March 5th 2019
Storhamar vs Manglerud Star 8-2 FINAL
(3-1, 3-0, 2-1)
Storhamar were the better team in the first period and took a well deserved two goal lead into the break. Mikael Zettergren broke the ice in the third minute with a snapper blast from downtown, but Manglerud came back to tie it three minutes later when a D-man fumble from Storhamar set up a 2 on 1 situation in front of Oskar Östlund. Sam Coatta was fed on the far post and found nothing but net. The home team fourthliners didn’t bother though, and took the home team back in front in the next shift. Youngster Simen Edvardsen set up Mikael Dokken with a nice backhander, and the Oslo native scored from the slot. Storhamar created a lot in offence as the minutes went along, but it went all the way to the 18th minute before the lamp was lit once again. Robin Dahlstrøm picked up the garbage on the near post when a Lars Erik Hesbråten shot was saved by goalie Mikkel Wik. 3-1 stood after the first period.
The Yellows continued to dominate in the middle frame and put three more in the sack. Eirik Salsten scored a beauty from the low slot with a top shelf backhander eight minutes in, and then Mikael Dokken scored his second of the evening just a minute later with a powerplay redirection at the end of a Jimmy Andersson blueline shot. Christian Larrivée made it a five goal game with the prettiest goal so far, when his toe-drag move ended with a snapper that beat Wik five-hole. Manglerud changed goalie after Larrivée’s goal, and in came debutant Aleksander Johnsen, born in 2002. The youngster kept his net clean during the rest of the period.
Both teams had stepped off the gas pedal in the third stanza. The tempo was low, and the tension wasn’t really there. Kurt Davis scored Storhamar’s seventh of the night with a blueline blast that beat Johnsen on the glove side. Then Magnus Henriksen managed to beat the home team’s box play with a volley shot, before Robin Dahlstrøm finished it off with another tap in from shot range.
The win completed Storhamar’s regular season and the second spot in the standings was secured.
The post season starts on Thursday, and Storhamar will most probably face Manglerud Star or Stjernen in the first round. The opponent will be chosen later tonight.