Kazakhstan Defeats France 3:1 in IIHF World Championship Subgroup Match

Kazakhstan defeated France 3:1 (2:1, 1:0, 0:0) in the subgroup B match against Latvia.

The French took the lead after just two minutes when Enzo Cantagallo fired the puck into the Kazakhstan goal, which Kazakhstan responded with two goals in just over four minutes, Roman Starchenko and Maksim Muhametov.

In the second period, Kazakhstan’s advantage was doubled by Kirill Savitkis, who scored a goal in the minority.

At the end of the game, France still changed the goalkeeper to a sixth player, but Kazakhstan managed to keep a goal and protect the success.

Meanwhile, in subgroup A in Prague, Canada defeated Great Britain 4:2 (1:1, 3:0, 0:1).

The British hockey players were the first to score, when Liam Kirk effectively closed the lead in the eighth minute, but after 30 seconds, the Canadians tied the game with a goal scored by Michael Bunting.

In the second period, Conor Bedard beat the British goalkeeper twice, but Brandon Hagel stood out with one accurate shot.

Towards the middle of the third period, the British managed to reduce the deficit after a goal scored by Ben O’Connor, but in the rest of the game, the Canadians did not allow their opponents to get any closer.

Austria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Great Britain, Norway and Switzerland will compete in Prague in subgroup A, while Latvia, USA, Germany, Sweden, France, Kazakhstan, Slovakia and Poland compete in Ostrava in subgroup B.

The 16 teams participating in the tournament are divided into two groups, with eight teams each, guaranteeing seven games for each team. The top four teams in each group will continue the medal fight in the quarter-finals, while the weaker teams in the two groups will leave the stronger division, and next year Hungary and Slovenia will be replace them in the top 16.

Last year, the Canadians triumphed in the world championships, defeating Germany in the deciding game, and Latvia won the bronze medals, defeating the US national team in extra time.

This year, the world championship will be held in the Czech cities of Prague and Ostrava from May 10 to 26.