Many mistakes when Belarus beats Slovenia

Face off 12:15 and a game between the perhaps two most unknown teams for Swedish fans and the two teams with least travelling fans. Not ideal conditions to bring fans to the arena and it was more fans in next door Hovet to see Sweden's open practice than in the Globe to see the game between Belarus and Slovenia. The official number of spectators was 1 411 but I wonder if they didn't count everyone at the open practice into that number.

After 1-1 the first period it felt like Slovenia was the slightly better team in the second but halfway through it was holes in the Slovenian defense and Aleksandr Kitrov skated into the slot and scored beating Kristan on the stick side. Kitarov's second point in the game after assisting Kaznadei's equalizer. The goal one was of many mistakes by the Slovenian team.

"It was a tough game. We made too many individual mistakes that killed us today. It's not the way to win a hockey game. They took our gifts and scored goals", Slovenia's coach Matjaz Kopitar said.

The better team on the ice but still 1-2 after 40 minutes. Things seemed tough for Slovenia but then they got the luck they hadn't in the second period when a soft shot from Marcel Rodman that would have gone wide bounced off a Belarussian skate and just squeezed in to goal and with 2-2 early in the third it was anyone's game. And Belarus took to the chance to make it their game when Flichikin picked up a rebound and struck home for a 3-2 lead.

The puck is in and Belarus celebrates. Photo: Michal Eger

Things were looking bad for Slovenia who probably needed points to stay out of relegation but when Robert Sabolic tied with five minutes later it was well deserved. But it only took less than Belarus to retake the lead when Ugarov went around in front og goal and lifted the puck over a swimming Kristan.

Slovenia ties it 3-3 but couldn't hold on. Photo: Michal Eger

No more goals were scored and Belarus won this important game. A difficult loss for Slovenia who now at least will have to beat Denmark to stay out of relegation.  "We still have fie games ahead of is and we will prepare our team to try to take some points", coach Kopitar said about Slovenia's chances.

Belarus head coach Skabelka said about the win "Both team made mistakes and were nervous. I'm satisfied with victory. A strong will was more important than quality in this game". He hoped that the victory will mean a lot for his team "The victory will contritbute more confidence to our unexperienced team".

Slovenia's Gaspar Kopitar was sad after the loss "We made a pretty good game but it wasn't enough. If we cant score we can't win", he said in his simple analysis of the game.

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