
      There were no such jitters for Team USA, who swept over lowly Slovenia to record a 7-0 victory, or for the fancied Czech Republic side who cruised past Switzerland 3 to 1.
      Slovakia, too, would have enjoyed a wider margin of victory than 2-1 over Belarus, but for an outstanding show from Belarus goaltender Andre Mezin, who made 52 saves.
      Sunday's upset was the defeat of mid-ranked Germany by the minnows of Kazakhstan, who emerged 2-1 victors and left the Germans feeling a bit queasy about their upcoming matches against the Swiss and the Czechs.


Links:
  IIHF World Championships 2005, Austria

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