WJC18 Division 1A Day 3 recap

After a day of break dedicated to the official photos, the competition resumes its rights in Angers. To start the day, Kazakhstan hosts Denmark in a match that could be crucial for the victory at the end of the week. Just like Monday, the match started on a high note: Kazakhstan opened the score after three minutes of play (1-0) and the Danes equalized 46 seconds later (1-1). Oscar Moelgaard, the best passer of the competition, continued his festival of selflessness to allow Olsson to put his team in control of the game (1-2). Olsson scored twice on the power play to put the Scandinavians ahead before the first break (1-3).

The offensive festival continued in the second period: Larsen increased the lead after a wonderful pass from Skov (1-4), Orazov answered him on the power play (2-4) but Moelgaard became the goal scorer to give back three goals to his team (2-5). Alexander Kim scored the goal of the tournament so far, juggling the puck on the stick before turning the puck over and finding the five holes between Steinbergs’; pads (3-5). At the end of the third, some technical errors by the Kazakhs cost them dearly and Grossmann put the game away (3-6).

The third period was a mere formality for the Danes who saw Schioldan (3-7) and Larsen (3- 8) get a brace. The Danes won by a large margin and took the lead in the group. The Kazakhs, whitewashed the first two days of the competition, took the water and must now count on a slip of the Danes to hope to win.

The second match was between Ukraine and Hungary. Both teams have one win each before this match, both obtained against France, the bottom of the competition. If Ukraine dominated the game, Marton Nemes opened the score (0-1) against the run of play at the end of the first third and the Hungarians were in the lead after twenty minutes of play. Ukraine equalized after the break through Ivashchenko (1-1) but a loose play by the Hungarians gave them back the lead, Haranghy deflecting a Bodzai attempt in front of the cage (1-2). It is on this score that the second break intervened. Shortly before the last ten minutes of regulation time, a double power play allowed the Ukrainians to equalize. Neither the end of the regular time nor the extra time could decide between the two teams and Ukraine won the penalty shootout by two goals to nil. In spite of the split, Ukraine and Hungary have a chance to stay in the competition.

Finally, this third day of competition concluded with a match between Japan and France.

France, who still hasn’t won a single game despite the advantage of playing at home, must win against Japan if they hope to maintain their position. Their hopes were dashed when Iizuka opened the scoring midway through the first period (0-1). Ishigaki (0-2) at the end of the second period and Ushio (0-3) at the halfway point of the game, widened the gap a little more before the last twenty minutes of the regulation time. Aurélien Serres put an end to 117 minutes of offensive disarray for the Bleuets and gave hope to his team (1-3). Neckar left his net to finish the game and Ushio scored twice (1-4) before seeing Vidal reduce the gap at the end of the game (2-4). The Bleuets lost for the third time in as many games and will have to create two exploits, against the Danes and the Kazakhs, if they want to maintain their position. On their side, the Japanese continue to surprise the French public by their applied and disciplined game.

Tweets by @eurohockey