Norway Shuts Out Slovenia 4-0 at Iihf World Championship 2026 Norway
Norway blanked Slovenia 4-0 on Sunday at iihf world championship 2026 norway, and the shutout came after an opening loss that left the team needing points fast in Group B. Henrik Haukeland made 11 saves, Jacob Berglund scored three times in the second period, and Sander Hurrod added the first-period goal.
Berglund Breaks It Open
Hurrod put Norway ahead 7:33 into the first period. Berglund turned the game into a rout with a natural hat trick in the second period, scoring three straight goals and taking the pressure off the rest of the night.
That scoring burst changed the shape of the game immediately. Norway had already opened the tournament with a 2-1 loss to Slovakia on Saturday, so this was the first result that gave it room in the standings instead of leaving it chasing.
Haukeland Stands Up
Haukeland did not need a heavy workload, but he still had to finish the job. He stopped all 11 shots he faced for the shutout, while Norway’s skaters turned Slovenia’s chances into a scoreless night.
The roster around him did not include an NHL player, and Andreas Martinsen wore the captain’s letter for Norway. That makes the 4-0 result more about structure and finishing than star power, with the clean sheet carrying the value after the tournament-opening setback.
Fribourg Awaits Italy
Norway’s result lands ahead of a Tuesday meeting with Italy at BCF Arena in Fribourg, Switzerland, scheduled for 10 a.m. ET on May 19, 2026. Italy entered that game at 0-0-0-2 with 0 points after losses to Canada and Slovakia, so Norway now has a chance to build on the first win instead of protecting a damaged start.
Italy’s side of the schedule also sharpened the context for Norway’s clean sheet: Gabriel Nitz scored its only goal against Slovakia at 5:03 of the third period, and Jacob Smith made 27 saves in that 4-1 loss. Norway, in the top division since 2006, has not reached the quarterfinals since 2012, so every early result carries extra weight in a short round-robin fight.
