Kazakhstan confirm promotion to 2020 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship
Kazahkstan playing against Korea. The hosts win by 4-1. (Photo by Ilyas Omorov, AIPS Asia)
NUR-SULTAN, May 4,2019 - The three-team group leading the standings undefeated became a two-team group at the 2019 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division I Group A. Kazakhstan beat Korea 4-1 in a strong performance on Thursday becoming the first team to do so.
Both Belarus and Kazakhstan top the standings with nine points and a +6 goal difference.
“Our team was very good. We were a lot with the puck, played offensively and with high tempo,” Kazakhstan head coach Andrei Skabelka said.
The Kazakhs put themselves on the scoreboard after already four minutes. Alexei Maklyukov sent off a shot and Pavel Akolzin deflected.
Kazakhstan didn’t give Korea much room and with 3:14 left in the period and pressure in the Korean zone, Leonid Metalnikov beat Korea goalie Matt Dalton with a shot from the blue line. He stood free there and converted the pass from Nikita Mikhailis after a puck battle on the left side.
“Today we played much better than last game. We stuck to our system, did not make many mistakes in the middle zone, had good forecheck. That’s why we won. It’s nice to score, it’s good for the team and I’m happy that we won,” Metalnikov said knowing that their business is not finished yet in Nur-Sultan. “I will be proud when we win the championship.”
Meanwhile Lithuania got its first win of the tournament on Saturday against Korea and made not only themselves but also Kazakhstan celebrate.
Due to Korea’s loss the Kazakhs will have a top-two finish and promotion to the 2020 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship guaranteed. Belarus, the other team with nine points from the first three games, needs one point from its two remaining games against Kazakhstan and Korea to earn promotion.
Korea’s chances for finishing in the top-two have become slim and are not fully in their control anymore. The Koreans need to hope that Kazakhstan beats Belarus in regulation time tonight and then they need to beat Belarus in regulation time tomorrow to move up from third place.
Both Belarus and Kazakhstan top the standings with nine points and a +6 goal difference.
“Our team was very good. We were a lot with the puck, played offensively and with high tempo,” Kazakhstan head coach Andrei Skabelka said.
The Kazakhs put themselves on the scoreboard after already four minutes. Alexei Maklyukov sent off a shot and Pavel Akolzin deflected.
Kazakhstan didn’t give Korea much room and with 3:14 left in the period and pressure in the Korean zone, Leonid Metalnikov beat Korea goalie Matt Dalton with a shot from the blue line. He stood free there and converted the pass from Nikita Mikhailis after a puck battle on the left side.
“Today we played much better than last game. We stuck to our system, did not make many mistakes in the middle zone, had good forecheck. That’s why we won. It’s nice to score, it’s good for the team and I’m happy that we won,” Metalnikov said knowing that their business is not finished yet in Nur-Sultan. “I will be proud when we win the championship.”
Meanwhile Lithuania got its first win of the tournament on Saturday against Korea and made not only themselves but also Kazakhstan celebrate.
Due to Korea’s loss the Kazakhs will have a top-two finish and promotion to the 2020 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship guaranteed. Belarus, the other team with nine points from the first three games, needs one point from its two remaining games against Kazakhstan and Korea to earn promotion.
Korea’s chances for finishing in the top-two have become slim and are not fully in their control anymore. The Koreans need to hope that Kazakhstan beats Belarus in regulation time tonight and then they need to beat Belarus in regulation time tomorrow to move up from third place.
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