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GERMANS COME CLOSE BUT CAN’T PUT JAPAN AWAY FOR BRONZE
 VANCOUVER, BC –
Japan put together a comeback for the ages on Sunday afternoon at UBC Thunderbird Arena, snatching bronze
from the grasp of Germany at the 2009 Hockey Canada Cup.
The Germans held a 2-0 lead late in the third period, and seemed on the verge of the upset, before the
Japanese scored twice in the final 2:36 to force extra time, and eventually scored a 3-2 shootout win over
the Europeans.
Germany saved its best performance for last after being outscored 27-2 in its four earlier games at the
tournament, with Sebastian Disveld counting in the first period and Udo Segreff adding one in the second to
give the Germans a seemingly insurmountable lead.
But with a pro-Japan crowd behind them, the Japanese mounted their comeback late, as Takatuki Endo scored
in at the 12:34 mark of the third period and Satoru Sudo pulled them even with 51 seconds left on the
clock.
Japanese goaltender Mitsuru Nagase made a game-saving glove save with late in the OT period, flashing the
leather and robbing Segreff of the potential game-winner.
Daisuke Uehara had the lone goal of the shootout, while Nagase turned aside Sven Stumpe, Gerd Bleidorn and
Frank Rennhack.
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