#Huge #success #Hungarian #national #ice #hockey #team #world #elite
In an extremely exciting match for the Hungarian national ice hockey team, Kristóf Papp scored 2 minutes and 51 seconds before the end to defeat the Slovenian team 2-1 at the end of the Bolzano Division I/A World Championship on Saturday. With this, the Hungarian national team once again reached the 16-team world elite.
After the initial Slovenian attacks, János Hári’s first shot on 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. It was the historic first success against the rival after 11 defeats.
The Hungarians won the tournament with 11 points, and out of the three teams with nine points, the Slovenians came in second thanks to the results against each other, as they surpassed both the Italians and the Romanians.
The victory means that the Hungarians in the modern history of the sport,
after the Second World War, we reached the top for the fourth time after the success in Sapporo in 2008, Krakow in 2015 and Ljubljana in 2022.
The hockey team defeated the host in a dramatic battle, promotion will be decided on Saturday
Promotion to Division I will be decided on the final matchday against Slovenia on Saturday.
The final match was only for the Hungarians, they had to win for promotion, the Slovenians were already in a comfortable position. It was an unfavorable sign that the rival won all 11 World Cup matches between the two teams with a total goal difference of 56-13. At the same time, it happened for the first time that the Slovenians stood up against 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 the heroic battle on Friday night, but the back pairs were changed.
The Hungarian national team celebrates with the prize for winning the tournament after the Hungary-Slovenia (2-1) match at the Division I/A World Ice Hockey Championship in Bolzano on May 4, 2024. (Photo: MTI/Zsolt Szigetváry)
The Slovenians had absolutely no reserves, they did not take the match lightly, they dictated a crazy pace from the beginning, 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 from behind the baseline to János Hári, who was left unguarded in the middle, who shot the right side of the goal. The Slovenians continued their attacks, but they could not overcome Bálizs’s mind. There was a Hungarian man advantage in the middle of the third, and a Slovenian man advantage before the break.
After the turn, Kristóf Papp “rang” the goalpost, then Hári missed a solo shot, and this took its toll. In the 26th minute, Rok Ticar scored one of the most beautiful goals of the year: lying down, not even looking at the goal, dragging his stick across the ice, he rolled the puck between the legs of the surprised Bálizs. The world-famous Russian Alexander Ovechkin had a similar feat in 2006 in the NHL.
The Slovenians got a bloodbath again, they rotated the puck excellently and the shots rained 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 collision, but he was able to continue the match.
In the fast hockey of the third inning, Bálizs kept the promotion hopes alive. There was a time when he neutralized a counterattack with a stick glove, sparring, and then defended with an arm from close range. Ziga Mehle’s indiscipline broke the Slovenian momentum, and Kristjan Cepon was pulled down by István Sofron at the break.
The Hungarian team already punished this with a goal, Papp collected the rebound and made no mistakes with backhands.
In the end, the Slovenian guard brought down their goalkeeper, Bálizs saved another huge shot with his feet, and then the celebration could begin, the Hungarians were back among the best!
Result, 5th (last) round:
Hungary–Slovenia 2–1 (1-0, 0-1, 1-0)
scorers: Hári (8th), Papp (58th) and Ticar (26th)
previously:
Italy – Republic of Korea 8-1 (4-0, 0-1, 4-0)
Romania – Japan 4-2 (2-1, 1-0, 1-1)
The end result:
1. Hungary 11 points (promoted)
2. Slovenia 9 p. (got up)
3. Italy 9 p.
4. Romania 9 p.
5. Japan 4 p.
6. Republic of Korea 3 p.
In the case of the same score, the results against each other were decisive. The first two places were promoted, so May 9-25, 2025. will appear in the 16-team elite world championship to be held in Stockholm and in Herning, Denmark, while the Republic of Korea was relegated to division I/B, from which Ukraine was promoted.
Featured image: The Hungarian national team celebrates with the prize for winning the tournament after the Hungary-Slovenia (2-1) match at the Bolzano Division I/A World Ice Hockey Championship on May 4, 2024. (Photo: MTI/Zsolt Szigetváry)
