Norway has been putting on a weak performance at the world championships in Denmark, failing to score a single goal in its first three matches against Finland, Canada and Denmark.
Newspaper Dagsavisen reported Saturday that the national team has been dubbed “Sportsklubben 0-15,” a reference to its 0-7 loss to Finland, its 0-5 loss to Canada and 0-3 to Denmark. More than 4,000 Norwegian hockey fans traveled to Denmark to cheer on their players, but have been bitterly disappointed.
“Our scorers aren’t here,” said Roy Johansen, the national team’s former coach who now coaches the Oslo hockey club Vålerenga. He was referring to the absence of star Norwegian players Mats Zuccarello, Patrick Thoresen and Andreas Martinsen, whose professional commitments ruled out their participation at the world championships.
Friday’s loss to Denmark has badly harmed Norway’s overall standings, making it important for the team to simply preserve its spot at the highest level of world championship action. Norway’s failure to grab a spot in the quarter finals makes this year’s performance at the world championships Norway’s weakest since it returned to the highest level of comptition in 2006.
newsinenglish.no staff