"It's been a stressful few days. Home from Dallas after losing in the playoffs, packing and then flying yesterday (Monday, ed.), landing in Copenhagen at 11.00 CET. and on to Herning, where I arrived at 15.00 CET, before we were supposed to play at 20.20 CET"
"I'm tired, really tired. But when you get a result like that, and you come home to these boys and the staff, it's just fantastic", says Nikolaj Ehlers.
While his body and mind were affected by the last 48 hours, the importance of the game helped him get into full match mode when he ran onto the ice.
"It was a great game to play. It felt like a playoff game. Whoever won advanced. And every time we play Germany, it can go either way. They played well too, but overall, I think we were the best."
"It's great what my teammates have done in the last week and a half to put the team in this situation. So I'm happy that we got the win", says Nikolaj Ehlers.
Against the Germans, he delivered the goods when he tied the score at 1-1 ten minutes before the end to keep Denmark alive in the tournament.
After a pass from Oscar Fisker Molgaard, the puck jumped off the board and landed at the feet of Ehlers, who hammered it into the nearest corner.
"Of course, it was great, because I wasn't completely satisfied with my game. Oscar made a pass that not many people do. Amazingly clever played."
"I knew that the goalie usually sits down, so it was about getting the puck as high as possible", explains Nikolaj Ehlers.
Denmark will face Canada in the quarter-finals, which will be played in Herning on Thursday.