MeHateHe
Registered User
- Dec 24, 2006
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The Division IIB tournament started up Monday in Sofia, with Netherlands, China, Bulgaria, Chinese Taipei, Belgium and Australia. The Dutch and Chinese got off to the best starts, each posting wins in their first two games - Netherlands over Australia 6-1 and Chinese Taipei 8-1 and China over Bulgaria 5-1 and Australia 5-2.
Streams from the tournament are available with an account here: https://iihf.livearenasports.com/en/home
There are a few interesting notes about some of the team rosters. Most of the teams have at least a few players attached to clubs in more prominent hockey playing countries like Sweden, the US and Canada. None of China's players have clubs listed, which is odd, and I don't feel like spending my day on Elite Prospects trying to track them all down. Perhaps if insomnia strikes I'll change my mind. Australia brought a 14-year-old to the tournament: Ruben Nalos, who's listed as 5'3 (1.59m) and 97 pounds (44kg). And he's a defender. Tiny. They've also got a couple of 2007 borns on the roster. They're continuing a growing tradition of developing players outside of Australia - players on the team are attached to clubs in Sweden, Czechia and Canada.
The tournament has been heavy on the penalties already. In the first six games there have been seven game misconducts and a match penalty - and all to the Chinese and Australian teams. The China/Netherlands game had 187 minutes in penalties alone. They had a bit of a donnybrook in the Chinese end in the first period, with a couple of fights. Whoever was operating the camera shifted it to the middle of the ice just as things got interesting. Wildly, the Australia goalie looked like he was ready to come down to assist, since the Chinese goalie was poking his nose around the scraps. China was a man down when the stuff happened.
I'd have to think the Dutch are odds-on favourites to win this. But it likely comes down to the last game of the tournament, on Sunday, between Netherlands and China. Winner moves up to Div IIA. Belgium and Australia - who also play on the last day - are likely battling to stay up in this division.
Streams from the tournament are available with an account here: https://iihf.livearenasports.com/en/home
There are a few interesting notes about some of the team rosters. Most of the teams have at least a few players attached to clubs in more prominent hockey playing countries like Sweden, the US and Canada. None of China's players have clubs listed, which is odd, and I don't feel like spending my day on Elite Prospects trying to track them all down. Perhaps if insomnia strikes I'll change my mind. Australia brought a 14-year-old to the tournament: Ruben Nalos, who's listed as 5'3 (1.59m) and 97 pounds (44kg). And he's a defender. Tiny. They've also got a couple of 2007 borns on the roster. They're continuing a growing tradition of developing players outside of Australia - players on the team are attached to clubs in Sweden, Czechia and Canada.
The tournament has been heavy on the penalties already. In the first six games there have been seven game misconducts and a match penalty - and all to the Chinese and Australian teams. The China/Netherlands game had 187 minutes in penalties alone. They had a bit of a donnybrook in the Chinese end in the first period, with a couple of fights. Whoever was operating the camera shifted it to the middle of the ice just as things got interesting. Wildly, the Australia goalie looked like he was ready to come down to assist, since the Chinese goalie was poking his nose around the scraps. China was a man down when the stuff happened.
I'd have to think the Dutch are odds-on favourites to win this. But it likely comes down to the last game of the tournament, on Sunday, between Netherlands and China. Winner moves up to Div IIA. Belgium and Australia - who also play on the last day - are likely battling to stay up in this division.
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