RRI Sports Club

The latest from Romanian ice hockey.

Steliu Lambru, 11.05.2022, 13:45

Romania finished last out of the five sides that
competed in the Group A tournament of the Ice Hockey World
Championship Division I tournament hosted by Slovenia’s capital
Ljubljana between 3rd
and 8th
of May. Romania’s 20-man-squad also included six naturalised
players: goal keeper Patrik Polc from Slovakia, wingers Albert
Zagidulin and Evgeny Skachkovand
defender Timur
Rasulov from Russia, and the defenders Pavlo Borysenko and
Yevgeni Yemelyanenko
from Ukraine. Hugo Gecse and Patrik Machala, a naturalised player
from the Czech Republic, who were also initially capped
for the tournament, did not in the end travel to Slovenia. Another
naturalised player, Andrei
Taratukhin,
from Russia
did not show up for training, while the Czech player Radim Valchar
did not receive permission to play for Romania from the International
Ice Hockey Federation.

In their first match at the tournament in Slovenia, Romania
categorically lost to the host country 9-1. The match was only
balanced in the first period, which ended 1-all, with Evgeny Skachkov
scoring for Romania. Slovenia scored eight more times in the next two
periods, while Romania had no notable performance. In their second
match, Romania faced South Korea, losing 1-4. Romania’s only goal
was scored by Albert Zagidulin in the second period. In their third
match, Romania played against Lithuania. Despite putting on their
best best performance in the tournament, they narrowly lost 5-4.
Romania’s goals were scored by Evgeny Skachkov,Tamas Reszegh,
Zsombor Molnar and Szilard Rokaly. Romania played their fourth and
final match against Hungary, losing 4-2, with Roberto Gliga and
Robert Ferencz-Csib scoring for Romania.

Slovenia
finished the competition in the lead with 12 points, thus promoting
to the top division. Hungary finished second with 9 points, followed
by Lithuania in third place with 6 points and South Korea in fourth
place with 3 points. With zero points, Romania were in last place and
were relegated to Division II. (CM)