photo: © INTERNATIONAL ICE HOCKEY FEDERATION / MATT ZAMBONIN
Norway backed up its 4-0 victory over Slovenia with another shut-out victory, downing Italy by the same 4-0 scoreline.
Henrik Haukeland completed 120 minutes without allowing a goal at the 2026 IIHF World Championship. Eskild Bakke Olsen, Noah Steen, Christian Kaasastul – with his first goal in six IIHF campaigns - and finally Tinus Koblar found the net.
Koblar’s goal was the pick of the bunch. A great pass from Emilio Pettersen turned defence into attack, finding Andreas Martinsen in centre ice. And Martinsen’s instant feed created the opening for Koblar to skate clear and score.
“I wouldn’t say we trained for that, but we are all good enough to do those things and slide those passes,” Koblar said. “It just came from our instincts.
“Emilio got the puck on the boards and played it across the ice so I thought I should go for a two-against-one. Then Marty just made a really good pass and I got a breakaway. At first I was thinking to deke, but then I saw an opening on the right-hand side and shot it.”
The Norwegians dominated the first period, firing in 18 shots at Davide Fadani in the Italian net.
The goaltender was shaken by a Johannes Johannesen shot that rattled off his helmet in the seventh minute, and shortly afterwards he was sprawling across his crease as Steen and Jacob Berglund tried to stuff the puck home.
But he was beaten on 11:32 in slightly improbably circumstances. Italian captain Alex Trivellato was chasing Bakke Olsen behind the net and got his stick caught up in the Zamboni door. That enabled the Norwegian forward to emerge in front and score his third career World Championship goal. Mikkel Oby-Olsen collected an assist on his World Championship debut.
At the other end, another Johannesen effort drew another brilliant save from Fadani when he robbed Emilio Petterssen with a flash of the glove in front of his rebound effort.
If the Italians were a little fortunate to get to the intermission down by just one, they had cause to lament their luck in the middle frame.
Trivellato rued some bad bounces. “The momentum changed in the second period,” he said. “We were playing pretty good at 1-0 and then there was an unlucky second goal and we gave up a third. And we couldn’t convert our chances.
“But that’s hockey. Sometimes it goes like that and there’s nothing you can do.”
After another sprawling save from Fadani early on, Italy’s offence came out to play. Nicholas Saracino raced on the breakaway and beat Henrik Haugeland only for his shot to fly to safety via the crossbar.
And with the Italians looking more threatening, Ivan De Luca had several decent looks.
But Trivellato’s luckless evening continued: he stumbled on the edge of his own zone, opening a path for Steen to skate onto Havard Ostrem Salsten’s feed and sprint to the net. The 21-year-old, who finished the season in the AHL with Syracuse, lifted a backhander to the top shelf and doubled Norway’s lead.
The atmosphere in the arena was shrill, with 1,500 local schoolchildren invited to enjoy a taste of the World Championship. And that seemed to translate to the players as the play got a little chippy.
As the penalty count picked up, Norway extended its lead on a delayed call. Christian Kaasastul fired in a point shot that beat Fadani to the top corner and made it 3-0 at the second intermission.
From there, it looked a long road back. Italy had managed just one goal in eight periods, while Norway had completed more than 100 minutes since allowing a Marek Hrivik goal in the third period of its opening 1-2 loss to Slovakia.
The Italians kept pressing: an early power play saw another shot off the crossbar from Phil Pietroniro.
But Norway absorbed the pressure and, back at equal strength, played to the scoreline. There was little offence from Petter Thoresen’s team, but there was little need for it. Instead the Norwegians focused on limiting Italy’s chances to find a way back into contention.
And a spell of pressure on Fadani’s net saw the Italians saved by the piping when Petter Vesterheim dinged the bar. The final word went to Koblar in the 56th minute, with the 18-year-old Leksands prospect making it 4-0.
With two wins from three games, Norway can feel confident of avoiding the relegation dogfight and start looking for a first quarterfinal spot since 2012. But with upcoming games against Canada, Sweden and Czechia, things are about to get tougher.
Koblar believes Norway can do it: “We’re getting better every day. I think we are a QF team so hopefully we’ll get there.”
Italy, meanwhile, is still seeking its first win of this year’s tournament. Jukka Jalonen’s team faces the Czechs tomorrow.
Henrik Haukeland completed 120 minutes without allowing a goal at the 2026 IIHF World Championship. Eskild Bakke Olsen, Noah Steen, Christian Kaasastul – with his first goal in six IIHF campaigns - and finally Tinus Koblar found the net.
Koblar’s goal was the pick of the bunch. A great pass from Emilio Pettersen turned defence into attack, finding Andreas Martinsen in centre ice. And Martinsen’s instant feed created the opening for Koblar to skate clear and score.
“I wouldn’t say we trained for that, but we are all good enough to do those things and slide those passes,” Koblar said. “It just came from our instincts.
“Emilio got the puck on the boards and played it across the ice so I thought I should go for a two-against-one. Then Marty just made a really good pass and I got a breakaway. At first I was thinking to deke, but then I saw an opening on the right-hand side and shot it.”
The Norwegians dominated the first period, firing in 18 shots at Davide Fadani in the Italian net.
The goaltender was shaken by a Johannes Johannesen shot that rattled off his helmet in the seventh minute, and shortly afterwards he was sprawling across his crease as Steen and Jacob Berglund tried to stuff the puck home.
But he was beaten on 11:32 in slightly improbably circumstances. Italian captain Alex Trivellato was chasing Bakke Olsen behind the net and got his stick caught up in the Zamboni door. That enabled the Norwegian forward to emerge in front and score his third career World Championship goal. Mikkel Oby-Olsen collected an assist on his World Championship debut.
At the other end, another Johannesen effort drew another brilliant save from Fadani when he robbed Emilio Petterssen with a flash of the glove in front of his rebound effort.
If the Italians were a little fortunate to get to the intermission down by just one, they had cause to lament their luck in the middle frame.
Trivellato rued some bad bounces. “The momentum changed in the second period,” he said. “We were playing pretty good at 1-0 and then there was an unlucky second goal and we gave up a third. And we couldn’t convert our chances.
“But that’s hockey. Sometimes it goes like that and there’s nothing you can do.”
After another sprawling save from Fadani early on, Italy’s offence came out to play. Nicholas Saracino raced on the breakaway and beat Henrik Haugeland only for his shot to fly to safety via the crossbar.
And with the Italians looking more threatening, Ivan De Luca had several decent looks.
But Trivellato’s luckless evening continued: he stumbled on the edge of his own zone, opening a path for Steen to skate onto Havard Ostrem Salsten’s feed and sprint to the net. The 21-year-old, who finished the season in the AHL with Syracuse, lifted a backhander to the top shelf and doubled Norway’s lead.
The atmosphere in the arena was shrill, with 1,500 local schoolchildren invited to enjoy a taste of the World Championship. And that seemed to translate to the players as the play got a little chippy.
As the penalty count picked up, Norway extended its lead on a delayed call. Christian Kaasastul fired in a point shot that beat Fadani to the top corner and made it 3-0 at the second intermission.
From there, it looked a long road back. Italy had managed just one goal in eight periods, while Norway had completed more than 100 minutes since allowing a Marek Hrivik goal in the third period of its opening 1-2 loss to Slovakia.
The Italians kept pressing: an early power play saw another shot off the crossbar from Phil Pietroniro.
But Norway absorbed the pressure and, back at equal strength, played to the scoreline. There was little offence from Petter Thoresen’s team, but there was little need for it. Instead the Norwegians focused on limiting Italy’s chances to find a way back into contention.
And a spell of pressure on Fadani’s net saw the Italians saved by the piping when Petter Vesterheim dinged the bar. The final word went to Koblar in the 56th minute, with the 18-year-old Leksands prospect making it 4-0.
With two wins from three games, Norway can feel confident of avoiding the relegation dogfight and start looking for a first quarterfinal spot since 2012. But with upcoming games against Canada, Sweden and Czechia, things are about to get tougher.
Koblar believes Norway can do it: “We’re getting better every day. I think we are a QF team so hopefully we’ll get there.”
Italy, meanwhile, is still seeking its first win of this year’s tournament. Jukka Jalonen’s team faces the Czechs tomorrow.
Italy vs Norway - 2026 IIHF Men's World Championship
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