In a thrilling start to the Harbin Asian Winter Games, Kyrgyzstan edged out Kuwait 9-8 in an overtime victory during the opening men's ice hockey contest on Monday. With four days remaining until the official Opening Ceremony, the teams set a high bar for excitement in the continental competition.
Kuwait took an early lead in the first period, with Anton Tcibin and Ilia Drozdetskikh each scoring two goals, pushing their team to a 5-3 advantage. They continued to dominate, extending their lead to 7-3, leaving Kyrgyzstan with a significant deficit to overcome.
However, Kyrgyzstan mounted an impressive comeback. In a display of determination, they tied the game at 8-8 in the final minute of the third period, stunning the Kuwaiti side and energizing the crowd.
Kyrgyz captain Mamed Seifulov became the hero of the night, scoring just 19 seconds into overtime to complete the remarkable turnaround and secure the 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.\"
The excitement is set to continue on Tuesday with five ice hockey games scheduled, including a highly anticipated matchup between China and South Korea in the men's event at 8:00 PM local time.
Reference(s):
Kyrgyzstan edge out Kuwait in ice hockey opener at Asian Winter Games
cgtn.com
