Note: most information from the IIHF website.
Standings
Team
|
Wins
|
OTW/SOW
|
OTL/SOL
|
Losses
|
Points
|
Goal Diff.
|
Kazakhstan
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
15
|
+14
|
Ukraine
|
2
|
1
|
0
|
2
|
8
|
-1
|
Poland
|
2
|
0
|
1
|
2
|
7
|
-2
|
France
|
2
|
0
|
1
|
2
|
7
|
-2
|
Japan
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
3
|
5
|
-2
|
Hungary
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
3
|
3
|
-7
|
Results
December 14
Japan 3 - France 2 (SO)
Hungary 0 - Poland 1 (SO)
Ukraine 1 - Kazakhstan 5
December 15
Poland 1 - Ukraine 2
France 4 - Hungary 3
Kazakhstan 6 - Japan 3
December 17
Kazakhstan 3 - France 1
Hungary 3 - Ukraine 4 (SO)
Poland 5 - Japan 3
December 18
Ukraine 3 - Japan 1
Kazakhstan 3 - Hungary 1
France 3 - Poland 4
December 20
Poland 3 - Kazakhstan 6
Japan 5 - Hungary 1
France 1 - Ukraine 0
Team Recaps
Kazakhstan: Kazakhstan had an easy time winning this tournament. They started off firing against Ukraine, beating them 5-1 and outshooting them 45-15. Kazakhstan would face a stiffer test against Japan, but still come out of the game with a 6-3 win. The competition got tougher for Kazakhstan, as France would play up to their level. Kazakhstan opened the scoring late in the first. France would tie the game up midway though the second, but it didn't last. Alikhan Asetov scored with under a minute left in the period to put Kazakhstan back in the lead. Kazakhstan stifled France's attack in the third, and Kirill Savitski added an insurance goal as Kazakhstan extended their winning streak. Special teams was key in Kazakhstan's game against Hungary. The Kazakhs scored with the man advantage late in the first to take the lead. Hungary tied the game up early in the second with a powerplay goal of their own. It wasn't until the middle of the third when Kazakhstan found the back of the net again on the powerplay. Kazakhstan would add another goal with seconds remaining in the game to win 3-1. Kazakhstan capped off their tournament against Poland. While Poland opened the scoring early, Kazakhstan struck back with 2 goals of their own. The second period was back-and-forth, as whenever Poland scored, Kazakhstan would answer back. The Kazakhs finally put the game away for good in the third, scoring twice to win the game 6-3. Kazakhstan finished the group firmly in first place, and will play in Group A next year.
Ukraine: Ukraine did not have a good start to the tournament. Facing Kazakhstan, Ukraine did manage to open the scoring (powerplay goal early in the second), but that remained their only goal of the game. Kazakhstan would score 5 unanswered, as Ukraine loss their opening game. Against Poland, Ukraine would fall behind in the first period. Ukraine's powerplay would come alive though, as they score in the second and third period to win the game 2-1. Penalty trouble hurt Ukraine early against Hungary, as they gave up two goals while shorthanded. They did manage to get a powerplay goal of their own before first period ended. Both team would swap goals in the second. Ukraine's powerplay came through in the third, as Yevgen Tymchenko scored to tie the game. Ukraine went on to win in the shootout. It took a while for Ukraine to score against Japan. When Ukraine eventually scored (midway through the second), it wasn't long until Japan answered back. Ukraine had the last laugh though, as they score late in the second and midway through the third to secure another win. Ukraine ended their tournament against France. France was able to dominate play in the first, while Ukraine dominated in the second. It wasn't until the third though that a goal was registered, and much to the chagrin of Ukraine, it was against them. Ukraine could not tie the game up, losing their last game of the tournament. Ukraine earned enough points to finish in sole possession of second place.
Poland: Poland would kick off their tournament facing the host Hungary. Poland would get heavily out-played, but Polish goalie Michael Luba was up to the test, as he stopped all 56 shots he faced. On the other end, Poland failed to find the scoresheet. The game needed a shootout, and Luba could only do so much. Poland lost their opening game 1-0. Poland's offense would show signs of life against Ukraine. Patryk Malicki would score seven minutes into the game to give Poland the lead. Sadly, that was it for Poland, as their penalties started to become costly. They would give up a powerplay goal in the second and third period, resulting in another 1-goal loss. Against Japan, Poland came out firing in the first, but could not find the back of the net. The second period was reverse, but this time Japan found a way to score. The third period was a different story, and this time it greatly favoured Poland. Poland would score five times in the period (three of them by Bartosz Fraszko) as they would finally register a win. Poland's momentum would continue against France. Both teams ended the first tied 1-1, but Poland broke the deadlock in the second. France tied the game on a powerplay goal in the third, but Poland's powerplay would one-up them, scoring twice in two minutes. France could not come back, as Poland won their second straight game. Against Kazahstan, Poland struck early, scoring under two minutes into the game. That lead did not last, as Poland gave up two goals in a matter of minutes. The second period was not too kind to Poland, as whenever they tied the game, Kazakhstan would answer back and take the lead again. Poland could not do much in the third, and eventually lost the game 6-3. Poland ended the tournament in third place.
France: France started their tournament against Japan. The French would strike seven minutes into the game. They held the lead until late in the second, when Japan scored to tie the game. Japan took the lead in the third. With a minute-and-a-half left in regulation, Floran Douay found the back of the net to tie the game for France. It was the last time France would find it though, as they failed to score in the shootout, and ultimately lost 3-2. France had some trouble against Hungary, as they went down 2-0 before tying the game. Starting the third period down a goal, France would score early to tie the game. Arnaud Faure scored with five minutes left in regulation to give France the lead and ultimately the win. Against Kazakhstan, France was able to hold their own. They did allow a goal late in the first, but eventually tied it up in the second. The tie didn't last long, as Kazakhstan scored before the second period ended. France would allow one more goal in the third, as they suffer their first regulation loss of the tournament. France would strike first against Poland, but ended up finishing the first period tied 1-1. France would fall behind in the second before a powerplay goal help them tie the game early in the third. France then got into some penalty trouble, and it cost them twice. While they managed to climb back to within one, it was too little, too late for France, as they suffer their second straight loss. France's last game was against Ukraine. France managed to double up Ukraine in shots in the first, but they were tripled up on by Ukraine in the second. France did strike early in the third, as Guillaume Leclerc scored to put France up 1-0. The score would stay that way, as France would beat Ukraine for their second win of the tournament. France finished in fourth place.
Japan: Japan did just enough in this tournament. They opened against France, and fell behind in the first period. Japan did tie the game in the second before taking the lead in the third. Victory was not meant to be (yet), as France tied the game up late in the third. Japan did prevail in the shootout. Japan was in tough against Kazakhstan. Japan would fall behind 1-0 after the first then get scored on twice early in the second. They did manage to retaliate, and ended the period down two goals. They didn't get much closer though, as Kazakhstan scored twice more in the third. Japan scored before the end of the game, but it didn't help much, as they fall 6-3. Japan looked to frustrate Poland, as they shut down their attack in the first before mounting an attack of their own in the second. Going into the third 1-0, Japan would fizzle early, giving up the lead and falling behind three minutes into the period. Japan managed to score twice to take back the lead but it was short-lived. Poland would score two times in two minutes, and add another later on to extend Japan's losing streak. Things kept getting worst for Japan, as they lost a third straight game, losing 3-1 to Ukraine. In the relegation game against Hungary, Japan did come though. Japan scored early in the first and second period before getting scored on once. A 3-goal third period all but put the game away for Japan. With the win, Japan managed to avoid relegation, and will live to play another year in Division I.
Hungary: This was not a kind tournament to the host. They started their tournament against Poland, and were on fire throughout the game. Despite putting up 56 shots though, Hungary failed to put one into the net. The game needed a shootout, where Hungary did find the net a couple times, and would win the game 1-0. Hungary looked to keep going against France, and did with a goal late in the first period. Hungary did score five minutes into, and remaining, in the second period, but allowed France to have a pair of goals of their own. Hungary could not hold on in the third, as France scored twice to take the game from the host. Looking to rebound against Ukraine, Hungary got off on the right foot with two powerplay goals in the first part of the opening period. Ukraine would claw back with a goal late in the first and one in the second, but Hungary would regain the lead before the second period ended. Once again, Hungary failed to hold on, as Ukraine tied the game late in the third. The game needed a shootout, and this time Hungary could not come through. Against Kazakhstan, Hungary looked to keep the game within reach. They did just that, only giving up a late goal in the first before striking back early in the second. Hungary just couldn't keep Kazakhstan at bay though, as they gave up two goals in the third to lose a third straight game. Face relegation, Hungary needed a win against Japan. It didn't start off well for the host, as Japan scored early in both the first and second periods. Hungary did get one back in the second. That was it for Hungary though, as Japan scored three times in the third to sink any chance the Hungarians had at staying in the group. Hungary finished sixth in the group, and will be headed back to Division II for next year.
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