Hockey: Ukraine will play a decisive match against Japan at the World Championship for promotion to the elite division

Today, May 3, the Ukrainian national ice hockey team will play its final match at the World Championship in Division 1A against Japan. To move up in class, it is necessary to defeat the Japanese, and a victory over them will allow Ukraine to play in the elite division for the first time in 18 years. This is reported by the Ice Hockey Federation of Ukraine, reports UNN.

Details

"Today, May 3, the Ukrainian national team will play its final match at the World Championship in Division 1A. The game against the Japanese national team may give us the right to play in the elite division for the first time in 18 years. As of the final round, our rivals no longer have tournament motivation. The World Championship for Japan was not the best, but they won a head-to-head match for survival against Romania. The hosts of this year's tournament will drop to D1B next year, and the Romanian national team will be replaced by the Lithuanian national team," the statement reads.

The federation emphasizes that to move up in class, it is necessary to defeat Japan. Any victory, or even a draw in regular time, will secure Ukraine a place in the top 2.

"The only scenario in which we will not take a qualifying place requires three coincidences at once: a defeat by Japan in regular time + any victory of Great Britain over Poland + a victory of Italy over Romania in regular time," the federation added.

The match between Japan and Ukraine will start at 12:30, and the broadcast will be shown by "Suspilne Sport".

Addition

Ukraine has played with Japan quite regularly, but the statistics of these matches in recent years speak in favor of the Japanese.

"At the World Championships in 2022 and 2023, we lost with scores of 2:8 and 3:5, respectively. These are our most recent meetings, after the start of the full-scale invasion of Russian occupiers. But the most recent friendly game with Japan ended with our victory. It was the last match of preparation for this World Championship in Romania," the federation noted.

Let us remind you

Ukrainian hockey players at the World Ice Hockey Championship in Division IA, which takes place in Romania, won 2 more victories. And they are one step closer to competing in the elite division.