During that time Sweden had won every single game at the World Championships (11 games), the Olympics (twice), the U-20 World Junior Championships (5 games) and the U-18 World Juniors (3 games). The only blemish on Sweden's perfect record was a tie at the World Championships in 1994, making Norway's record up until today 0-21-1.
Sweden must have assumed it was business as usual after taking a 3-1 lead after the first period a goal from Loui Ericksson followed by a pair from Patrik Berglund. Norway's Martin Roymark's power play goal at 8:06 evened the at 1-1 before Berglund's goals, the second one with a man advantage.
Swedish goal scorer Ericksson
Norway had a surprise for Sweden in the second period though. First they converted a late first period Sweden penalty into a power play goal one minute into the second period to pull within one when Morten Ask scored on a shot from the point though a tangle of bodies.
Skrøder celebrates Ask's goal against Sweden
Marius Holtet continued the Norwegian special team's performance with their third power play goal on four tires at 13:45 of the second period to complete the comeback when he fired a wrist shot into the top of the net. The period ended with the game tied at 2-2 despite Sweden outshooting Norway 26-10 at that point.
Norway rebounds during the second period
A feisty third period saw a a pair of roughing minors handed out twice within a minute and a half before Ask was whistled for hooking at 48:14. Sweden converted for their second power play goal at 9:37 to put Sweden back on top 4-3.
Norway was not about to go away quietly this time though, and Anders Bastiansen pounced on a loose puck and fired it between goaltender Erik Ersberg's legs for the equalizer at 15:06.
Neither team could produce a game winner in regulation time and the game moved into overtime, with Sweden starting on the power play thanks to a late penalty on Norway with just 11 seconds left in regulation.
Norway successfully killed off the penalty to begin the overtime and, despite Sweden outshooting Norway 6-2 in the extra period, the overtime passed without a game winner.
From there the game moved to "Game Winning Shots" as the shootout is called by the IIHF. Per-Åge Skrøder scored on the first shot for Norway while Lars Haugen saved Eriksson's attempt. Mathis Olimb then gave Norway a huge advantage when he scored on Norway's second attempt, putting all the pressure on Berglund, who needed to score to keep the Game Winning Shots going. When Berglund missed to the right, Norway had secured it's historic victory by a final score of 5-4.
Ersberg made 42 saves for win, as Sweden outshot Norway 46-20.
Ersberg makes one of his 42 saves for Norway
Following the United States 5-1 win over Austria, the Group C standings have the US on top with 3 points for their regulation win, Norway with 2 for their overtime win, Sweden at 1 for an overtime loss and Austria with zero.
Norway next plays the United States on Monday, which will be aired live by Versus in the United States at 10 AM Eastern Time. Sweden and Austria then meet later the same day.
Today's featured jersey is a 1999 Norway National Team Per-Åge Skrøder jersey.
Skrøder began his professional hockey career in Norway in 1994 before moving to the Swedish Elitserien in 1998. He has played for Frölunda, Linköpings, HV 71, where he won a championship in 2004 and Södertälje before moving to MoDo in 2006 where he won a championship in 2007 and the league scoring title in 2009.
Additionally, Skrøder has competed for Norway in the European Junior Championships in 1995, the World Junior Championships in 1997, the World Championships at both the Top Division and Division 1 nine times and the Olympics in 2010.
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