2011 WU Update – Day 10 – Ice Hockey: Men’s Semi-Finals

A big crowd for the semi-finals

ERZURUM – In the men’s ice hockey tournament, today February 5^th, the semi-finals were played. Four hockey powerhouses faced-off in the 3,000-seat arena. Two games which drew a big spectator crowd. The citizens of Erzurum love hockey.

The first game brought forward Belarus as the first gold medal contender. An amazing feat as it is the first time Belarus participates with a team in the Winter Universiade ice hockey tournament. Belarus defeated Kazakhstan 3-1 after an intense game. Team Belarus took the lead from the start and stayed ahead, ensuring its place in the final.

For the second semi-final Canada met Russia. Two giants who had set their minds on gold: Russia to prolong its Universiade title, Canada to win it back. It was the final of the 2009 WU all over again. A genuine thriller that was played till the bone. A tense game that lead to many trips to the penalty box for both sides resulting in some nerve racking powerplays and penalty killings.

Russia opened the score in the first period via Alshevskiy. Some minutes later Canada retaliated via Dorion to equalize the score. In the second period Russia once again took the lead via Zhmaev.

Hardly one minute in the third, the Russians opened the score again this time via Lazarev putting a three on the scoreboard, but Canada used a powerplay to the full and scored its second goal via Maclean. With one minute remaining, the Canadian coach pulls the goalie for an extra player and the six Canadians on the ice fiercely attack the Russian net. Goalie Garipov keeps his cool and then the inevitable happens: Valiullin takes the puck and scores the empty netter. The Russians fans go crazy. With a 4-2 victory, the Russians will take on Belarus tomorrow for the ice hockey gold.

In the smaller arena, Japan played Czech Republic and lost 2-3 in the placing games for 7^th and 8^th place, while Slovakia beat USA for 5^th/6^th place 4-3.

C. Pierre, FISU Press Officer