Hungary Hockey Team Defeats Slovenia 2-1 to Reach World Championship Elite 16

After the initial Slovenian attacks, János Hári’s first shot at goal resulted in a goal, then Rok Ticar equalized with a “Puskás award-winning” goal. Papp decided the battle with a man advantage in the hair. This was the first historic success against the rival after 11 losses.

The Hungarians won the tournament with 11 points, and out of the three teams with nine points, the Slovenians came second thanks to the results against each other, as they surpassed both the Italians and the Romans.

The victory means that the Hungarians are in the new history of the sport,

after the Second World War, we reached the summit for the fourth time after the success of Sapporo in 2008, Krakow in 2015 and Ljubljana in 2022.

The last match was only for the Hungarians, they had to win for promotion, the Slovenians were already in a comfortable position. It was an inauspicious sign that the rivals won 11 World Cup matches between the two teams with an aggregate goal difference of 56-13. At the same time, it happened for the first time that the Slovenians faced the Hungarians after they had already fought for promotion.

Federal captain Don MacAdam had no reason to change the forward lines of the team that defeated the Italians in a brave battle on Friday night, but the back pairs were changed.

The Slovenians had no reserves, they did not take the game lightly, they dictated a crazy pace from the start, they attacked Bence Bálizs’ goal hard.

We had to wait a good seven minutes for the first Hungarian shot on goal, but it was a goal.

István Terbócs passed behind the baseline to János Hári, who was left unguarded in the middle, who fired a shot from the right side of the goal. The Slovenians continued their attacks, but they could not overcome Balizs’s mind. Hungary had an advantage in the middle of the third, and Slovenia had an advantage before the break.

After the conversion, Kristóf Papp shouted “the goal post, and then Hári missed a solo shot, and this had an impact. In the 26th minute, Rok Ticar scored one of the most beautiful goals of the year: lying down, not looking at the goal, dragging his stick across the ice, he put the puck between his legs Amazing Bálizs. The famous Russian Alexander Ovechkin had the same thing in 2006 in the NHL.

The Slovenians got blood again, they turned the puck over brilliantly and the rain went down on the Hungarian goal, and Tamás Ortenszky was sent off. He managed to survive the stormy period, then Ákos Mihály was injured in an innocent accident, but he was able to continue the game.

In the fast hockey of the third inning, Bálizs kept the promotion hopes alive. There was a time when he neutralized an attack with a stick glove, sparring, and then defended it with an arm from close range. Ziga Mehle’s lack of control broke up a Slovenian move, and Kristjan Cepon was brought down by István Sofron at the break.

The Hungarian team already punished with a goal, Papp collected the rebound and made no mistakes with backhands.

Finally, a Slovenian guard brought down their goalkeeper, Bálizs saved another great shot with his feet, and then the celebration could begin, the Hungarians were back among the best!

Result, 5th round (final):

Hungary – Slovenia 2–1 (1-0, 0-1, 1-0)

scorers: Hári (8th), Papp (58th) and Ticar (26th)

before:

Italy – Korea Republic 8-1 (4-0, 0-1, 4-0)
Romania – Japan 4-2 (2-1, 1-0, 1-1)

Final result:

1. Hungary 11 points (promoted)

2. Slovenia 9 p.m. (rose)

3. Italy 9 p.

4. Romania 9 p.m.

5. Japan 4 p.

6. Republic of Korea 3 p.

On the same score, the results were conclusive. The first two places were promoted, so May 9-25, 2025. appear in the elite 16-team world championship to be held in Stockholm and in Herning, Denmark, while the Republic of Korea was relegated to category I/B, from which Ukraine was promoted.

Featured image: The Hungarian national team celebrates with the trophy for winning the tournament after the Hungary-Slovenia match (2-1) at the World Ice Hockey Championship Division I/A Bolzano on May 4 2024. (Photo: MTI/Zsolt Szigetváry)