Denmark's win yesterday in their first Olympics game ever ranks very high on their list of greatest games.
photo: Andre Ringuette / HHOF-IIHF Images
The last great Czechia chance, off the stick of Tomas Kundratek, hit the post and stayed out, and 18 seconds later the game was over. Denmark had defeated Czechia in the team’s first ever Olympic game. It was a 2-1 score, and goalie Sebastian Dahm was sensational. But the Danes won admirably. No five skaters across centre ice. No icing whenever the team was in danger. And plenty of good scoring chances of their own that could have added a couple of goals to their own total.
Now that the result is in the Olympics standings, and the history books, let’s try to assess where this ranks in the annals of Danish hockey history.
2002
The Danes famously lost to Canada, 47-0, at their first ever World Championship appearance back in 1949. That spelled the end for them for 13 years, after which they played in B and C Pool until 2001 when the names were changed and they were in Division I-B, which was parallel to I-A (unlike today). And in 2002, they compiled a perfect 5-0 record to earn promotion to the top pool for 2003 after an absence of 54 years. Jesper Damgaard captained that ream and remained captain for 12 of the next 13 years.
26 April 2003
Denmark’s first game at the 2003 World Championship in Tampere was one to remember. They played the United States, a team that had Ryan Miller in goal, Phil Housley on defence and Ted Drury up front. But the Danes scored three goals in the first 12 minutes and chased Miller from the crease. Denmark held on for a 5-2 win backed by Damgaard’s game-winning goal and Peter Hirsch’s 53 saves on 55 shots. It was incredible World Championship debut after such a long absence.
2 May 2003
The Danes faced Canada in the qualification round, and all the talk was of 54 years ago. Canada scored early—cue the eye rolling—but Denmark scored two quick goals late in the period, and that lead held until late in the second when Canada tied the game, 2-2. Canada poured it on in the third but couldn’t get the go-ahead goal. Goalie Peter Hirsch was sensational again, stopping 41 of 43 shots, and the Danes announced their return to the top with an incredible result. From 47-0 to 2-2…after half a century!
10 May 2005
It might not look like much on paper, but when Denmark faced Germany on this date, the very fate of its hockey program was in jeopardy. Both teams were fighting it out in the relegation round, and the implications were simple. If Denmark won, they would remain in the top pool for 2006. If they lost, they would be demoted after only three years in the top division, returning who knew when. Germany had a 2-1 lead in the second period, but a late goal by Mike Grey tied the score and midway through the third Kasper Degn got the go-ahead goal. Again it was Hirsch who stood tall, stopping 36 of 38 shots in the crucial victory.
2007
An enormously important component of staying in the top pool is getting the financing to develop players, build arenas, and establish grassroots programs. While the Danes remained in the top pool, it fuelled interest in the game across the country and had a significant trickle-down effect which reached its climax in 2007. That year, both the U20 and U18 teams won division I-A to earn promotion to the top pool. That meant in 2008, for the first time ever, Denmark competed in the top pool of the World Championship, World Juniors, and World U18. The two junior teams have had their ups and downs since, but the connection to their success and the WM success is unmistakable.
20 May 2010
As the years passed, Denmark remained in the top pool, sometimes by the hair on their chinny-chin-chin (see the aforementioned 2005 WM). But in 2010, in Cologne, they beat Finland, Germany, and Slovakia and qualified for the quarter-finals for the first time. They faced Sweden in that elimination game and lost, 4-2, finishing 8th, their best result ever from 2003 to the present (they also finished 8th in 2016).
19 May 2016
While the Danes had played their first and only other quarter-finals game back in 2010, their qualifying for the QF in 2016 was even more impressive. By this time the 16 teams were divided into two groups of eight and played a round robin. The top four advanced; the bottom four went home. Denmark not only qualified with four wins and three losses, ahead of their rivals Norway, they also beat the Czechs, Kazakhstan, and Latvia. But most significant win was their first game, a 3-0 shutout over Norway, which proved decisive later on.
29 August 2021
Qualifications for the 2022 Olympics came to a head on this date in Oslo, Norway, and on the final day of the round robin the stakes couldn’t have been higher or more easily understood. Norway played Denmark. The team that won qualified for Beijing; the team that lost didn’t. Despite a raucous Norwegian crowd at the Jordal Amfi arena, Denmark scored in the second period and again in the third, winning 2-0. Goalie Sebastian Dahm, the hero yesterday against Czechia, earned the shutout on that day as well, stopping all 26 Norway shots. Beijing, here we come!
Now that the result is in the Olympics standings, and the history books, let’s try to assess where this ranks in the annals of Danish hockey history.
2002
The Danes famously lost to Canada, 47-0, at their first ever World Championship appearance back in 1949. That spelled the end for them for 13 years, after which they played in B and C Pool until 2001 when the names were changed and they were in Division I-B, which was parallel to I-A (unlike today). And in 2002, they compiled a perfect 5-0 record to earn promotion to the top pool for 2003 after an absence of 54 years. Jesper Damgaard captained that ream and remained captain for 12 of the next 13 years.
26 April 2003
Denmark’s first game at the 2003 World Championship in Tampere was one to remember. They played the United States, a team that had Ryan Miller in goal, Phil Housley on defence and Ted Drury up front. But the Danes scored three goals in the first 12 minutes and chased Miller from the crease. Denmark held on for a 5-2 win backed by Damgaard’s game-winning goal and Peter Hirsch’s 53 saves on 55 shots. It was incredible World Championship debut after such a long absence.
2 May 2003
The Danes faced Canada in the qualification round, and all the talk was of 54 years ago. Canada scored early—cue the eye rolling—but Denmark scored two quick goals late in the period, and that lead held until late in the second when Canada tied the game, 2-2. Canada poured it on in the third but couldn’t get the go-ahead goal. Goalie Peter Hirsch was sensational again, stopping 41 of 43 shots, and the Danes announced their return to the top with an incredible result. From 47-0 to 2-2…after half a century!
10 May 2005
It might not look like much on paper, but when Denmark faced Germany on this date, the very fate of its hockey program was in jeopardy. Both teams were fighting it out in the relegation round, and the implications were simple. If Denmark won, they would remain in the top pool for 2006. If they lost, they would be demoted after only three years in the top division, returning who knew when. Germany had a 2-1 lead in the second period, but a late goal by Mike Grey tied the score and midway through the third Kasper Degn got the go-ahead goal. Again it was Hirsch who stood tall, stopping 36 of 38 shots in the crucial victory.
2007
An enormously important component of staying in the top pool is getting the financing to develop players, build arenas, and establish grassroots programs. While the Danes remained in the top pool, it fuelled interest in the game across the country and had a significant trickle-down effect which reached its climax in 2007. That year, both the U20 and U18 teams won division I-A to earn promotion to the top pool. That meant in 2008, for the first time ever, Denmark competed in the top pool of the World Championship, World Juniors, and World U18. The two junior teams have had their ups and downs since, but the connection to their success and the WM success is unmistakable.
20 May 2010
As the years passed, Denmark remained in the top pool, sometimes by the hair on their chinny-chin-chin (see the aforementioned 2005 WM). But in 2010, in Cologne, they beat Finland, Germany, and Slovakia and qualified for the quarter-finals for the first time. They faced Sweden in that elimination game and lost, 4-2, finishing 8th, their best result ever from 2003 to the present (they also finished 8th in 2016).
19 May 2016
While the Danes had played their first and only other quarter-finals game back in 2010, their qualifying for the QF in 2016 was even more impressive. By this time the 16 teams were divided into two groups of eight and played a round robin. The top four advanced; the bottom four went home. Denmark not only qualified with four wins and three losses, ahead of their rivals Norway, they also beat the Czechs, Kazakhstan, and Latvia. But most significant win was their first game, a 3-0 shutout over Norway, which proved decisive later on.
29 August 2021
Qualifications for the 2022 Olympics came to a head on this date in Oslo, Norway, and on the final day of the round robin the stakes couldn’t have been higher or more easily understood. Norway played Denmark. The team that won qualified for Beijing; the team that lost didn’t. Despite a raucous Norwegian crowd at the Jordal Amfi arena, Denmark scored in the second period and again in the third, winning 2-0. Goalie Sebastian Dahm, the hero yesterday against Czechia, earned the shutout on that day as well, stopping all 26 Norway shots. Beijing, here we come!