ASIAN ICE HOCKEY

There may be one game left on the schedule, but the true centerpiece of the 2026 IIHF Asia Championship arrived early: Kazakhstan vs Japan. Skalde’s young, fearless roster pushed the defending champions harder than anyone else in Beijing.

Kazakhstan Strike First, but Japan Punches Right Back

Kazakhstan opened the scoring with a power-play sequence that showcased both poise and patience. Kirill Lyapunov – fresh off last year’s U20 Worlds in Ottawa – was rewarded for his steady play throughout the tournament with a goal, tapping in a rebound created by Roman Starchenko’s shot.

Japan answered late in the first. Taisetsu Ushio battled along the wall and sprung a 2-on-1, sliding a perfect feed to Madoka Suzuki for the equalizer.

Special Teams Take Over the Second Period

Early in the middle frame, Kazakhstan once again punished Japanese penalties – an area where the Kazakhs have been consistently elite, even during last year’s difficult Worlds campaign. Roman Starchenko took matters into his own hands, ripping a clean wrist shot past Issa Otsuka.

Japan responded in kind. On Japan’s next power play, Fuji Suzuki ripped a heavy shot that knocked the stick out of a Kazakh defender’s hands, leaving the puck hanging loose in front of Otsuka. Yu Sato pounced on it and buried a backhand to tie the game.

But before the Japanese bench could fully celebrate, Kazakhstan struck back just 18 seconds later. Amid confusion in the slot, Alexander Borisevich lunged forward and tucked it home mid-fall, restoring the lead.

When Roman Starchenko finished a slick passing play with Oleg Boiko and Batyrlan Muratov to make it 4–2 in the 30th minute, it felt like the gold medal had all but found its destination.

Japan Pushes Back – and the Game Turns Fiery

But Japan refused to fold. They opened the third period with energy, grit, and a noticeable edge, finishing checks and trying to knock Kazakhstan out of rhythm.

Just as Japan began building real momentum for a final push, the China–Korea officiating crew of Chae, Feng, Chi and Lim stepped into the spotlight – not in the best way. Fuji Suzuki tried to spark his bench with a hard play along the boards, leading to a mild scrum, nothing unusual.

The officials, however, took an inexplicably long time to sort out penalties, draining Japan’s tempo – and then handed the extra minor to Skalde’s team. Kazakhstan went to the power play, and Skalde’s frustration (both facial and… verbal, as caught on mics) said everything.

It was another reminder that officiating remains one of the weaker links in Asian international play – something IIHF will need to continue addressing.

Japan Refuses to Die – and Nearly Ties It

Japan not only killed the penalty, they struck back. In the 56th minute, Masato Okubo unleashed a perfect shot that left Kalmykov helpless, cutting the lead to 4–3.

Moments later, Kazumo Sasaki nearly tied it after Beibarys Orazov slipped at the worst time, sending the Japanese forward on a clean breakaway, but Kalmykov came up with a massive save.

With Japan needing a regulation win to stay alive for gold, Skalde pulled Otsuka at 56:19 and deployed his top unit: Teruto Nakajima on the dot, Fuji Suzuki on the right, Masato Okubo and Taisetsu Ushio on the left, and Ray Murakami with Koki Yoneyama at the blue line.

A Frenzied Finish That Had Kazakhstan on the Ropes

Japan unleashed absolute chaos in the final minutes. Kazakhstan couldn’t escape their zone as Japan zipped the puck around, hunting desperately for the equalizer. Nakajima blasted one after an Okubo feed, but Kalmykov snatched it.

Next, Ushio got a dangerous tip on Murakami’s point shot, and Fuji Suzuki followed with a quick shot from between the circles – all dangerous looks. Later, Yu Sato and Madoka Suzuki crashed the crease, creating a net-front jam that nearly tied the game.

After a timeout to regroup, Japan pushed until the horn. One of the best chances came with 22 seconds left: Ushio, in full desperation mode, tried to backhand a falling rebound under Kalmykov, but the puck stayed out.

With five seconds left, Okubo cut in from the boards and fired one last shot from a half-angle, but Kalmykov swallowed it. Japan’s final push fell just short.

Kazakhstan Seal the Win – and a Second Asian Title

The final buzzer confirmed Kazakhstan’s 4–3 victory and their second straight Asian Championship title. The shot count (37–25 for Kazakhstan) reflected the tightness of the contest – Japan were very much in this fight.

The Players of the Game were Madoka Suzuki for Japan and Kazakhstan’s Maxim Musorov, who capped his night with a slick three-assist performance.

MVP Honors for Nakajima and Musorov

With this game marking the end of the tournament for both teams, the MVP awards for the entire championship were also announced.

For Japan, the honor went to captain Teruto Nakajima, who delivered a truly impressive performance and finished the event with four points — two goals and two assists across three games.

On the Kazakh side, the award once again belonged to Maxim Musorov, whose seven-point run (one goal and six assists) kept him firmly at the top of the scoring race.

📆 The Full Tournament Schedule with Results is Available HERE.