SOLBERG’S HAT TRICK PACES NORWAY TO SECOND STRAIGHT WSHC BRONZE

CALGARY, Alta. – Loyd Remi Solberg scored once in each period to complete his hat trick, helping Norway to the bronze medal at the 2012 World Sledge Hockey Challenge with a 5-0 win over Japan on Saturday afternoon.

It’s the second year in a row the Norwegians have taken home bronze from Calgary; they beat Japan 5-3 in the third-place game one year ago. Norway has medalled at all six World Sledge Hockey Challenges, winning three silver and three bronze.

Magnus Bøgle and Knut Andre Nordstoga scored the other goals for Norway, while Audun Bakke tied a tournament record with four assists.

After the two teams played a scoreless game through regulation and overtime in their preliminary round match-up, Solberg ensured that wouldn’t be the case Saturday, going under the crossbar on a breakaway just 1:15 in.

Bøgle made it 2-0 near the end of the opening 15 minutes, knocking in his own rebound on a three-on-one, before Solberg and Nordstoga, on the power play, pushed the advantage to 4-0 through two periods.

Solberg’s hat trick goal was the only scoring in the third period.

Norwegian netminder Kjell Christian Hamar recorded his second shutout in as many starts against Japan this week, making nine saves, while his Japanese counterpart, Mitsuru Nagase, finished with 23 stops.

Japan went the entire tournament, a span of 230 minutes, without scoring a goal. Satoru Sudo, in the shootout against Norway on Wednesday, was the lone Japanese player to put the puck in the opposition goal.

Penalties:
None

Penalties:
13:45 JPN 98 Yoshihiro Shioya (High Sticking)

Penalties:
01:56 NOR 20 Martin Hamre (Holding)