Playoff race hots up

It would take a brave man to predict the quarter finalists from Group B of the IIHF World Championship after Friday’s play. Just five points separate group leader Finland (10 points from four games) and seventh-placed Norway (five points from five games). As it stands, Latvia is holding on to fourth place, just ahead of Kazakhstan and Canada. In Group A, though, things are clearer after defeats for Great Britain and Belarus pushed those nations to the brink of elimination. However, both the Czechs and Swedes have work to do to get over the line.

Group A

Belarus blown away in the third

Denmark 5 Belarus 2 (1-1, 0-1, 4-0)

Belarus led twice in this game against Denmark but fell away in the third period to suffer a defeat that ends its realistic playoff hopes. Theoretically, the Bison could still qualify with 10 points if its wins its remaining games against Switzerland and Russia. However, even then, it would require other results to go the right way for Mikhail Zakharov’s team.

The Belarusians started well enough, taking the lead in the third minute thanks to Artyom Demkov’s goal. But Denmark hit back with a power play goal and Belarus had more penalty problems when Sergei Drozd was ejected from the game after a high hit midway through the opening frame.

Belarus survived that and moved in front at the halfway stage with a power play goal of its own. Mikhail Stefanovich potted his second of the championship and for a time it looked like the QF dream was still alive.

“We were leading by one goal after the second period,” said Demkov. “We needed to stay focussed more on defense but still play like we played in the first two periods, block shots and play defensive well.”

“But that third period was not good for us. We lost 4-0. It’s incredible. This is like a gold medal for us within the group and then we can’t play like we did in the third period.”

Certainly, in the third period it all went wrong for Belarus. Denmark scored four unanswered goals in the final session, getting three in 4:55 to take control of the game. Matthias Asterup, Mathias From and Markus Laurdisen pushed the Danes into a 4-2 lead as the Bison paid the price for sitting back and trying to absorb pressure. Alexander True added a fifth to wrap up the win. Unusually, Nicklas Jensen did not have a single point for Denmark, having been involved in each of the team’s previous seven goals at the tournament.

“Nobody asked us to sit back in the third,” Stefanovich added. “But we got off our game plan and we were too cautious. We allowed too many quick goals.”

Swedes get vital victory

Sweden 4 Great Britain 1 (1-1, 2-0, 1-0)

A goal from Jonathan Pudas and two from Mario Kempe gave Sweden a vital victory to keep its playoff hopes alive. With just one win from four games, a loss to the Brits would push the Tre Kronor to the brink of elimination and threaten the Swedes with their worst result since 1937.

Sweden escaped that fate, but suffered a scare when Britain opened the scoring with its first shot of the game. Initially, Liam Kirk’s effort was whistled down for interference on the goalie, but a review showed the Brendan Connolly was pushed into Viktor Fasth by a Swedish player and Kirk had his fifth goal of the tournament.

A power play goal in the first period saw Marcus Sorensen tie the scores, and former Jokerit man Pudas scored the go-ahead goal off a Lawrence Pilut assist. Kempe then scored two more either side of the second intermission to keep Sweden’s playoff destiny in its own hands.

Group B

Mikhailis double gives Canada a scare

Kazakhstan 2 Canada 4 (0-1, 1-1, 1-2)

Kazakhstan could not find another fairytale victory but despite going down to Canada, the dream of a quarter-final place is still alive.

Nikita Mikhailis scored twice for the Kazakhs, tying the scores at 2-2 early in the third period. For a moment, the unthinkable seemed possible: a Kazakhstan victory would leave Canada all but eliminated from the knock-out rounds.

However, the Canadians regrouped and a 48th-minute goal from Cole Perfetti restored the lead. Connor Brown made it safe with an empty net goal, but Kazakhstan had plenty to be proud of after another impressive performance in Riga.

“The big thing was that we didn’t hesitate in the face of the Canadian players,” said head coach Yury Mikhailis. “We faced a good, powerful opponent but our guys didn’t look out of place against them. We created scoring chances, we tied the game. We might even have got in front but their goalie played well.”

“We promised that the guys would battle in every game and we have nothing to be ashamed of.”

Kazakhstan gave debuts to two youngsters, goalie Andrei Shutov, who plays in the Kazakh league, and forward Sayat Daniyar, who is hoping to establish himself at Barys.

Shoot-out loss hurts Latvia’s hopes

Latvia 3 Norway 4 SO (2-1, 0-1, 1-1, 0-0, 0-1)

Latvia suffered a shoot-out loss against Norway, putting its playoff hopes under more pressure as the Group B table remains as congested as ever. The host nation remains in the top four, but is just one point clear of fifth-place Kazakhstan after Michael Haga settled the shoot-out in the Polar Bears’ favor.

This was a game that ebbed and flowed. Norway grabbed an early lead through Sondre Olsen, but Latvia finished the first period with a 2-1 lead thanks to Renars Krastenbergs and Ronalds Kenins.

Head coach Bob Hartley paid tribute to Krastenbergs as the 22-year-old Dinamo Riga prospect continues to impress at this tournament.

“Krasty has been one of our best players since the start of the tournament,” Hartley said. “He’s matured physically and mentally. He’s a man now, the way that he competes. He has a great shot, understands the game, plays the game the right way.”

Norway hit back at the start of the second to tie it with a Ken Andre Olimb goal and got yet another early goal in the third to move ahead. But Kristians Rubins put Latvia level with 10 to play in regulation and the teams ensured a share of the points.

Overtime was goalless, but the shoot-out was settled when Haga beat Matiss Kivlenieks to win it in the first round of sudden death.

“In our situation, we needed the regulation win,” added Hartley. “We’re still alive, but obviously we’re gonna need help from from people around us. Plus, we’re gonna have to win our remaining games.”

Main photo: EyesWideOpen / Getty Sport / GettyImages.ru