Team Canada 6 - HC Davos 5
Just like last time these two teams met, HC Davos started off controlling play, as they got a couple quick shots. A bit of a scary moment for Canada early on, as defenceman Daniel Vukovic took a puck to the throat. He would recover though, and finished the game. James Sheppard got Canada's first real chance of the period, as he managed to cut out to the front of the net. Leonardo Genoni kept with him though and made the save. Davos got the first powerplay of the game, as Trevor Carrick was called for high sticking five minutes into the period. Davos capitalized on the man advantage, as Gregory Sciaroni took the puck off of a defensive miscue by Canada, cut across the crease, and slipped the puck past Jeff Glass' outstretched arm, putting the host club up 1-0. Carrick's night went from bad to worst moments later, as he could not handle bouncing puck at the blueline. Davos' Sven Ryser collected the loose puck, skated in on a breakaway, and beat Glass with a backhand, making it a 2-0 game. Ryser almost got another goal seconds later, but was unsuccessful in his attempt. Davos kept up the attack until Enzo Corvi got called for interference. The man advantaged gave Canada a bit of a spark, as they had a few good chances early on. Near the end of the powerplay, Sheppard found Tom Pyatt in the slot, who them proceeded to beat Genoni with a backhand. Pyatt's powerplay goal got Canada on the board, as they now trailed by one. That goal gave Canada a bit of a jump, as they put on the pressure, looking to tie the game. That ended a few minutes later, as Alexandre Giroux was sent to the box for roughing. Davos could not take advantage on the powerplay though, as the score remained 2-1 in their favour. It got rough later in the period. First, Davos' Felicien du Bois pushed Derek Roy into an on-coming Cory Conacher, causing them to butt heads. Both Canadian players would be fine. The same couldn't be said for Sciaroni, as Chris DiDomenico's hit on him trapped his arm against the boards. Sciaroni would skate off, but not return, as he suffered a wrist injury. Just over a minute left into the period, Devin Setoguchi had a chance from the high slot, but it was stopped by Glass. There was a rebound though, and Davos' Alexandre Picard was there to put it home, making it 3-1 for the Swiss club. The period wound down, as Davos headed into the intermission with a two-goal lead.
Canada had a great chance early on, as Matt D'Agostini collected a turnover at the side of the Davos net. He managed to beat Genoni, but not the post. Marc Aeschlimann had Davos' best chance early, but his backhand attempt went wide. About seven minutes into the period, du Bois would beat a screened Glass with a shot from the point. That spelled the end of Glass' night, as Matt Climie (who was call in to replaced the injured Drew MacIntyre) went into net for Canada. It didn't take long for Canada to respond, as Sheppard received a cross-crease pass from Pyatt and buried it before Genoni could slide over. Sheppard's goal cut Davos' lead to two goals. Canada caught a break minutes later, as du Bois was penalized for hooking. 33 seconds into the man advantage, Matt Ellison would escape a scramble in front of the net with the puck and backhand it past Genoni, pulling Canada to within a goal. The ice opened up a bit minutes later, as Aaron Johnson (CAN) and Jan Brejcak (HCD) received offsetting minor penalties. Four-on-four didn't result in much though, as Davos still held a one-goal lead as both teams went back to full strength. Canada turned on the pressure late in the period, looking to tie the game. Genoni looked unstoppable for a while, as he turned aside multiple attempts by Canada. The Canadian would break through, as Ellison received a pass near the goal, deked out Genoni, and tucked it into the net to tie the game. Canada fought from being down by three at one point, as they headed into the second intermission tied with Davos.
The third period did not start well for linesman Balazs Kovac, as he was hit with the puck on a dump-in attempt. It took a minute, but after being looked over by trainers he would continue. Canada looked to have caught a massive break early in the period, as Ryser and Ville Koistinen were called for peanlties 35 seconds apart. Canada managed to set up on the five-on-three, but could not connect, as they ended the two man advantage goalless. Davos would take the lead minutes after killing off those penalties. Perttu Lindgren entered the Canadian zone down the right side and snapped a shot that beat Climie blocker side, putting Davos back in the lead. Canada had sustained pressure midway through the period, but could not find a tying goal during that time. Daovs had a few attempts to extend their lead, but Samuel Walser was impeded on his breakaway and Setoguchi's wraparound was stopped. Just under five minutes left in the period, Canada would find a tying goal. Giroux finished off a tic-tac-toe play by slipping the puck past Genoni. Canada struck again a minute later, as Cory Conacher kept the puck on a two-on-one and snapped a shot over Genoni's blocker. Canada was now in the lead for the first time in the game. Davos looked to tie the game, but shot themselves in the foot, as Corvi was called for cross-checking. Davos managed to kill that penalty, and when they went up for the attack, they got called for too many men. Davos put the pressure on late, but ran out of time. Canada came back to win 6-5, and move on the final.
Players of the game: Matt Ellison (CAN), Sven Ryser (HCD)
Ellison was key for Canada in this game. His two goals helped tie the game and he set up the game winner. He cooled down as the game went on, by Ryser had a good first period. Ryser ended the game with a goal and two shots.
HC Lugano 3 - Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg 0
The pace of the period started slow, but picked up quickly. The same couldn't be said for the chances, as the first real good one came almost five minutes into the period. Alessio Bertaggia had a couple shots from the slot, but Jakub Kovar was there to stop them. Lugano kept up the chances after that, but could not solve Kovar. Yekaterinburg would get a good chance minway through the period, as Ondrej Roman's shot from the slot would be stopped by Elvis Merzlikins. The game remained scoreless until late in the period. Philippe Furrer's point shot would be tipped by Tim Stapleton just enough so it would go past Kovar's pad and into the net. Lugano was determined not to just sit on a one-goal lead, as they controlled play for most of the period. Stapleton's goal would be the only one of the period though, as the Swiss club headed into the intermission up 1-0.
The second period saw Yekaterinburg get the first good chance, as a turnover lead to Roman gatted a shot off from the slot. Merzlikins turned the shot aside. Lugano got a two-on-one chance minutes into the period, and did not squander the opportunity. Fredrik Pettersson passed to Linus Klasen, who cut in and best Kovar, extending Lugano's lead to 2-0. Anatoli Golyshev tried to get his team on the board moments later, but his attempt to go short side was stopped by Merzlikins. Yekaterinburg would fined themselves in some penalty trouble later in the period, starting with Nikita Tryamkin going off for elbowing. Lugano's best chance actually came on the delayed penalty, as they got a couple chances before Tryamkin went to the box. The powerplay resulted in nothing, but Lugano kept up the pressure. Kirill Polozov was the next Yekaterinburg player to go to the box, as he was called for holding. Lugano didn't do much on that powerplay was well, as the score remained 2-0. It stayed that way as the period ended, as Lugano was 20 minutes away from advancing to the final.
Lugano started the period with a pretty good chance, as Klasen received a pass on a two-on-one and wasted no time getting the shot off. Kovar would not be beat though, as he did the splits in order to make the save. Yekaterinburg caught a couple breaks, as Damien Brunner, then Furrer, were penalized. Despite four full minutes of powerplay time, Yekaterinburg had only a handful of chances, and were stopped on all of their attempts. The Russian club kept pressing, as they wanted to break the shutout. Just over six minutes left in the period, Brunner would be penalized again (this time for tripping). Yekaterinburg went all out, as they pulled Kovar to make it a six-on-four. A few times Kovar had to go back into the net for precautionary reasons, but was not back in the crease for long. Even though they had made it a two-man advantage, Yekaterinburg could not solve Merzlikins. Brunner ended up stepping out of the penalty box, retrieving the puck, and put it in the empty net. That capped off the scoring for the game, as Lugano went on to win the game 3-0, advancing to the final.
Players of the game: Elvis Merzlikins (HCL), Jakub Kovar (AVT)
Merzlikins stood strong for HC Lugano, stopping all 30 shots he faced to shutout Yekaterinburg. There weren't too many from Yekaterinburg that had a good game. Kovar did what he could for his club, stopping 25 of 27 shots to keep them in the game.
Team Canada 4 - HC Lugano 3
Canada was on the attack, as they put the pressure on the Lugano defence early. While Canada didn't score, they did get a powerplay, as Alessio Bertaggia was called for tripping Alexandre Giroux. The powerplay ended up being all for naught, as Canada could not capitalize on the man advantage. Lugano would soon find themselves on the attack, and they didn't squander their opportunity. Gregory Hofmann beat Jeff Glass on a wraparound to put the Swiss club up 1-0. They kept the pressure up, as Lugano had multiple chances, but none would find the back of the net. Manny Malhotra had a good chance to tie the game, but he redirected the pass over the net. Lugano would get their first powerplay in the latter half of the period, as Alexandre Picard was called for tripping. They didn't get much going on the man advantage though, as the two minutes went by without a goal. Canada turned the play back toward the Lugano end shortly after killing the penalty. Chris DiDomenico found Keaton Ellerby at the point, who one-timed the puck past Elvis Merzlikins to tie the game. Ellerby almost had a second goal moment later, as Merzlikins was down and the top of the net was open. It was not to be though, as in Hasek-ian like fashion, Merzlikins kicked his left leg up, making the save with his foot. Lugano ended the period on the powerplay, as Matt D'Agostini was sent to the box for tripping. The game was tied at ones after 20 minutes.
Lugano's man advantage became a two-man advantage 34 seconds into the period, as Tom Pyatt was called for high sticking. Despite the advantage, Lugano could not do anything with it, as Canada killed off both penalties. Both teams exchanged two-on-one rushes as five-on-five play resumed, but both goalies stood strong and stopped those attempts. Canada would break the tie minutes into the period. Cory Conacher's initial shot was stopped by Merzlikins, but Roy was there to bury the rebound, as Canada took a 2-1 lead. It wasn't long until Canada extended their lead, as DiDomenico found Pyatt with a backdoor pass. Pyatt had no trouble scoring, as Canada went up 3-1. Canada found themselves in penalty trouble yet again, as Carrick got called for tripping. Lugano's best chance came seconds after their powerplay expired, as Fredrik Pettersson's blast rang off the post. Canada looked to have lost a defender, as Picard went down after blocking a shot with his knee. He managed to get to the bench during play, and took a bit to walk it off. Picard ended up not missing a shift. Midway through the period, Lugano was awarded their fifth powerplay, as Derek Roy was called for hooking. This time, the Swiss club didn't disappoint. Damien Brunner found Alessandro Chiesa, whose shot slipped by Glass and into the net. Chiesa's powerplay goal pulled Lugano to within a goal. The ice opened up moments later, as Lorenz Kienzle and DiDomenico received offsetting minors. Kienzle didn't go to the box quietly though, as he gave it to DiDomenico for embellishing. The four-on-four did result in more open play, as both teams exchanged rushes. It continued once both penalties were over, as the rushes kept happening. Glass and Merzlikins were determined to keep the puck out though, as they stopped everything they saw. The period ended with Canada up 3-2.
Canada had the best chance early in the third, as a point shot trickled by Merzlikins. It sat in the crease, as Lugano's Julian Walker was there to clear the puck out of harms way. Sheppard had a chance moments later, but Merzlikins was able to slide his pad over just in time to make the save. Just over five minutes into the period, Lugano tied the game. Bertaggia cut out in front out of the slot and outwaited Glass. His shot was deflected by Glass' stick, as Hofmann raced into poke the puck into the net. The play was reviewed, as it looked like Matthew Lombardi got his stick on the puck to clear it out of the net before it crossed the line. That was not the case, as the goal stood, meaning Lugano tied the game. Canada was determined to regain the lead. Roy had a chance, as he cut into the slot and released a spinorama shot. Merzlikins wasn't fazed by the move though, and easily made the save. Moments later, Aaron Johnson tried to send a pass out from behind the net. It bounced off Lombardi and right to D'Agostini in the high slot, who proceeded to blast a shot past Merzlikins. D'Agostini's goal gave Canada a 4-3 lead. Some confusion at the Lugano bench soon after ended up with the Swiss club being called for too many men. While Canada had a couple good chances on the powerplay, they could not find a way to extend their lead. D'Agostini got a chance to get his second of the game, but Clarence Kparghai stuck his knee out to block what looked like a sure goal. Lugano managed to pull Merzlikins in the last minute, as they looked to find the tying goal. They got two good chances, but were stopped on both. Canada hung on for the 4-3 win, giving them their first Spengler Cup victory since 2012.
Players of the game: Chris DiDomenico (CAN), Gregory Hofmann (HCL)
DiDomenico was a force in this game. He set up two goals and was in on multiple chances. Hofmann got two goals for the Swiss club. He also finished the game with three shots on goal.
Thursday, December 31, 2015
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
2015 Spengler Cup Recap - Day 4
The pre-semi-finals happened today, and it was the tale of two games. The first one put the home crowd through a rollercoaster of emotions, going from glad, to sad, to hopeful, then finally ecstatic. The second game wasn't as wild, as a first period goal rush was enough to win.
Jokerit Helsinki 4 - HC Davos 5 (OT)
The game started off with some notable scratches. Brandon Kozun was out for Jokerit, while Devin Setoguchi and Perttu Lindgren were not dressed for Davos. The Swiss club even had a change in goal, as Gilles Senn got the start over Leonardo Genoni. HC Davos had a good opportunity to open the scoring seconds into the match, but Samuel Walser did not get much on his shot, sending it wide. Davos kept the up pressure though, as they were determined to score first. They would be rewarded, as Lukas Sieber stole the puck behind the net and fed Jerome Portmann out front, who converted on the chance to put the host up 1-0. Davos got a couple chances to extend there lead, but Enzo Corvi attempt was stopped while Mauro Jorg rang his shot off the crossbar. Jokerit would catch a break though, as Davos' Marc Aeschlimann was called for hooking. Jokerit couldn't get much done on the man advantage though as the two minutes flew by with the score still in favour of Davos. Jokerit caught another break moments later, as Daine Todd was hooked while on a breakaway, leading to a penalty shot being awarded. Todd made good on his chance, as he beat Senn to tie the game. Jokerit found themselves on the man advantage again a minute later, as David Moss was called for hooking. That powerplay lasted a minute though, as Artus Kulda was called for a hooking as well, making it a four-on-four game. Jokerit had a couple chances with the ice more open, but could not convert on them. Jokerit ended the period with a chance to go ahead, but Peter Regin would be stopped by the glove of Senn. The teams headed into the first intermission tied at ones.
Jokerit came out of the break flying, as they got a couple early chances. Things didn't really pick up until midway through the period, starting with Todd getting sent to the box for holding. That powerplay was what Davos needed, as Ville Koistinen's wrister beat a semi-screened Riku Helenius to put the Swiss club back in the lead. That lead lasted for a minute, as Juhamatti Aaltonen connected with Jesse Joensuu on a give-and-go, resulting in Aaltonen cutting in and tucking the puck over Senn's shoulder to tie the game. Jokerit were now on the attack, as they looked for their first lead of the game. Jesper Jensen had a good chance for the Finnish club, but he missed on his shot. Roope Talaja would ended up getting the go-ahead goal for Jokerit, as he tipped Atte Ohtamaa's point shot past Senn. Jokerit kept attacking, and it kept working. Minutes later, Peter Regin's shot would trickle past Senn, as Jokerit went up 4-2. The buzzer would sound shorty after, as Jokerit headed into the second intermission up by two.
Both teams would get three-on-twos early in the period, but neither could convert on the odd-man rush. It got heated though, as Joensuu (HEL) and Gregory Sciaroni (HCD) ended up fighting. Both players received double-minors for roughing, as well as a ten minute misconduct. Things settled down, as Davos looked for a way to get back into the game. Jorg would find the way, as he took a pass from Corvi and beat Helenius short side, pulling Davos to within a goal. It would be the Pekka Jormakka show for a bit as the Jokerit winger got a few chances to regain his team's two goal lead. Unfortunately for Jormakka, and Jokerit, he could not. The animosity between the two teams cranked up again, as Artus Kulda and Alexandre Picard got into a shoving match while the play was ongoing. Kulda would be the only on penalized, as he viciously hooked Picard down to the ice. Davos' best chance on that powerplay came near the end, as David Moss would be stopped on a breakaway. Just over four minutes left in the period, Davos found magic. Andres Ambuhl, Felicien du Bois, and Samuel Walser connected on a tic-tac-toe play that resulted in Walser roofing it past a diving Helenius. Davos looked rejuvenated afterwards, as they pressured for the go-ahead goal. It would turn on the host team though, as Koistinen was called for tripping. Jokerit managed to set up their powerplay a few times, but Davos did well in defending, as they took away the cross-ice pass Jokerit wanted. The penalty was successfully killed by Davos. The remaining 12 seconds were uneventful, as both teams were tied 4-4 at the end of regulation.
Overtime was needed to solve the game. New for this year was overtime being three-on-three, and it created a ton of rushes for each team. Jokerit had the best chance early on, as Topi Jaakola kept on a two-on-one and cut in, only to be stopped by Senn. DAvos pressured as time in the period wound down. Ambuhl would circle around the slot, and find an open Sciaroni in the slot. Sciaroni wasted no time getting the shot off, as the puck sailed past Helenius's glove and into the net. Davos created the dramatic for the home crowd, as they came back and won the game 5-4. HC Davos now go on to face Team Canada in the semi-finals.
Players of the game: Mauro Jorg (HCD), Juhamatti Aaltonen (HEL)
Jorg had a good game for the host club. He finished with a goal, an assist, and a solid shot off the crossbar. Aaltonen played well for Jokerit, as he had a goal and an assist. He also had a couple chances in overtime, but could not find the back of the net.
Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg 3 - Adler Mannheim 1
Adler Mannheim was hurting before the game began, as the tournament's leading scorer, Ryan MacMurchy, was out. They would get the first decent chance of the game though, as Jochen Hecht opted to keep on a two-on-one, but his effort was stopped by Igor Ustinsky. Yekartinburg worked a give-and-go moments later, but Petr Koukal could not handle the return pass. The first goal of the game came over seven minutes in, as Tommi Kivisto received a pass from Ondrej Roman and released a shot from the point. It squeezed by Dennis Endras' glove, as Yekaterinburg took a 1-0 lead. Mannheim pressured soon after that good, as they looked to tie the game. They could not get anything set up though, as Yekaterinburg would go the other way. Alexander Torchenyuk received a pass from Roman from behind the net, deke into the slot, and slipped it past Endras to put the Russian club up 2-0. Mannheim looked to come back, but they could not muster any quality chances. Anatoli Golyshev had a chance for Yekartinburg, but his breakaway attempt was stopped by Endras. Later on, Yekartinburg would find themselves on the powerplay, as Mannheim's Steve Eminger was called for tripping. A minute into the man advantage, Kivisto's point shot was tipped by Sergey Yemelin and found it's way past Endras, making it 3-0 for Yekaterinburg. Golyshev would get another opportunity for a goal moments later, but this time he failed to hit the target. Mannheim a chance to get on the board as time wind down, but Brett Raedeke's shot was saved by Ustinsky. With three seconds left and a faceoff in the Yekaterinburg end, Mannheim pulled Endras for the extra attacker. While they managed to get a decent shot off, it was easily saved. The first period ended with Yekaterinburg up 3-0.
The second started with Mannheim continuing to look for their first goal. Instead, they found their second penalty of the game, as Christoph Ullmann was called for slashing. Yekaterinburg could not establish their powerplay though, as the two minutes went by without a goal. Play would go back and forth for a bit, as both teams could not establish an attack. Mannheim got a bit of a scare, as Golyshev collided with Endras on a breakaway attempt. The trainer went out to check on Endras, who wasn't too shaken up by the play, as he stayed in net. The chances did start to pick up after that, starting with Ronny Arendt's shot being turned aside by Ustinski. Alexei Mikhnov had one soon after, as he deked into the slot, only to be stopped by Endras. Kai Hospelt had Mannheim's next chance, but was stopped on his shot from the slot. The ice would open up a bit midway through the period, as Petr Koukal (AVT) and Hecht (MAN) received off-setting minor penalties. Almost as the four-on-four ended, it Raedeke would be called for hooking, setting up a four-on-three for Yekaterinburg for 17 seconds. It was enough time for Yekaterinburg to get one solid chance. Dmitri Megalinsky stepped in with a wrist shot that hit Endras' stick and went wide. Yekartinburg didn't do much else with the man advantage. Mannheim put on the pressure late in the period, as they still looked to get on the board. It was all for not though, as the score remained 3-0 after 40 minutes.
The third period started off rough for Yekaterinburg, as Koukal and Golyshev got hurt on two separate plays. Luckily for the Russian club, both players would be fine, and not need to miss a shift. Mannheim controlled most of the play early on, but could not get anything going, as they were either scrambling or being kept to the outside. Mannheim got a break five minutes into the period, as Yekaterinburg was called for too many men on the ice. Their powerplay was sloppy though, and ended 39 seconds in, as Hospelt was penalized for tripping. Mannheim was more organized on the four-on-four, as it led to a good backhand chance by Jon Rheault. Yekaterinburg had a chance of their own, but Koukal could not hit the net on a two-on-one. The short powerplay by Yekaterinburg didn't result in much. Once five-on-five play resumed, Mannheim was back on the attack. Hecht had a good chance, but he just missed on his short side attempt. The German club would finally get on the board midway through the period. A point shot by Mathieu Carle would be tipped and saved, but Raedeke was able to dive for the rebound and poke it into the net. Mannheim continued to pressure after that goal, but to no avail. Yekaterinburg would take control minutes later, but could not convert on multiple chances. Mannheim sustained pressure for the last six minutes of regulation, desperately looking for a way to tie the game. While they got a few good chances, none of them found the back of the net. Yekaterinburg held on to win the game 3-1. They now move on to face HC Lugano in the semi-finals.
Players of the game: Brett Raedeke (MAN), Anatoli Golyshev (AVT)
There weren't too many players to choose from for Mannheim. Raedeke gets the nod as he was the lone goalscorer for Mannheim. While he didn't get a point, Golyshev had multiple chances to.
Jokerit Helsinki 4 - HC Davos 5 (OT)
The game started off with some notable scratches. Brandon Kozun was out for Jokerit, while Devin Setoguchi and Perttu Lindgren were not dressed for Davos. The Swiss club even had a change in goal, as Gilles Senn got the start over Leonardo Genoni. HC Davos had a good opportunity to open the scoring seconds into the match, but Samuel Walser did not get much on his shot, sending it wide. Davos kept the up pressure though, as they were determined to score first. They would be rewarded, as Lukas Sieber stole the puck behind the net and fed Jerome Portmann out front, who converted on the chance to put the host up 1-0. Davos got a couple chances to extend there lead, but Enzo Corvi attempt was stopped while Mauro Jorg rang his shot off the crossbar. Jokerit would catch a break though, as Davos' Marc Aeschlimann was called for hooking. Jokerit couldn't get much done on the man advantage though as the two minutes flew by with the score still in favour of Davos. Jokerit caught another break moments later, as Daine Todd was hooked while on a breakaway, leading to a penalty shot being awarded. Todd made good on his chance, as he beat Senn to tie the game. Jokerit found themselves on the man advantage again a minute later, as David Moss was called for hooking. That powerplay lasted a minute though, as Artus Kulda was called for a hooking as well, making it a four-on-four game. Jokerit had a couple chances with the ice more open, but could not convert on them. Jokerit ended the period with a chance to go ahead, but Peter Regin would be stopped by the glove of Senn. The teams headed into the first intermission tied at ones.
Jokerit came out of the break flying, as they got a couple early chances. Things didn't really pick up until midway through the period, starting with Todd getting sent to the box for holding. That powerplay was what Davos needed, as Ville Koistinen's wrister beat a semi-screened Riku Helenius to put the Swiss club back in the lead. That lead lasted for a minute, as Juhamatti Aaltonen connected with Jesse Joensuu on a give-and-go, resulting in Aaltonen cutting in and tucking the puck over Senn's shoulder to tie the game. Jokerit were now on the attack, as they looked for their first lead of the game. Jesper Jensen had a good chance for the Finnish club, but he missed on his shot. Roope Talaja would ended up getting the go-ahead goal for Jokerit, as he tipped Atte Ohtamaa's point shot past Senn. Jokerit kept attacking, and it kept working. Minutes later, Peter Regin's shot would trickle past Senn, as Jokerit went up 4-2. The buzzer would sound shorty after, as Jokerit headed into the second intermission up by two.
Both teams would get three-on-twos early in the period, but neither could convert on the odd-man rush. It got heated though, as Joensuu (HEL) and Gregory Sciaroni (HCD) ended up fighting. Both players received double-minors for roughing, as well as a ten minute misconduct. Things settled down, as Davos looked for a way to get back into the game. Jorg would find the way, as he took a pass from Corvi and beat Helenius short side, pulling Davos to within a goal. It would be the Pekka Jormakka show for a bit as the Jokerit winger got a few chances to regain his team's two goal lead. Unfortunately for Jormakka, and Jokerit, he could not. The animosity between the two teams cranked up again, as Artus Kulda and Alexandre Picard got into a shoving match while the play was ongoing. Kulda would be the only on penalized, as he viciously hooked Picard down to the ice. Davos' best chance on that powerplay came near the end, as David Moss would be stopped on a breakaway. Just over four minutes left in the period, Davos found magic. Andres Ambuhl, Felicien du Bois, and Samuel Walser connected on a tic-tac-toe play that resulted in Walser roofing it past a diving Helenius. Davos looked rejuvenated afterwards, as they pressured for the go-ahead goal. It would turn on the host team though, as Koistinen was called for tripping. Jokerit managed to set up their powerplay a few times, but Davos did well in defending, as they took away the cross-ice pass Jokerit wanted. The penalty was successfully killed by Davos. The remaining 12 seconds were uneventful, as both teams were tied 4-4 at the end of regulation.
Overtime was needed to solve the game. New for this year was overtime being three-on-three, and it created a ton of rushes for each team. Jokerit had the best chance early on, as Topi Jaakola kept on a two-on-one and cut in, only to be stopped by Senn. DAvos pressured as time in the period wound down. Ambuhl would circle around the slot, and find an open Sciaroni in the slot. Sciaroni wasted no time getting the shot off, as the puck sailed past Helenius's glove and into the net. Davos created the dramatic for the home crowd, as they came back and won the game 5-4. HC Davos now go on to face Team Canada in the semi-finals.
Players of the game: Mauro Jorg (HCD), Juhamatti Aaltonen (HEL)
Jorg had a good game for the host club. He finished with a goal, an assist, and a solid shot off the crossbar. Aaltonen played well for Jokerit, as he had a goal and an assist. He also had a couple chances in overtime, but could not find the back of the net.
Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg 3 - Adler Mannheim 1
Adler Mannheim was hurting before the game began, as the tournament's leading scorer, Ryan MacMurchy, was out. They would get the first decent chance of the game though, as Jochen Hecht opted to keep on a two-on-one, but his effort was stopped by Igor Ustinsky. Yekartinburg worked a give-and-go moments later, but Petr Koukal could not handle the return pass. The first goal of the game came over seven minutes in, as Tommi Kivisto received a pass from Ondrej Roman and released a shot from the point. It squeezed by Dennis Endras' glove, as Yekaterinburg took a 1-0 lead. Mannheim pressured soon after that good, as they looked to tie the game. They could not get anything set up though, as Yekaterinburg would go the other way. Alexander Torchenyuk received a pass from Roman from behind the net, deke into the slot, and slipped it past Endras to put the Russian club up 2-0. Mannheim looked to come back, but they could not muster any quality chances. Anatoli Golyshev had a chance for Yekartinburg, but his breakaway attempt was stopped by Endras. Later on, Yekartinburg would find themselves on the powerplay, as Mannheim's Steve Eminger was called for tripping. A minute into the man advantage, Kivisto's point shot was tipped by Sergey Yemelin and found it's way past Endras, making it 3-0 for Yekaterinburg. Golyshev would get another opportunity for a goal moments later, but this time he failed to hit the target. Mannheim a chance to get on the board as time wind down, but Brett Raedeke's shot was saved by Ustinsky. With three seconds left and a faceoff in the Yekaterinburg end, Mannheim pulled Endras for the extra attacker. While they managed to get a decent shot off, it was easily saved. The first period ended with Yekaterinburg up 3-0.
The second started with Mannheim continuing to look for their first goal. Instead, they found their second penalty of the game, as Christoph Ullmann was called for slashing. Yekaterinburg could not establish their powerplay though, as the two minutes went by without a goal. Play would go back and forth for a bit, as both teams could not establish an attack. Mannheim got a bit of a scare, as Golyshev collided with Endras on a breakaway attempt. The trainer went out to check on Endras, who wasn't too shaken up by the play, as he stayed in net. The chances did start to pick up after that, starting with Ronny Arendt's shot being turned aside by Ustinski. Alexei Mikhnov had one soon after, as he deked into the slot, only to be stopped by Endras. Kai Hospelt had Mannheim's next chance, but was stopped on his shot from the slot. The ice would open up a bit midway through the period, as Petr Koukal (AVT) and Hecht (MAN) received off-setting minor penalties. Almost as the four-on-four ended, it Raedeke would be called for hooking, setting up a four-on-three for Yekaterinburg for 17 seconds. It was enough time for Yekaterinburg to get one solid chance. Dmitri Megalinsky stepped in with a wrist shot that hit Endras' stick and went wide. Yekartinburg didn't do much else with the man advantage. Mannheim put on the pressure late in the period, as they still looked to get on the board. It was all for not though, as the score remained 3-0 after 40 minutes.
The third period started off rough for Yekaterinburg, as Koukal and Golyshev got hurt on two separate plays. Luckily for the Russian club, both players would be fine, and not need to miss a shift. Mannheim controlled most of the play early on, but could not get anything going, as they were either scrambling or being kept to the outside. Mannheim got a break five minutes into the period, as Yekaterinburg was called for too many men on the ice. Their powerplay was sloppy though, and ended 39 seconds in, as Hospelt was penalized for tripping. Mannheim was more organized on the four-on-four, as it led to a good backhand chance by Jon Rheault. Yekaterinburg had a chance of their own, but Koukal could not hit the net on a two-on-one. The short powerplay by Yekaterinburg didn't result in much. Once five-on-five play resumed, Mannheim was back on the attack. Hecht had a good chance, but he just missed on his short side attempt. The German club would finally get on the board midway through the period. A point shot by Mathieu Carle would be tipped and saved, but Raedeke was able to dive for the rebound and poke it into the net. Mannheim continued to pressure after that goal, but to no avail. Yekaterinburg would take control minutes later, but could not convert on multiple chances. Mannheim sustained pressure for the last six minutes of regulation, desperately looking for a way to tie the game. While they got a few good chances, none of them found the back of the net. Yekaterinburg held on to win the game 3-1. They now move on to face HC Lugano in the semi-finals.
Players of the game: Brett Raedeke (MAN), Anatoli Golyshev (AVT)
There weren't too many players to choose from for Mannheim. Raedeke gets the nod as he was the lone goalscorer for Mannheim. While he didn't get a point, Golyshev had multiple chances to.
Monday, December 28, 2015
2015 Spengler Cup Recap - Day 3
Day 3's theme: don't be a Swiss based club. If you were, you'd lose by two goals. The losses weren't the same though, as one was a high-scoring affair that featured multiple lead changes, while the other was a shutout.
HC Lugano 4 - Jokerit Helsinki 6
HC Lugano started the game in the driver seat, as they controlled most of the play. Damien Brunner almost opened the scoring early, but his shot could not beat the outstretched pad of Henrik Karlsson. Linus Klasen and Fredrik Pettersson had a two-on-one later on, but could not convert on that chance. Klasen, Pettersson, and their linemate Tony Martensson looked to have a good chance minutes later, but Martensson could not connect on the one-timer. Play started to shift Jokerit's way, resulting in a penalty by Lugano's Ilari Filppula. Peter Regin had the best chance on the man-advantage, but could not put the puck in the back of the net. Once the penalty ended, Brunner would drive wide into the Jokerit zone, but he could not cut in soon enough, as his shot was stopped by Karlsson. Jokerit's Brandon Kozun would break the tie, as he cut into the high slot and beat a screened Mark Owuya. Jokerit looked to make it a two-goal game moments later, but Juhamatti Aaltonen's one-timer was stopped by Owuya. The Klasen-Pettersson-Martensson had one more chance at the end of the period. While Martensson did connect on the one-timer this time, he could not beat Karlsson. Kozun's goal was the only one that period, as Jokerit headed into the intermission up 1-0.
It didn't take long for the goals to happen in the second. A minute into the period, Ryan Glenn received a pass from Tim Stapleton and wired it over Karlsson's should, tying the game. Just over a minute later, Ilari Filppula snapped a shot past Karlsson, giving Lugano their first lead of the game. That lead didn't last long, Tim Kennedy beat Owuya from a bad angle to tie the game 2-2. Lugano was eager to get back in the lead, as they pressured for the go-ahead goal. Karlsson would stand strong though, as he made a couple saves to preserve the tie. Both teams swapped chances, but neither goal would be beat. The tie was eventually broken, as Roope Talaja capitalized on a missed pass by the Lugano defence, skated in on a breakaway, and slipped it five-hole on Owuya, putting Jokerit back in the lead. Jokerit kept the pressure up afterwards, and while they didn't get another goal, they did draw a penalty. That may have been more of a curse than a blessing, as Lugano had a shouthanded two-on-one. Gregory Hofmann's initial shot was stopped, but Brunner was right there to put home the rebound, as once again the game was tied. Moments later, Pettersson hit Klasen for a breakaway pass. Klasen didn't squander this opportunity, as he snapped it past Karlsson, putting Lugano back in the lead. Hofmann had a chance in the last minute of the period to extend the lead, but his backhand attempt was stopped. HC Lugano started the period down a goal, and finished it up a goal, as they headed into the intermission up 4-3.
HC Lugano made a goaltending change to start the period, as Mark was Out Da Crease in favour of Edgars Merzlikins. That moved backfired, as 27 seconds into the period, Philip Larsen finished off a tic-tac-toe play to tie the game for Jokerit. It got worst for Merzlikins, as five minutes later Arturs Kulda beat him on a point shot he should have saved. It got a bit heated midway though the period, as Clarence Kparghai (HCL) and Kozun (HEL) were sent off form roughing. Jesper Jensen (HEL) was also given a cross checking penalty, as HC Lugano went on the powerplay. They could not get much going on the man advantage though, as they remained down a goal. Helsinki got back on the offence afterwards, as Pekka Jormakka found Ville Lajunen, who wasted no time in finding the back of the net. Merzlikins, for his part, did his best Hasek impression on the save attempt, but couldn't get the puck. Jokerit Helsinki kept up the pressure despite leading 6-4, as they needed one more goal to clinch first place. They were close at one point, as Jesse Joensuu hit the crossbar. Late in the game, Jokerit pulled Karlsson for an extra attacker. It didn't work though, as they couldn't get that extra goal. Despite not getting another goal, Jokerit did win the game 6-4.
Players of the game: Damien Brunner (HCL), Pekka Jormakka (HEL)
Damien Brunner had a good game, as he created a few chances for himself. His efforts weren't fully rewarded though, as he only got a shorthanded goal. He only got one assist, but Jormakka stood out in the game. He was in on numerous chances and drew a penalty.
Team Canada 2 - HC Davos 0
The first period looked to be all Davos, as the host club was in control for a good portion of it. Canada did have short spurts of offense, with Conacher's shot from the slot being their best chance early in the period. Leonardo Genoni was there to make the stop. THe puck would go the other way right after, as Sven Ryser's attempt to pick a corner was thawed by Jeff Glass' shoulder. Both teams would have ample chances in the period, but neither goalie would be solved. The period ended with both teams knotted at zeroes. Somewhat surprisingly, Canada lead 12-9 in the shot department.
The tide changed in the second period, as it was Canada who was off to a flying start. Davos got the first good chance though, as Devin Setoguchi shot from his off-wing was stopped. Canada took control after that, as Tom Pyatt and Manny Malhotra had two good chances that were stopped. The pressure exhibited by Canada did pay off, as Alexandre Giroux received a pass from Matthew Lombardi and beat a sliding Genoni to break the tie. Canada kept at it, as they looked to extend their lead. They didn't score right away, but they did get a powerplay, as Jens Nater was sent off for holding. The powerplay lasted 29 seconds, as a scrum after the whistle saw Cory Conacher be penalized for slashing. Four-on-four wnet much of Canada's way, but Genoni stood strong. Once five-on-five resumed, Canada's efforts would pay off again. Tom Pyatt corralled a missed shot from behind the Davos net and fed Chris DiDomenico in the slot, who tucked it five-hole to give Canada a two-goal lead. HC Davos called a timeout after the goal, looking to get back on track. It didn't help much, as both teams would swap chances the rest of the way. The best one came late in the period, as Derek Roy stole the puck and went in on a breakaway, but his shot was stopped by Genoni.
Minutes into the third period, Enzo Corvi was called for roughing (although it was more like wrestling), as he took down Lombardi. Being shorthanded didn't look that back for Davos, as Picard had a brilliant chance early on, but Glass was able to poke the puck off his stick before he could shoot. Just as that penalty ended, another one was called, and this time it was a Canadian player who was sent off (Mark Cundari for holding the stick). Again, it seemed like the shorthanded team had the best chance, as Pyatt deked out both a defender and Genoni, but Andres Ambuhl came back just in time to prevent the puck from sliding across the line. Canada did well in killing their penalty, as they completely took away the backdoor pass option from Davos. HC Davos did get another powerplay minutes later, as Conacher was once again penalized (this time for interference). It was much of the same though, as the Swiss club could not do much with the man-advantage. Both teams would exchanged chances the rest of the way, highlighted by Lombardi being robbed by the glove of Genoni. The game was never in doubt for the Canadians though, as they shutout the host 2-0.
Players of the game: Tom Pyatt (CAN), Leonardo Genoni (HCD)
Tom Pyatt was a force in this game. He had one assist, three shots on goal, and dangled past multiple defenders. Leonardo Genoni did what he could to keep the game close for his team. He stopped 40 of 42 shots, including a highlight reel save on Canada's Matthew Lombardi.
Standings After Group Play
Group Torriani
Group Cattini
Playoffs
Now that round robin play is over, the playoff matchups are set. The first pre-semi-final (quarter final) game will see Jokerit Helsinki take on the host HC Davos. Later in the day, Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg will play Adler Mannheim in the second game. The semi-finals will see Canada take on the winner of Jokerit Helsinki/HC Davos, while HC Lugano awaits the winner of Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg/Adler Mannheim.
HC Lugano 4 - Jokerit Helsinki 6
HC Lugano started the game in the driver seat, as they controlled most of the play. Damien Brunner almost opened the scoring early, but his shot could not beat the outstretched pad of Henrik Karlsson. Linus Klasen and Fredrik Pettersson had a two-on-one later on, but could not convert on that chance. Klasen, Pettersson, and their linemate Tony Martensson looked to have a good chance minutes later, but Martensson could not connect on the one-timer. Play started to shift Jokerit's way, resulting in a penalty by Lugano's Ilari Filppula. Peter Regin had the best chance on the man-advantage, but could not put the puck in the back of the net. Once the penalty ended, Brunner would drive wide into the Jokerit zone, but he could not cut in soon enough, as his shot was stopped by Karlsson. Jokerit's Brandon Kozun would break the tie, as he cut into the high slot and beat a screened Mark Owuya. Jokerit looked to make it a two-goal game moments later, but Juhamatti Aaltonen's one-timer was stopped by Owuya. The Klasen-Pettersson-Martensson had one more chance at the end of the period. While Martensson did connect on the one-timer this time, he could not beat Karlsson. Kozun's goal was the only one that period, as Jokerit headed into the intermission up 1-0.
It didn't take long for the goals to happen in the second. A minute into the period, Ryan Glenn received a pass from Tim Stapleton and wired it over Karlsson's should, tying the game. Just over a minute later, Ilari Filppula snapped a shot past Karlsson, giving Lugano their first lead of the game. That lead didn't last long, Tim Kennedy beat Owuya from a bad angle to tie the game 2-2. Lugano was eager to get back in the lead, as they pressured for the go-ahead goal. Karlsson would stand strong though, as he made a couple saves to preserve the tie. Both teams swapped chances, but neither goal would be beat. The tie was eventually broken, as Roope Talaja capitalized on a missed pass by the Lugano defence, skated in on a breakaway, and slipped it five-hole on Owuya, putting Jokerit back in the lead. Jokerit kept the pressure up afterwards, and while they didn't get another goal, they did draw a penalty. That may have been more of a curse than a blessing, as Lugano had a shouthanded two-on-one. Gregory Hofmann's initial shot was stopped, but Brunner was right there to put home the rebound, as once again the game was tied. Moments later, Pettersson hit Klasen for a breakaway pass. Klasen didn't squander this opportunity, as he snapped it past Karlsson, putting Lugano back in the lead. Hofmann had a chance in the last minute of the period to extend the lead, but his backhand attempt was stopped. HC Lugano started the period down a goal, and finished it up a goal, as they headed into the intermission up 4-3.
HC Lugano made a goaltending change to start the period, as Mark was Out Da Crease in favour of Edgars Merzlikins. That moved backfired, as 27 seconds into the period, Philip Larsen finished off a tic-tac-toe play to tie the game for Jokerit. It got worst for Merzlikins, as five minutes later Arturs Kulda beat him on a point shot he should have saved. It got a bit heated midway though the period, as Clarence Kparghai (HCL) and Kozun (HEL) were sent off form roughing. Jesper Jensen (HEL) was also given a cross checking penalty, as HC Lugano went on the powerplay. They could not get much going on the man advantage though, as they remained down a goal. Helsinki got back on the offence afterwards, as Pekka Jormakka found Ville Lajunen, who wasted no time in finding the back of the net. Merzlikins, for his part, did his best Hasek impression on the save attempt, but couldn't get the puck. Jokerit Helsinki kept up the pressure despite leading 6-4, as they needed one more goal to clinch first place. They were close at one point, as Jesse Joensuu hit the crossbar. Late in the game, Jokerit pulled Karlsson for an extra attacker. It didn't work though, as they couldn't get that extra goal. Despite not getting another goal, Jokerit did win the game 6-4.
Players of the game: Damien Brunner (HCL), Pekka Jormakka (HEL)
Damien Brunner had a good game, as he created a few chances for himself. His efforts weren't fully rewarded though, as he only got a shorthanded goal. He only got one assist, but Jormakka stood out in the game. He was in on numerous chances and drew a penalty.
Team Canada 2 - HC Davos 0
The first period looked to be all Davos, as the host club was in control for a good portion of it. Canada did have short spurts of offense, with Conacher's shot from the slot being their best chance early in the period. Leonardo Genoni was there to make the stop. THe puck would go the other way right after, as Sven Ryser's attempt to pick a corner was thawed by Jeff Glass' shoulder. Both teams would have ample chances in the period, but neither goalie would be solved. The period ended with both teams knotted at zeroes. Somewhat surprisingly, Canada lead 12-9 in the shot department.
The tide changed in the second period, as it was Canada who was off to a flying start. Davos got the first good chance though, as Devin Setoguchi shot from his off-wing was stopped. Canada took control after that, as Tom Pyatt and Manny Malhotra had two good chances that were stopped. The pressure exhibited by Canada did pay off, as Alexandre Giroux received a pass from Matthew Lombardi and beat a sliding Genoni to break the tie. Canada kept at it, as they looked to extend their lead. They didn't score right away, but they did get a powerplay, as Jens Nater was sent off for holding. The powerplay lasted 29 seconds, as a scrum after the whistle saw Cory Conacher be penalized for slashing. Four-on-four wnet much of Canada's way, but Genoni stood strong. Once five-on-five resumed, Canada's efforts would pay off again. Tom Pyatt corralled a missed shot from behind the Davos net and fed Chris DiDomenico in the slot, who tucked it five-hole to give Canada a two-goal lead. HC Davos called a timeout after the goal, looking to get back on track. It didn't help much, as both teams would swap chances the rest of the way. The best one came late in the period, as Derek Roy stole the puck and went in on a breakaway, but his shot was stopped by Genoni.
Minutes into the third period, Enzo Corvi was called for roughing (although it was more like wrestling), as he took down Lombardi. Being shorthanded didn't look that back for Davos, as Picard had a brilliant chance early on, but Glass was able to poke the puck off his stick before he could shoot. Just as that penalty ended, another one was called, and this time it was a Canadian player who was sent off (Mark Cundari for holding the stick). Again, it seemed like the shorthanded team had the best chance, as Pyatt deked out both a defender and Genoni, but Andres Ambuhl came back just in time to prevent the puck from sliding across the line. Canada did well in killing their penalty, as they completely took away the backdoor pass option from Davos. HC Davos did get another powerplay minutes later, as Conacher was once again penalized (this time for interference). It was much of the same though, as the Swiss club could not do much with the man-advantage. Both teams would exchanged chances the rest of the way, highlighted by Lombardi being robbed by the glove of Genoni. The game was never in doubt for the Canadians though, as they shutout the host 2-0.
Players of the game: Tom Pyatt (CAN), Leonardo Genoni (HCD)
Tom Pyatt was a force in this game. He had one assist, three shots on goal, and dangled past multiple defenders. Leonardo Genoni did what he could to keep the game close for his team. He stopped 40 of 42 shots, including a highlight reel save on Canada's Matthew Lombardi.
Standings After Group Play
Group Torriani
|
Team
|
Wins
|
OTW/SOW
|
OTL/SOL
|
Losses
|
Points
|
Goal Diff.
|
|
HC
Lugano
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
3
|
+1
|
|
Jokerit
Helsinki
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
3
|
0
|
|
Adler
Mannheim
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
3
|
-1
|
Group Cattini
|
Team
|
Wins
|
OTW/SOW
|
OTL/SOL
|
Losses
|
Points
|
Goal Diff.
|
|
Team
Canada
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
6
|
+3
|
|
Avtomobilist
Yekaterinburg
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
3
|
+3
|
|
HC
Davos
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
0
|
-6
|
Playoffs
Now that round robin play is over, the playoff matchups are set. The first pre-semi-final (quarter final) game will see Jokerit Helsinki take on the host HC Davos. Later in the day, Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg will play Adler Mannheim in the second game. The semi-finals will see Canada take on the winner of Jokerit Helsinki/HC Davos, while HC Lugano awaits the winner of Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg/Adler Mannheim.
Showing Some International Love: 2016 World Junior Championship - Division II Group A Review
While the top of the table was clear-cut, it was the bottom of the standings that had some intrigue. Hungary made their stay in Division II a short won, as they dominated this tournament en route to a gold and getting play in Division I again next year. Lithuania didn't disappoint the home crowd, as they ended up with a silver medal. Estonia took home the bronze, while Croatia goes home empty-handed. The Netherlands and South Korea found themselves at the bottom of the standings. Thanks to a head-to-head win, it was the Netherlands who managed to survive the group. South Korea is now relegated to Group B for next year.
Note: Most information from the IIHF website.
Standings
Results
December 13
Croatia 5 - Netherlands 2
South Korea 2 - Hungary 8
Lithuania 6 - Estonia 5
December 14
Hungary 7 - Netherlands 5
Estonia 6 - Croatia 3
Lithuania 2 - South Korea 1 (SO)
December 16
Hungary 6 - Estonia 0
South Korea 2 - Netherlands 3 (SO)
Lithuania 4 - Croatia 1
December 18
Estonia 11 - South Korea 8
Croatia 0 - Hungary 7
Netherlands 1 - Lithuania 4
December 19
South Korea 2 - Croatia 4
Netherlands 3 - Estonia 5
Hungary 8 - Lithuania 2
Team Recap
Hungary: The Hungarians were dominant throughout the tournament, facing little challenge along the way. Their first opponent was South Korea. The first period saw the Hungarians outshoot the South Koreans 14-3, ending the period up 2-0. A pair of goals by Csanad Erdely sandwiched a South Korean powerplay goal, as Hungary was up 4-1 after 40 minutes. Hungary exploded in the third, scoring four times in ten minutes. They would concede another powerplay goal, but the game was never in doubt, as Hungary won their opening game 8-2. Hungary had a bit of a scare against the Netherlands. Hungarian conceded two goals in the first (on two shots!) before Erdely scored later in the period to put Hungary on the board. Hungary ended the first period down 2-1 despite outshooting the Netherlands 23-2. Hungary gave up a goal early in the second, and made a goalie change. Bence Kiss (one save on four shots) gave way to Gergely Arany. Soon after the goalie change, goals by Donat Szita and Istvan Terbocs tied the game. Both teams swapped a pair of goals later in the period, as the second ended with the game tied 5-5. Hungary finally took control of the scoreboard for good in the third, as early goals by Bence Bodok and Erdely put Hungary up 7-5. It stayed that way for the rest of the game, as Hungary only gave up one shot in the final frame. Hungary steamrolled through their next two opponents, as they shutout Estonia (6-0) and Croatia (7-0). Arany had light work in the two games, as he combined to save 31 shots in both wins (Kiss saw some action against Croatia, stopping all three shots he faced in a period of work). Hungary ended the tournament facing Lithuania. Despite outshooting Lithuania in the first, Hungary only managed one goal, as the game was tied 1-1 after 20 minutes. That would be corrected in the second, as Erdely and Terbocs scored a pair of goals (each), giving Hungary a 5-1 lead heading into the third. Hungary conceded a powerplay goal early in the third, but that was the last one they gave up. Hungary scored three more times to take the game by a score of 8-2. Hungary went undefeated in the tournament, winning the gold medal and earning a spot in Division I Group B for next year.
Lithuania: The Lithuanian's kicked off their tournament against Estonia. Powerplays were the story of the first. Just minutes into the game, Edgar Protcenko goal on the man-advantage to put Lithuania up 1-0. Lithuania conceded a goal while two0men down midway though the period. They did regain the lead later in the period, thanks to Donatas Vitte's powerplay goal. Mark Kaleinikovas' goal a minute into the second extended Lithuania's lead. The two-goal lead didn't last long, as Estonia scored minutes later. Ilja Cetvertak scored shorthanded before the period ended to put Lithuania back up by two. Lithuania's lead would get up to three in the third, thanks to Emilijus Krakauskas. Lithunia then got into a bit of penalty trouble, as they gave up two straight powerplay goals. Cetvertek scored minutes later to give Lithuania a bit of breathing room. The game got rough late in the period, as a couple of roughing penalties along with a game misconduct for each side. Lithuania found themselves shorthanded for the rest of the game, but only conceded once in that time. They would win 6-5, as the animosity between both teams continued after the whistle. Lithuanian heads cooled the next day, as they faced South Korea. The first period was low event, but a penalty by Lithuanian allowed South Korea to open the scoring. It remained the lone goal until early in the third, when Lithuania scored a powerplay goal of their own to tie the game. The game needed a shootout, where Lithuania outlasted South Korea in seven rounds, taking the game 2-1. Facing Croatia, Lithuania would outshoot them in the first, but couldn't find the back of the net. That changed in the second, as Krakauskas and Cetvertak scored a minute apart to give Lithuania a 2-0 lead. Croatia scored late in the period to cut Lithuania's lead in half. That ended up being the only goal Lithuania conceded, as they added two more in the third to take the game 4-1. Lithuania got a bit chippy with the Nethlerands, as a couple of roughing penalties were handed out in the first. A powerplay later in the period Kaleinikovas would open the scoring later in the period. Deivid Certvertak scored minutes into the second to extend Lithuania's lead. Edvinas Boroska added another in the third to make it 3-0 Lithuania. Both teams would swap powerplay goals in the third, as Lithuania went on to win the game 4-1. Lithuania last opponent was Hungary, in what was the gold medal game. It did not look good for Lithuania in the first. Despite managing to escape the period tied 1-1, they were heavily outshot 14-4. The shots stayed the same in the second, but not the score, as Lithuania conceded four goals in the middle frame. Deivid Cetvertak scored early in the third, but it was too little, too late. Hungary added three more goals, as Lithuania lost the game 8-2. Lithuania finished the tournament in second place, and awarded the home crowd with a silver medal.
Estonia: Estonia started off facing Lithuania. It was a powerplay battle in the first, as Lithunia outscored Estonia 2-1 on the man-advantage. Estonia gave up an early goal in the second before Maksim Simonov scored to keep the score close. Estonia would concede a shorthanded goal seconds before the period ended. It would be 5-2 for Lithuania before Estonia response again. Powerplay goals by Robert Arrak and Jegor Petrov once again pulled Estonia to within a goal of tying the game. Moments later, Estonia conceded on more goal. The game then got rough, as both teams had players called for roughing and game misconducts. Estonia would end up with a powerplay out of the fracas, but only managed a goal eight seconds before the end of regulation. Estonia ran out of time, as they lost the game 6-5. Estonia started slow against Croatia, as they were doubled in shots, but ended the period tied at zeros. Simonov opened the scoring minutes into the second, giving Estonia the lead. It didn't last long, as Croatia responded a minute later. The last five minutes of the second belonged to Estonia, as Vladimir Nestertsuk (two goals) and Vadim Vasjonkin scored to put Estonia ahead 4-1. Estonia conceded a goal nine seconds into the period, but managed to regain their three goal lead minutes later thanks to Vasjonkin's powerplay goal. Both teams would score once more, as Estonia won the game 6-3. Estonia had no chance against Hungary, as they were shellacked. Daniil Seppenen did what he could, stopping 45 of 51 shots. Estonia's offence was non-existent though, as they were shutout by Hungary 6-0. Against South Korea, it was goals goals goals. Estonia gave up a goal whiel two men down early in the first. A bit later, Estonia would have a goal rush, as they scored three times in a minute-and-a-half. South Korea scored twice before Estonia responded with two of their own, as they end the period up 5-3. The second period was just as crazy. Vasjonkin scored 28 seconds into the period, causing South Korea to change goalies. Estonia conceded a goal before answering back with two of their own, extending their lead to 8-4. That lead would shrink late in the second, as South Korea scored three to end the period. Both teams scored early in the third, as Estonia hung on to their one-goal lead. Vasjonkin scored midway through the third to cap off his hat trick. Nikita Kozorev added an empty netter (his fourth goal of the game), as Estonia won a wild one 11-8. Estonia rounded out their tournament facing the Netherlands. A penalty by Vasjonkin would result in a powerplay goal for the Netherlands. Estonia didn't leave the period down though, as Daniil Fursa scored with minutes left in the frame to tie the game. Nestertsuk scored in the second to put Estonia in the lead. Both teams scored powerplay goals later in the period, as Estonia would go into the third up 3-2. The Netherlands would tie it up almost seven minutes into the third period. Nikita Minin scored minutes later to once again put the Estonians out front. They managed to hang on, as Dmitri Vinogradov added an empty netter to cap off a 5-3 win for Estonia. The win put Estonia solely in third place, as they took home the bronze medal.
Croatia: Croatia kicked off the tournament facing the Netherlands. After getting into a bit of penalty trouble early in the first, Croatia would find themselves on a powerplay of their own. They capitalized on the opportunity, as Mak Pavicevic's goal put the Croatians up 1-0. Down a man early in the second, Luka Jarcov would score to extend Croatia's lead. Kristian Krnic scored minute slater to make it a 3-0 game. Before the period ended, Toni Boric would score to out Croatia up 4-0. Croatia's penalty trouble would catch up to then in the third, as their shutout was broken while a man down. They answered back soon after, as Jarcov scored his second shorthanded goal of the game. Croatia conceded one more powerplay goal to the Netherlands, but hung on the rest of the way to win 5-2. Croatia would have a tougher time against Estonia. While they doubled Estonia in shots, Croatia could not find the back of the net. It wasn't until the second when a goal was scored, and it was Estonia who scored it. Croatia did answer back a minute later, as Jan Smolec's goal tied the game. The period didn't end well for the Croatians, as they gave up three goals in the last five minutes. The third period started off in Croatia's favour, as Jarcov scored nine seconds into the period. Penalty trouble would again hurt the Croatians in the third, as they gave up a powerplay goal five minutes later. Both teams scored once more, as Croatia would lose the game 6-3. Facing Lithuania, scoring wouldn't come until the second period. Unfortunately for Croatia, it was Lithuania who struck with two goals in a span of a minute. Croatia did end the period with a goal, as Bruno Kegalj scored to cut Lithuania's lead in half. That was as close as the Croatians would get, as they conceded two goals in the third to lose 4-1. Croatia had no chance against Hungary, as the Hungarians were all over them. Ivan Ruzic would stay in net for the shelling, as he managed to stop 51 of 58 shots he faced. The 7-0 loss would be Croatia's worst loss of the tournament. Croatia ended their tournament against South Korea. They did concede the first goal, but thanks to goals by Fran Gjoni (two) and Jarcov, Croatia ended the first period up 3-1. South Korea would score late in the second, cutting Croatia's lead to one goal. The Croatians did outplay South Korea in the third, as Jarcov add an empty net to cap the off the game for Croatia. The 4-2 win was Croatia's second of the tournament, as they finished firmly in fourth place.
Netherlands: Holland started off against Croatia. It didn't start well for the Netherlands, as they gave up a powerplay goal in the first. It would get worst for them in the second. First, they gave up a goal while on the powerplay, then minutes later conceded one while at even-strength. The Netherlands would give up one more goal before the period ended. The game wasn't all bleak for Holland, as Luuk Lambregts powerplay goal in the third put them on the board. After giving up one more goal, Jasper Nordemann would score on the powerplay. The Netherlands couldn't do much afterwards, as they lost their first game 5-2. Against Hungary, Holland looked to have quite a bit of luck. Both shots they took in the first (courtesy of Jord Smit and Guus van Nes) found the back of the net, as Netherlands ended the first period up 2-1. Smit added another minutes into the second, giving the Netherlands a 3-1 lead. It didn't last long, as within two minutes of that goal Hungary tied the game. Both teams scored twice later on in the period, as the game headed into the third tied 5-5. The Netherlands luck ran out in the third, as they gave up two goals while only registering one shot on goal. The Netherlands lost the game 7-5. Holland looked to rebound against South Korea. It didn't look good for the Dutch squad, as a penalty against them led to South Korea opening the scoring. They would tie it up in the second, as Niels Lemans scored midway through the period. A Netherlands penalty later in the period saw them give up another powerplay goal, as they went into the third down 2-1. The Netherlands did managed to tie it up midway through the third, as seconds after stepping out of the box, Giovanni Vogelaar scored. The game went all the way to a shootout, where the Netherlands outscored South Korea. The Netherlands did rebound, winning the game 3-2. Next up for the Netherlands was Lithuania. It didn't go well for the Dutch as they gave up a goal in both the first and second period. The Netherlands gave up one more goal before van Nes scored on the powerplay to put them on the board. It was all they could muster, as another Lithuanian goal resulted in the Netherlands losing 4-1. The Netherlands finished off the tournament facing Estonia. Vogelaar would open the scoring for the Dutch before Estonia stuck back later in the period to tie the game. The Netherlands would give up a goal early in the second to go down 2-1. They would tie it up later in the period thanks to Nordemann's powerplay goal, but shorty after would give up a powerplay goal to Estonia. Justin Evers scored early in the third to once again tie the game. That was it for Holland's offence, as Estonia scored two more to take the game. The Netherlands lost 5-3, keeping them in fifth place. They were tied with South Korea in points for last, but won the head-to-head, meaning they stay up in Group A for another year.
South Korea: The South Koreans had the task of facing Hungary in their opening game. It did not go well for the Asian squad, as Hungary put up an eight-spot against them. A bright spot for South Korea was their powerplay, as both their goals came on the man advantage. An 8-2 loss though wasn't the way South Korea wanted to start this tournament. It was much better against Lithuania, as Jihyun Cho's powerplay goal put South Korea ahead in the first. The game stayed that way until early in the third, when Lithuania scored on the powerplay to tie the game. The game went all the way to a shootout, where South Korea just couldn't keep up, losing in the seventh round. South Korea lost the game 2-1. It looked like a similar game against the Netherlands, as Yeajun Kim's powerplay goal in the first gave South Korea the lead. They did concede a goal in the second, but once again Kim scored on the powerplay to give South Korea a 2-1 lead. South Korea outplayed the Netherlands in the third, but gave up another tying goal. Once again, South Korea was headed to a shootout, and once again, could not escape with the victory. South Korea lost the game 3-2. South Korea opened the scoring against Estonia, thanks to Hyeongcheol Song's goal on the two-man advantage. The lead didn't last long, as less than two minutes later South Korea found themselves down 3-1. South Korea managed to tie the game later in the period, but Estonia was able to re-establish their two-goal lead before the end of the first. Estonia scored 38 seconds into the second period, which spelled the end of Donghyun Kim. Heetae Yang would replace him in goal. Jihyun Cho scored four minutes later to pull South Korea to within two. South Korea would conceded two more goals to Estonia in the period. That wasn't if for goals though, as South Korea closed the period scoring three times in the last three minutes, pulling them to within a goal of Estonia. Both teams scored early in the third. That was as close as South Korea got, as they gave up two more goals, as they ended up losing the high-scoring affair 11-8. South Korea needed some type of positive result against Croatia in order to have a chance to stay up. It looked good at first, as Byung Gun Kim scored eight minutes into the game. The game then started to slip away from the South Koreans, as they gave up three goals before the period ended. South Korea did find another goal, as Song scored with a minute left in the second. They didn't have much of a chance in the third, and ended up conceding an empty net goal, as South Korea lost their final game 4-2. South Korea ended the tournament tied for fifth with Netherlands, but due to losing the head-to-head game, they finish in sixth. This means South Korea is relegated to Group B for next year.
Note: Most information from the IIHF website.
Standings
Team
|
Wins
|
OTW/SOW
|
OTL/SOL
|
Losses
|
Points
|
Goal Diff.
|
Hungary
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
15
|
+27
|
Lithuania
|
3
|
1
|
0
|
1
|
11
|
+2
|
Estonia
|
3
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
9
|
+1
|
Croatia
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
6
|
-8
|
Netherlands
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
4
|
2
|
-9
|
South
Korea
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
3
|
2
|
-13
|
Results
December 13
Croatia 5 - Netherlands 2
South Korea 2 - Hungary 8
Lithuania 6 - Estonia 5
December 14
Hungary 7 - Netherlands 5
Estonia 6 - Croatia 3
Lithuania 2 - South Korea 1 (SO)
December 16
Hungary 6 - Estonia 0
South Korea 2 - Netherlands 3 (SO)
Lithuania 4 - Croatia 1
December 18
Estonia 11 - South Korea 8
Croatia 0 - Hungary 7
Netherlands 1 - Lithuania 4
December 19
South Korea 2 - Croatia 4
Netherlands 3 - Estonia 5
Hungary 8 - Lithuania 2
Team Recap
Hungary: The Hungarians were dominant throughout the tournament, facing little challenge along the way. Their first opponent was South Korea. The first period saw the Hungarians outshoot the South Koreans 14-3, ending the period up 2-0. A pair of goals by Csanad Erdely sandwiched a South Korean powerplay goal, as Hungary was up 4-1 after 40 minutes. Hungary exploded in the third, scoring four times in ten minutes. They would concede another powerplay goal, but the game was never in doubt, as Hungary won their opening game 8-2. Hungary had a bit of a scare against the Netherlands. Hungarian conceded two goals in the first (on two shots!) before Erdely scored later in the period to put Hungary on the board. Hungary ended the first period down 2-1 despite outshooting the Netherlands 23-2. Hungary gave up a goal early in the second, and made a goalie change. Bence Kiss (one save on four shots) gave way to Gergely Arany. Soon after the goalie change, goals by Donat Szita and Istvan Terbocs tied the game. Both teams swapped a pair of goals later in the period, as the second ended with the game tied 5-5. Hungary finally took control of the scoreboard for good in the third, as early goals by Bence Bodok and Erdely put Hungary up 7-5. It stayed that way for the rest of the game, as Hungary only gave up one shot in the final frame. Hungary steamrolled through their next two opponents, as they shutout Estonia (6-0) and Croatia (7-0). Arany had light work in the two games, as he combined to save 31 shots in both wins (Kiss saw some action against Croatia, stopping all three shots he faced in a period of work). Hungary ended the tournament facing Lithuania. Despite outshooting Lithuania in the first, Hungary only managed one goal, as the game was tied 1-1 after 20 minutes. That would be corrected in the second, as Erdely and Terbocs scored a pair of goals (each), giving Hungary a 5-1 lead heading into the third. Hungary conceded a powerplay goal early in the third, but that was the last one they gave up. Hungary scored three more times to take the game by a score of 8-2. Hungary went undefeated in the tournament, winning the gold medal and earning a spot in Division I Group B for next year.
Lithuania: The Lithuanian's kicked off their tournament against Estonia. Powerplays were the story of the first. Just minutes into the game, Edgar Protcenko goal on the man-advantage to put Lithuania up 1-0. Lithuania conceded a goal while two0men down midway though the period. They did regain the lead later in the period, thanks to Donatas Vitte's powerplay goal. Mark Kaleinikovas' goal a minute into the second extended Lithuania's lead. The two-goal lead didn't last long, as Estonia scored minutes later. Ilja Cetvertak scored shorthanded before the period ended to put Lithuania back up by two. Lithuania's lead would get up to three in the third, thanks to Emilijus Krakauskas. Lithunia then got into a bit of penalty trouble, as they gave up two straight powerplay goals. Cetvertek scored minutes later to give Lithuania a bit of breathing room. The game got rough late in the period, as a couple of roughing penalties along with a game misconduct for each side. Lithuania found themselves shorthanded for the rest of the game, but only conceded once in that time. They would win 6-5, as the animosity between both teams continued after the whistle. Lithuanian heads cooled the next day, as they faced South Korea. The first period was low event, but a penalty by Lithuanian allowed South Korea to open the scoring. It remained the lone goal until early in the third, when Lithuania scored a powerplay goal of their own to tie the game. The game needed a shootout, where Lithuania outlasted South Korea in seven rounds, taking the game 2-1. Facing Croatia, Lithuania would outshoot them in the first, but couldn't find the back of the net. That changed in the second, as Krakauskas and Cetvertak scored a minute apart to give Lithuania a 2-0 lead. Croatia scored late in the period to cut Lithuania's lead in half. That ended up being the only goal Lithuania conceded, as they added two more in the third to take the game 4-1. Lithuania got a bit chippy with the Nethlerands, as a couple of roughing penalties were handed out in the first. A powerplay later in the period Kaleinikovas would open the scoring later in the period. Deivid Certvertak scored minutes into the second to extend Lithuania's lead. Edvinas Boroska added another in the third to make it 3-0 Lithuania. Both teams would swap powerplay goals in the third, as Lithuania went on to win the game 4-1. Lithuania last opponent was Hungary, in what was the gold medal game. It did not look good for Lithuania in the first. Despite managing to escape the period tied 1-1, they were heavily outshot 14-4. The shots stayed the same in the second, but not the score, as Lithuania conceded four goals in the middle frame. Deivid Cetvertak scored early in the third, but it was too little, too late. Hungary added three more goals, as Lithuania lost the game 8-2. Lithuania finished the tournament in second place, and awarded the home crowd with a silver medal.
Estonia: Estonia started off facing Lithuania. It was a powerplay battle in the first, as Lithunia outscored Estonia 2-1 on the man-advantage. Estonia gave up an early goal in the second before Maksim Simonov scored to keep the score close. Estonia would concede a shorthanded goal seconds before the period ended. It would be 5-2 for Lithuania before Estonia response again. Powerplay goals by Robert Arrak and Jegor Petrov once again pulled Estonia to within a goal of tying the game. Moments later, Estonia conceded on more goal. The game then got rough, as both teams had players called for roughing and game misconducts. Estonia would end up with a powerplay out of the fracas, but only managed a goal eight seconds before the end of regulation. Estonia ran out of time, as they lost the game 6-5. Estonia started slow against Croatia, as they were doubled in shots, but ended the period tied at zeros. Simonov opened the scoring minutes into the second, giving Estonia the lead. It didn't last long, as Croatia responded a minute later. The last five minutes of the second belonged to Estonia, as Vladimir Nestertsuk (two goals) and Vadim Vasjonkin scored to put Estonia ahead 4-1. Estonia conceded a goal nine seconds into the period, but managed to regain their three goal lead minutes later thanks to Vasjonkin's powerplay goal. Both teams would score once more, as Estonia won the game 6-3. Estonia had no chance against Hungary, as they were shellacked. Daniil Seppenen did what he could, stopping 45 of 51 shots. Estonia's offence was non-existent though, as they were shutout by Hungary 6-0. Against South Korea, it was goals goals goals. Estonia gave up a goal whiel two men down early in the first. A bit later, Estonia would have a goal rush, as they scored three times in a minute-and-a-half. South Korea scored twice before Estonia responded with two of their own, as they end the period up 5-3. The second period was just as crazy. Vasjonkin scored 28 seconds into the period, causing South Korea to change goalies. Estonia conceded a goal before answering back with two of their own, extending their lead to 8-4. That lead would shrink late in the second, as South Korea scored three to end the period. Both teams scored early in the third, as Estonia hung on to their one-goal lead. Vasjonkin scored midway through the third to cap off his hat trick. Nikita Kozorev added an empty netter (his fourth goal of the game), as Estonia won a wild one 11-8. Estonia rounded out their tournament facing the Netherlands. A penalty by Vasjonkin would result in a powerplay goal for the Netherlands. Estonia didn't leave the period down though, as Daniil Fursa scored with minutes left in the frame to tie the game. Nestertsuk scored in the second to put Estonia in the lead. Both teams scored powerplay goals later in the period, as Estonia would go into the third up 3-2. The Netherlands would tie it up almost seven minutes into the third period. Nikita Minin scored minutes later to once again put the Estonians out front. They managed to hang on, as Dmitri Vinogradov added an empty netter to cap off a 5-3 win for Estonia. The win put Estonia solely in third place, as they took home the bronze medal.
Croatia: Croatia kicked off the tournament facing the Netherlands. After getting into a bit of penalty trouble early in the first, Croatia would find themselves on a powerplay of their own. They capitalized on the opportunity, as Mak Pavicevic's goal put the Croatians up 1-0. Down a man early in the second, Luka Jarcov would score to extend Croatia's lead. Kristian Krnic scored minute slater to make it a 3-0 game. Before the period ended, Toni Boric would score to out Croatia up 4-0. Croatia's penalty trouble would catch up to then in the third, as their shutout was broken while a man down. They answered back soon after, as Jarcov scored his second shorthanded goal of the game. Croatia conceded one more powerplay goal to the Netherlands, but hung on the rest of the way to win 5-2. Croatia would have a tougher time against Estonia. While they doubled Estonia in shots, Croatia could not find the back of the net. It wasn't until the second when a goal was scored, and it was Estonia who scored it. Croatia did answer back a minute later, as Jan Smolec's goal tied the game. The period didn't end well for the Croatians, as they gave up three goals in the last five minutes. The third period started off in Croatia's favour, as Jarcov scored nine seconds into the period. Penalty trouble would again hurt the Croatians in the third, as they gave up a powerplay goal five minutes later. Both teams scored once more, as Croatia would lose the game 6-3. Facing Lithuania, scoring wouldn't come until the second period. Unfortunately for Croatia, it was Lithuania who struck with two goals in a span of a minute. Croatia did end the period with a goal, as Bruno Kegalj scored to cut Lithuania's lead in half. That was as close as the Croatians would get, as they conceded two goals in the third to lose 4-1. Croatia had no chance against Hungary, as the Hungarians were all over them. Ivan Ruzic would stay in net for the shelling, as he managed to stop 51 of 58 shots he faced. The 7-0 loss would be Croatia's worst loss of the tournament. Croatia ended their tournament against South Korea. They did concede the first goal, but thanks to goals by Fran Gjoni (two) and Jarcov, Croatia ended the first period up 3-1. South Korea would score late in the second, cutting Croatia's lead to one goal. The Croatians did outplay South Korea in the third, as Jarcov add an empty net to cap the off the game for Croatia. The 4-2 win was Croatia's second of the tournament, as they finished firmly in fourth place.
Netherlands: Holland started off against Croatia. It didn't start well for the Netherlands, as they gave up a powerplay goal in the first. It would get worst for them in the second. First, they gave up a goal while on the powerplay, then minutes later conceded one while at even-strength. The Netherlands would give up one more goal before the period ended. The game wasn't all bleak for Holland, as Luuk Lambregts powerplay goal in the third put them on the board. After giving up one more goal, Jasper Nordemann would score on the powerplay. The Netherlands couldn't do much afterwards, as they lost their first game 5-2. Against Hungary, Holland looked to have quite a bit of luck. Both shots they took in the first (courtesy of Jord Smit and Guus van Nes) found the back of the net, as Netherlands ended the first period up 2-1. Smit added another minutes into the second, giving the Netherlands a 3-1 lead. It didn't last long, as within two minutes of that goal Hungary tied the game. Both teams scored twice later on in the period, as the game headed into the third tied 5-5. The Netherlands luck ran out in the third, as they gave up two goals while only registering one shot on goal. The Netherlands lost the game 7-5. Holland looked to rebound against South Korea. It didn't look good for the Dutch squad, as a penalty against them led to South Korea opening the scoring. They would tie it up in the second, as Niels Lemans scored midway through the period. A Netherlands penalty later in the period saw them give up another powerplay goal, as they went into the third down 2-1. The Netherlands did managed to tie it up midway through the third, as seconds after stepping out of the box, Giovanni Vogelaar scored. The game went all the way to a shootout, where the Netherlands outscored South Korea. The Netherlands did rebound, winning the game 3-2. Next up for the Netherlands was Lithuania. It didn't go well for the Dutch as they gave up a goal in both the first and second period. The Netherlands gave up one more goal before van Nes scored on the powerplay to put them on the board. It was all they could muster, as another Lithuanian goal resulted in the Netherlands losing 4-1. The Netherlands finished off the tournament facing Estonia. Vogelaar would open the scoring for the Dutch before Estonia stuck back later in the period to tie the game. The Netherlands would give up a goal early in the second to go down 2-1. They would tie it up later in the period thanks to Nordemann's powerplay goal, but shorty after would give up a powerplay goal to Estonia. Justin Evers scored early in the third to once again tie the game. That was it for Holland's offence, as Estonia scored two more to take the game. The Netherlands lost 5-3, keeping them in fifth place. They were tied with South Korea in points for last, but won the head-to-head, meaning they stay up in Group A for another year.
South Korea: The South Koreans had the task of facing Hungary in their opening game. It did not go well for the Asian squad, as Hungary put up an eight-spot against them. A bright spot for South Korea was their powerplay, as both their goals came on the man advantage. An 8-2 loss though wasn't the way South Korea wanted to start this tournament. It was much better against Lithuania, as Jihyun Cho's powerplay goal put South Korea ahead in the first. The game stayed that way until early in the third, when Lithuania scored on the powerplay to tie the game. The game went all the way to a shootout, where South Korea just couldn't keep up, losing in the seventh round. South Korea lost the game 2-1. It looked like a similar game against the Netherlands, as Yeajun Kim's powerplay goal in the first gave South Korea the lead. They did concede a goal in the second, but once again Kim scored on the powerplay to give South Korea a 2-1 lead. South Korea outplayed the Netherlands in the third, but gave up another tying goal. Once again, South Korea was headed to a shootout, and once again, could not escape with the victory. South Korea lost the game 3-2. South Korea opened the scoring against Estonia, thanks to Hyeongcheol Song's goal on the two-man advantage. The lead didn't last long, as less than two minutes later South Korea found themselves down 3-1. South Korea managed to tie the game later in the period, but Estonia was able to re-establish their two-goal lead before the end of the first. Estonia scored 38 seconds into the second period, which spelled the end of Donghyun Kim. Heetae Yang would replace him in goal. Jihyun Cho scored four minutes later to pull South Korea to within two. South Korea would conceded two more goals to Estonia in the period. That wasn't if for goals though, as South Korea closed the period scoring three times in the last three minutes, pulling them to within a goal of Estonia. Both teams scored early in the third. That was as close as South Korea got, as they gave up two more goals, as they ended up losing the high-scoring affair 11-8. South Korea needed some type of positive result against Croatia in order to have a chance to stay up. It looked good at first, as Byung Gun Kim scored eight minutes into the game. The game then started to slip away from the South Koreans, as they gave up three goals before the period ended. South Korea did find another goal, as Song scored with a minute left in the second. They didn't have much of a chance in the third, and ended up conceding an empty net goal, as South Korea lost their final game 4-2. South Korea ended the tournament tied for fifth with Netherlands, but due to losing the head-to-head game, they finish in sixth. This means South Korea is relegated to Group B for next year.
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