Kazakhstan doesn’t disappoint fans in final parade

Kazakhstan complete its remarkable campaign at the home World Championship by beating Hungary in the closing game of Nur-Sultan week. In the intentions of organizer, the last game against Hungary, that lost the access to Top Division last year at the last second, should have been the decisive game, but the disappointed tournament of Gergelj Majoross team, one victory in five games, and the almost perfect record of Kazakhstan, made this game no more than a final parade. Kazakhstan plays without captain Brandon Bochenski, out for an eye injury suffered in the game against Belarus and defender Valeri Orekhov, offering the debut for goalie Sergei Kudryavtsev. Hungary has forward Balint Magosi injured and goalie Bence Balizs back in the net. The Hungarian goalie is the protagonist since the first minutes of the game with several saves, frustrating the attempts of Kazakhstan and the crowd in the arena. The assault of home team is continuous and the opening goal, scored at 23:50 by Nikita Mikhailis, is the natural consequence.

After the goalie finally Hungary creates some scoring chances, with Vay and Gergo Nagy, finding always a reactive Kudryavtsev. At the beginning of third period Kazakhstan closes the question scoring on power play with Anton Nekraych, courtesy of a careless Hungarian goalie. Vilmos Gallo missed the net from a good position at minute 45 before finding the goal with Istvan Sofron: his shot passes in the traffic between the legs of Kazakh goalie. At 55 the best chance to tie the game, frustrated by Kudryavtsev with a block save on Bartalis shot.

In the following power play Evgeny Rymarev scores the third definitive goal for home team with a precise shot before the final useless assault of Hungary without the goalie and the celebration of Kazakhstan, back in Top Division after two seasons

MVP: Bence Balisz – Darren Dietz

Gergelj Majoross: “The Kazakhstan well deserves the final vicroy. For us the game was a test to prove we aren’t the team that disappointed our fans in this week. Tonight we have competing and battling for the puck and the space. Our scoring efficiency was very poor"

Andrei Skabelka: “It was an interesting game, we showed good hockey despite doesn’t count for the table. It was the end of a long season and we can now rest with the feeling of mission accomplished”

Best player of team:

Hungary: Bence Stipsicz

Kazakhstan: Nikita Mikhailis

Champion Kazakhstan

Silver medalist Belarus

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