Oh, Great Britain. Everyone loves an underdog, but it’s hard watching a loveable underdog get shut out 9-0–even if it comes at the hands of Team Denmark, led by Capitals’ center Lars Eller.
Eller paced Denmark with four points on the night, tallying one goal and three assists.
It was the biggest game by a Capitals player in the tournament thus far.
Eller’s first point of the night was on a pretty passing play. Eller waited in the right Ovi Spot face-off circle. After a tic-tac-toe pass from Markus Lauridsen, Eller passed through traffic to Jesper Jensen in front of the net, who tapped it in past Britain’s Ben Bowns.
Mathais Bau, who signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Capitals last May, scored next for Team Denmark.
Bau was injured in the 2017 IIHF Championship but was expected to recover in time for training camp. He started the season with Hershey but returned to Denmark mid-season for more recovery.
Eller’s goal was Denmark’s fifth of the game, a hard shot from the right faceoff circle. The goal was assisted by Jesper Jensen Aabo and Peter Regin.
Eller’s other points were a primary and then a secondary assist on two goals by Nicklas Jensen.
Team Denmark’s previous record for goals scored in an international game was six. The IIHF prepared a video about their new record after Morten Poulson netted their eighth of the night–but Denmark then broke that record again when Poulson scored his third, completing a hattrick for him and a finishing off the 9-0 shutout against Great Britain.
Great Britain has three more chances to get a win, but their next matches are against Finland, the USA, and France. With only one goal in three games, they’d need a significant improvement to make it to the next round.
This win was Denmark’s first of the tournament, but they currently stand fourth in Group A with five points, tied with Team USA. Their next game is against Finland on May 16. Finland is led by 18-year-old sensation Kaapo Kakko, who will be a likely top-two pick in the upcoming NHL Draft.
Headline photo: IIHF
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