The Harbin Asian Winter Games kicked off with an electrifying men's ice hockey match as Kyrgyzstan edged out Kuwait in a nail-biting 9-8 overtime win on Monday. With just four days remaining until the Opening Ceremony, the competition has already set the stage for intense action.
From the start, Kuwait showcased their prowess, with Anton Tcibin and Ilia Drozdetskikh each netting two goals, propelling their team to a commanding 5-3 lead in the first period. The momentum continued as Kuwait extended their advantage to 7-3, seemingly putting the game out of reach.
However, Kyrgyzstan wasn't ready to give up. Demonstrating remarkable resilience, they clawed their way back into the game, tying the score at 8-8 in the final minute of the third period. The determination paid off when captain Mamed Seifulov scored just 19 seconds into overtime, sealing a historic comeback victory for his team.
\"It was a hard win for us. We arrived here two days ago and still need adaptation. I am sure we will be better in the next game,\" said Kyrgyzstan forward Sultan Ismanov. \"The atmosphere for us was good. I want to say thanks to our fans and the Chinese people.\"
Fans can look forward to an action-packed schedule as five ice hockey games are slated for Tuesday, including a highly anticipated match between China and South Korea at 8:00 PM local time.
Reference(s):
Kyrgyzstan edge out Kuwait in ice hockey opener at Asian Winter Games
cgtn.com
