Greece Edges Montenegro 17-16 in Penalty Shootout; Nikolaos Papanikolaou’s Greek Team Remains Undefeated

Greece trailed 4-2 at the end of the first period, 7-5 at halftime and 9-8 entering the final 8-minute quarter. The Greeks took a 12-11 lead on a goal by Angelos Vlachopoulos with 29 seconds left.

Greece 17, Montenegro 16: Former Cal star Nikolaos Papanikolaou did not score, but his Greek team remained undefeated in two group play matches with a 17-16 penalty shootout victory over Montenegro.Greece Edges Montenegro 17-16 in Penalty Shootout; Nikolaos Papanikolaou’s Greek Team Remains Undefeated 2 Greece trailed 4-2 at the end of the first period, 7-5 at halftime and 9-8 entering the final 8-minute quarter. The Greeks took a 12-11 lead on a goal by Angelos Vlachopoulos with 29 seconds left.

But Montenegro forced the penalty shootout when Vasilije Radovic put the ball in the net with 2 seconds left in regulation.

Papanikolaou, a five-time All-American at Cal and three-time winner of the Peter J. Cutino Award as the nation’s top collegiate player did not have a shot attempt in his 12 minutes, 42 seconds in the pool.

The USA Men will meet Greece next on Thursday.