Eirik Salsten celebrates the equalizer for Storhamar in the NM final against Vålerenga. Photo: Cornelius Poppe / NTB
Of NTB | 23.04.2024 21:40:45
Sport: Eirik Salsten became the hero.
Thus, Storhamar’s eighth King’s Cup is in the works. Vålerenga is still the leader in Norway with its 26 “buckets”.
It was the guests from the capital who got off to the best start. The team’s top scorer Thomas Olsen made it 1-0 after three and a half minutes. It was naturally difficult to stand still in an otherwise “full barn” with over 7,100 in attendance.
Next to the goal, Vålerenga also had two great chances with Sander Thoresen and Martin Røymark, who both missed alone with goalkeeper Markus Stensrud.
Storhamar have been good in the outnumbered this season, and when they had the opportunity in five against four in the middle period, the equalizer set. Peter Quenneville’s shot went through the Vålerenga defender Tommi Taimi and into the goal to make it 1-1.
Another outnumbered game for Storhamar was barely over when Samuel Solem had time in the “castle” to put the puck up in the corner behind an otherwise very solid Tobias Breivold.
The CC amphitheater fell silent once again when the warrior Magnus Brekke Henriksen equalized to 2-2. Jakob Berglund had several good opportunities to know the net, but it was only after 55.25 that he was to succeed.
Vålerenga took the goalkeeper in the final minutes and 12 seconds before the end Christopher Bengtson managed to score the 3-3 goal. The champagne had to be chilled again.
The NM title probably tasted very good to Storhamar’s great veteran and captain Patrick Thoresen. He celebrated 400 games for the yellow and blue with his second NM gold, but the first proper one. As a 16-year-old, he was part of the team that won the NM gold in 2000, but during the final itself he was busy with the U18 WC.
Storhamar coach Petter Thoresen has now won 16 NM golds as a player and coach for Vålerenga, Storhamar and Stavanger.
(© NTB)