photo: © INTERNATIONAL ICE HOCKEY FEDERATION / MATT ZAMBONIN
Team captain Marek Hrivik’s third-period goal gave Slovakia a 2-1 win in its first game against Norway. Kristian Pospisil also scored for Slovakia.
Slovakia goaltender Samuel Hlavaj made 22 saves, Norway’s Tobias Normann 17.
"We played a really good game. They were good, too, but we fought it out. The most important thing was to gain confidence. It was the first game for many of the guys on our team, so we had to get comfortable at the start of the game," said Slovakia's 19-year-old Luka Radivojevic.
Both teams started the game with great intensity, and Norway created a couple of dangerous scoring chances early on, but Hlavaj stood tall.
Then Martin Pospisil sent a long stretch pass from blue line to blue line, sending his brother Martin on a breakaway. He patiently lifted the puck top shelf, beating Normann on the stick side at 8:15 to give Slovakia command of the game.
Two minutes later, Stian Solberg received a double minor for high-sticking, and Slovakia had a golden opportunity to extend their lead. Norway managed to kill the penalties.
Sometimes, a good penalty kill can turn the momentum.
Today was one of those instances.
After the commercial break following the penalty kill, Norway came back strong and had long possessions in the Slovak zone. Eighteen-year-old Mikkel Eriksen got the puck through Hlavaj’s five-hole, but the puck danced across the crease and into the corner.
Halfway through the second period, both teams seemed to step on it, trade odd-man rushes, and worry about the consequences later. Both Norway’s Havard Ostrem Salsten and Slovakia’s Martin Chromiak had great chances off 2-on-1s, but both goaltenders were on top of their games.
With about fifteen seconds left in the period, Eskil Bakke Olsen won a faceoff in Slovakia’s zone. Tinus Luc Koblar took care of the puck and fired a spinorama shot through traffic, which Hlavaj saw too late, and the game was tied at one at 39:47.
“He won the faceoff, we had good traffic in front of the net. I just wanted to get the puck to the net. We need to regroup and come back stronger tomorrow,” said the 18-year-old.
“Of course, it felt good to play my first game in the Worlds, and it was nice to score a goal, too bad with lost. We’re a team and team’s wins are the only thing that matters."
The third period was a battle from beginning to end, as both teams desperately wanted to take at least one point with them from their first game.
"If you want to win here, you have to fight hard. That’s what we did," Radivojevic said.
And then: an opening. Mislav Rosandic chipped the puck into the neutral zone, and Adam Liska won the race to the puck. He sent a saucer pass to Hrivik, and the Slovak captain one-timed it in to give his team a 2-1 lead — and the win — with 11:53 remaining in the period.
Slovakia took its first win in what it hopes will be a long tournament.
"We want to make the playoff stage and take it from there," Radivojevic said.
Slovakia goaltender Samuel Hlavaj made 22 saves, Norway’s Tobias Normann 17.
"We played a really good game. They were good, too, but we fought it out. The most important thing was to gain confidence. It was the first game for many of the guys on our team, so we had to get comfortable at the start of the game," said Slovakia's 19-year-old Luka Radivojevic.
Both teams started the game with great intensity, and Norway created a couple of dangerous scoring chances early on, but Hlavaj stood tall.
Then Martin Pospisil sent a long stretch pass from blue line to blue line, sending his brother Martin on a breakaway. He patiently lifted the puck top shelf, beating Normann on the stick side at 8:15 to give Slovakia command of the game.
Two minutes later, Stian Solberg received a double minor for high-sticking, and Slovakia had a golden opportunity to extend their lead. Norway managed to kill the penalties.
Sometimes, a good penalty kill can turn the momentum.
Today was one of those instances.
After the commercial break following the penalty kill, Norway came back strong and had long possessions in the Slovak zone. Eighteen-year-old Mikkel Eriksen got the puck through Hlavaj’s five-hole, but the puck danced across the crease and into the corner.
Halfway through the second period, both teams seemed to step on it, trade odd-man rushes, and worry about the consequences later. Both Norway’s Havard Ostrem Salsten and Slovakia’s Martin Chromiak had great chances off 2-on-1s, but both goaltenders were on top of their games.
With about fifteen seconds left in the period, Eskil Bakke Olsen won a faceoff in Slovakia’s zone. Tinus Luc Koblar took care of the puck and fired a spinorama shot through traffic, which Hlavaj saw too late, and the game was tied at one at 39:47.
“He won the faceoff, we had good traffic in front of the net. I just wanted to get the puck to the net. We need to regroup and come back stronger tomorrow,” said the 18-year-old.
“Of course, it felt good to play my first game in the Worlds, and it was nice to score a goal, too bad with lost. We’re a team and team’s wins are the only thing that matters."
The third period was a battle from beginning to end, as both teams desperately wanted to take at least one point with them from their first game.
"If you want to win here, you have to fight hard. That’s what we did," Radivojevic said.
And then: an opening. Mislav Rosandic chipped the puck into the neutral zone, and Adam Liska won the race to the puck. He sent a saucer pass to Hrivik, and the Slovak captain one-timed it in to give his team a 2-1 lead — and the win — with 11:53 remaining in the period.
Slovakia took its first win in what it hopes will be a long tournament.
"We want to make the playoff stage and take it from there," Radivojevic said.
Slovakia vs Norway - 2026 IIHF Men's World Championship
OF