Men's Ice Hockey Tournament at the Winter Olympic Games Beijing 2022

[hckošice 14,835]

2 hours ago, heywoodu said:

Apparently the decision to continue NED - ESP at 10.00am today has been changed to no decision at all being made yet, so we'll wait and see. The problem happened while the Zamboni was working in the first break: it pulled a long 'hole' in the ice  

 

According to the Dutch guy there I'm in contact with, after one hour of waiting there was not a single beer available anymore around Camp Nou, captain Joey Oosterveld was man of the match for NED and the Spanish MotM was 'not the ice master'*  

 

*in Dutch it's ijsmeester (literally 'ice master'), I don't know the correct English term for whoever is in charge of the ice.

 

hahaha at least peoples had fun

 

 

39 minutes ago, heywoodu said:

Apparently there are three options:

 

- The match will be played in January in Spain (1) or the Netherlands (2)

- IIHF will decide who wins

 

 

 

Yep, the match (winner must be decided before the February 3rd qualification round, so either both teams will find an agreement to play (finish) the match (which actually started) here or there by then or IIHF will have to decide about the winner by draw.

 

 

37 minutes ago, heywoodu said:

Btw, 10:00 was not possible.....because the Dutch team and the referees had their flight scheduled by then  

 

Oh the joys of barely professional sports  

 

[heywoodu 15,145]

5 minutes ago, hckosice said:

 

hahaha at least peoples had fun

Apparently the gates were already closed and all the lights outside were already off  

[hckošice 14,835]

ROAD TO BEIJING 2022

 

 

2nd QUALIFYING ROUND

 

Group K

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Romania progress in Olympic Qualification

 

 

A trip to Great Britain awaits Romania after blowing away their opponents during the 2019 Men's Olympic Qualification Preliminary Round 2 Group K playing on home ice in Brasov.

They sealed their progress to the next round after crushing Iceland 10-1 in the showdown for top-spot in the group K. With its head coach and half of the roster from Corona Brasov, the Romanian national team celebrated their victory in front of 1,200 at Olympic Ice Hall in Brasov on Sunday night. With three straight wins, 43 goals scored and only three conceded, progress was never in doubt.

Romania will next compete at the 2019 Men's Olympic Qualification Preliminary Round 3 Group J in Nottingham, Great Britain. Played between 6-9 February 2020, they will take on hosts Great Britain, Hungary and Estonia.

"We are very excited. We are always really nice to play against much better teams than yourself. I am really looking forward to it because I am pretty sure it will be a big arena and a lot of fans, British fans are also really loud, so it will be a really nice experience. It´s also a really good way to prepare for the World Championships," said Romania´s captain Roberto Gliga.

Eight different scorers with four goals scored in power play sealed a convincing victory against Iceland in Group K.  Tournament top-scorer Balazs Peter tallied 2+3. Zsombor Molnar had two goals and an assist, while blueliner Attila Goga and forward Csanad Fodor both got a goal and two assists each.

During the 2017 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division II Group A in Romania´s Galati, Iceland had blanked Romania in a shock 2-0 victory. Kristjan Kristinsson was one of Iceland´s scorers during that memorable win. Two and half years later, he once again faced Romania who since moved up to another level and is now in Division IA while Iceland play in Division IIB

"It was hard, really hard tonight. They are used to play a lot of games. We in Iceland play a 16-game league, so the stamina is different. Romania was really strong on the puck. They were just really good," said Kristinsson.

 

 

Despite having scoring 33 goals against Israel and Kyrgyzstan during Olympic Qualification in Brasov, the Romanian team had been slow in getting into gear during their two previous games. Against Iceland, they had to wait until 11:11 before they got their opener. Former forward turned defenceman, Pavlo Borysenko unleashed a wrister from the blueline right at Iceland´s bench which found its way past a screened Dennis Hedstrom in the Iceland net.

Iceland´s Bjarki Johannesson was serving a two-minute minor when less than four minutes left of the frame Anton Butochnov poached in front of the net from a Fodor feed. Peter tapped home 3-0 and soon after scored his second of the evening 23 seconds before the buzzer for the first intermission. Gliga cheekily tapped the puck forward when winning the draw and hit a pass across the crease to Peter for slot home Romania´s fourth unanswered strike.

Iceland who during yesterday´s day off had paid a visit to Dracula´s castle in nearby Bran, showed little bite during the middle frame as Romania steamed ahead.

Molnar added Romania´s fifth at 22:55 before Romania converted on three straight powerplay goals. At 29:04 Goga lifted in 6-0 from the slot after Hedstrom had made the initial save. Romania´s seventh came just over two minutes later. Goalie Patrik Polc got an assist, as he picked out Peter waiting on the offensive blueline who fed the puck to Molnar who converted. Yevhen Yemelianenko then boomed home a one-timer from the top slot for number eight at 37:33.

Heading into the third period, Romania continued to win their battles and kept pressing Iceland in their own zone. Eduard Casaneanu and Balazs Gajdo both had attempts in the slot before Fodor fired home 9-0 at 45:53. Fodor then weighed up his options behind Hedstrom´s net, picked out an onrushing Vitali Kirichenko who hit home via the post for double digits at 51:16.

Iceland netted a late consolation when Kristinsson won a battle along the boards with Yemelianenko as Egill Birgisson ruined Polc´s shutout bid with 2:45 left of the game.

With an intensive league schedule ahead, Romania now keep fingers crossed that their current crop of players will stay injury-free ahead of the next round of Olympic Qualifiers. In Nottingham they also hope to be boosted by Daniel Tranca who missed the Iceland game due to illness as well as Tamas Reszegh and Szilard Rokaly, a duo who played a key role when Romania won gold at the 2019 World Championship Division IB.

For Iceland, their young team will leave Romania richer in experience as a big season continues for Icelandic hockey with both the 2020 Men´s World Championship Division IIB and the 2020 Women´s World Championship Division IIB being hosted in Iceland later on this season.

 

 

IIHF.COM

[hckošice 14,835]

ROAD TO BEIJING 2022

 

 

2nd QUALIFYING ROUND

 

Group L

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Group L showdown abandoned

 

 

The decisive game in 2019 Men’s Olympic Qualification Preliminary Round 2 Group L between host nation Spain and the Netherlands has been cancelled due to problems with the ice surface at the arena in Barcelona.

Now there will be further discussions within the IIHF sports office and a decision on how the group is to be resolved will be announced in the coming days. The tournament chairman Franz Reindl and representatives of both competing teams agreed to defer a decision pending further discussions.

The game started as planned on Sunday evening, but a problem while cleaning the ice caused a large hole in the face-off circle to the right of the net defended by the Spaniards in the first period. The game officials gave as much time as possible to try to solve the problem but at 23:00 local time, two-and-a-half hours after play stopped, it was clear that it would be impossible to complete the game on the night.

After 20 minutes of play, the original game was scoreless. Spain and the Netherlands are currently tied on six points after two games each. If the Dutch win and take top spot in the group, they will go to Group H in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, to face Poland, Ukraine and the Kazakhs. A Spanish victory would send the tournament host to Jesenice, Slovenia to play in Group G against Japan, Lithuania and the Slovenes.

 

 

IIHF.COM

[hckošice 14,835]

ROAD TO BEIJING 2022

 

 

2nd QUALIFYING ROUND

 

Group M

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Croatia’s revenge

 

 

Croatia beat Serbia 2-1 on home ice in Sisak thanks to a late goal from Luka Mikulic. With the victory the Croats won the 2019 Olympic Qualification Preliminary Round 2 Group M and advance to the third round.

“The goal was but a moment in the game. It’s a nice feeling. It was a tough game but we were better,” said Mikulic, who scored three goals in the tournament.

It was a game full of scoring chances and power plays in which Croatia outshot the Serbs 31-29. Vilim Rosandic was another key player for Croatia with 28 saves and a tournament-leading 95.35% save percentage.

Croatia vs. Serbia was the anticipated deciding game for the tournament win. The two neighbouring countries faced little resistance against Bulgaria and Turkey in their first two games and knew which game mattered the most for the tournament win.

Tournament win, neighbours, mixed history, and a lot of known faces since the best Croatian and Serbian clubs play in the same league. There was certainly no extra motivation needed for the players. Croatia historically had the upper hand in these clashes and is ranked one place better in the IIHF Men’s World Ranking, however, Serbia won its only official men’s national team game against Croatia just last April when it hosted the 2019 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division II Group A on home ice in Belgrade.

The Serbs earned the tournament win and promotion back then. The Croats perfectly avenged that loss by winning on home ice and advancing in the Olympic Qualification campaign.

 

 

Serbian repeat or Croatian revenge – both teams were looking to deliver the answer early on and had their scoring chances. It was the Croats who delivered first and last.

Tadija Miric brought the puck into the Serbian zone, dropped it to Ivo Kaleb who sent it towards the net from a sharp angle. There Miric was on the spot to open the scoring at 6:09 of the opening frame.

The Serbs were not without scoring opportunities either and opportunities knocked in the 10th minute when both Miric and Fran Srketic were in the penalty box. However, the Croats were well organized and killed that penalty without dangerous moments.

Otherwise the Croatian hosts were mostly in charge of the first period and gave Serbian goalie Arsenije Rankovic hard work.

The Serbs increased their forechecking in the second period and had two power plays but the Croats continued to defend well. Eventually their work and patience paid off with 48 seconds left in the period. In a face-off at lightning speed by Serbia’s first line, Srdijan Subotic won the puck battle in the neutral zone, passed to his right winger Mirko Dumic at the blue line who fed a breaking away Nemanja Vucurevic, who tied the game at one to the joy of the small contingent of Serbian supporters among the 989 fans at the arena in Sisak.

Serbia started with an advantage in the third frame. After Stjepan Cizmadija was sent to the sin bin for a late hit, he was soon joined by a teammate due to a penalty for too many players on the ice. The Serbs took their time-out for the 56 seconds of 5-on-3, however, the Croats also killed that penalty. After a tripping call against Mikulic, Mirko Dumic had the next opportunity for Serbia with a penalty shot but his attempt went wide.

The Croats were the next to have a two-man advantage in the eighth minute but also the Serbs did a good job killing penalties. With five minutes left in regulation time the Croats again had the chance to play more than one-and-a-half minute 5-on-3 but also these penalties remain unused.

The teams defended their nets heroicly when they were a man short, it was the more simple situations with open space that created goals. With 2:25 left Croatia’s Mikulic and Dominic Rene Canic attacked along the right board. Mikulic passed Canic, got the puck back close to the crease and slid the puck past Rankovic.

Like the four previous times, Croatia will play in the second-last round of the Olympic Qualification also for Beijing 2022.

Their venue will be known once the other groups are over and will depend on the three qualifiers for the next round and the position in the 2019 IIHF Men's World Ranking. Possible options are travelling next door to Jesenice, Slovenia, in February or the group in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan. More will be announced later on IIHF.com

 

 

IIHF.COM

[hckošice 14,835]

@heywoodu

 

Update. IIHF revealed the match - will be re-played, from the beginning, on 8 January 2020 in Barcelona after discussions between the International Ice Hockey Federation and its members in the Netherlands and Spain. The exact time is to be determined but the ambition is to play early afternoon so the team from the Netherlands can fly back the same evening.

 

[hckošice 14,835]

ROAD TO BEIJING 2022

 

 

2nd QUALIFYING ROUND

 

Group L

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Netherlands-Spain on 8 January

 

 

The deciding game between the Netherlands and Spain of the 2019 Men’s Olympic Qualification Preliminary Round 2 Group L in Barcelona, Spain, that had to be cancelled, will be played on 8 January 2020.

The original game on Sunday had to be stopped after one period and no goals scored due to significant ice problems that could not be solved.

The game will now be played, from the beginning, on 8 January 2020 in Barcelona after discussions between the International Ice Hockey Federation and its members in the Netherlands and Spain. The exact time is to be determined but the ambition is to play early afternoon so the team from the Netherlands can fly back the same evening.

Since the groups of the next round will be determined by seeding (the 2019 IIHF Men’s World Ranking), it will also affect the group allocation. If the Netherlands win, they will go to Group H in Nur-Sultan to face host Kazakhstan, Poland and Ukraine. A Spanish victory would send Spain to Jesenice, Slovenia to play in Group G against host Slovenia, Japan and Lithuania.

Croatia, which has qualified for the next round and waits for its group allocation, will play in the other group. Romania, another qualifier, is top-seeded from the Round 2 teams and will play in February in Group J in Nottingham with host Great Britain, Hungary and Estonia.

 

IIHF.COM

[hckošice 14,835]

ROAD TO BEIJING 2022

 

 

2nd QUALIFYING ROUND

 

Round-Robin
December 12th, 2019 - January 8th, 2020
12 Nations, 3 Groups, the 1st Nation from each Group will qualify for the 3rd Qualifying Round

 

MATCH REPLAY SCHEDULE

 

LIVESTREAM

 

Group L

Central European Time (GMT +1)

 

Netherlands   vs  Spain
Period-by-Period:
January 8th 2020, h. 12:00, FC Barcelona Palau de Gel, Barcelona

 

Group L Provisional Standing After Day 4

 

Nation	P	W(OTW)	L(OTW)	GF	GA	+/-	PTS
Netherlands	2	2(0)	0(0)	31	2	+29	6
Spain	2	2(0)	0(0)	26	1	+25	6
Chinese Taipei	3	1(0)	2(0)	8	26	-18	3
Mexico	3	0(0)	3(0)	3	39	-36	0

 

[hckošice 14,835]

ROAD TO BEIJING 2022

 

 

2nd QUALIFYING ROUND

 

Round-Robin
December 12th, 2019 - January 8th, 2020
12 Nations, 3 Groups, the 1st Nation from each Group will qualify for the 3rd Qualifying Round

 

MATCH REPLAY RESULT

 

Group L

Central European Time (GMT +1)

 

Netherlands   5 - 3  Spain
Period-by-Period: 1-1, 2-2, 2-0
January 8th 2020, h. 12:00, FC Barcelona Palau de Gel, Barcelona

 

Group L Final Standing

 

Nation	P	W(OTW)	L(OTW)	GF	GA	+/-	PTS
Netherlands	3	3(0)	0(0)	36	5	+31	9
Spain	3	2(0)	1(0)	29	6	+23	6
Chinese Taipei	3	1(0)	2(0)	8	26	-18	3
Mexico	3	0(0)	3(0)	3	39	-36	0

 

 

The following Nations have qualified for the 3rd Qualifying Round
 

• Croatia
• Netherlands
• Romania

 

[hckošice 14,835]

3rd penultimate Qualifying Round Groups set

 

 

Olympic Pre-Qualification Round 3 (6-9 February 2020)
Group G In Jesenice, Slovenia.: (Host)+ +   +
Group H In Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.: (Host) + + +
Group J In Nottingham, Great Britain.: (Host) + + +