IIHF 2005

[dobko]

[dobko]

CAN -3 USA -1
Great game start to finish.

[dobko]

In a fight to avoid playing in the Relegation Round, Denmark and Ukraine battled through nearly 57 minutes to a 1-1 draw. But then, with 2:12 left, Bogdan Savenko picked up the rebound of a Vasyl Bobrovnikov slap shot that came off the backboards near the crease, and scored the game-winner by tapping it home.




The win puts Ukraine through to the Qualifying Round for the first time since 2003. While Denmark seemed more focused in the early stages, Ukraine also put in a hard-working effort and found a way to beat Peter Hirsch when they needed it most.
A last ditch effort at the very end with the extra skater yielded nothing. After advancing into the Qualifying Round, Head Coach Oleksandr Seukand was pleased with the win and wasn't shy about stating how much it meant.

"It could be said it was a final for us," Seukand said. "We needed the win more than Denmark. If we went down again, hockey in Ukraine would die. We really had to do well."