ASIAN ICE HOCKEY

The experienced Kazakh side didn’t need long to break through Shifeng Chen’s net. Just four minutes in, Maxim Musorov buried a perfectly placed one-timer under the bar after a sharp feed from rising talent Lyapunov below the goal line. Chen had no chance – and Kazakhstan were off and running.

Kazakhstan Strike Early – but China Battle Hard

Kazakhstan controlled most of the opening period but couldn’t extend the lead. Chen locked in with the kind of saves we’ve come to expect from him, and China showed they could disrupt the Kazakh rhythm – active sticks, intense backchecking and plenty of edge in the physical battles. But pushing forward against such an experienced Kazakh blue line was another story; clean entries and true chances were rare.

A Ten-Minute Storm Breaks the Game Open

The second period, with benches on opposite sides, quickly became a problem for China. A dominant ten-minute stretch from Kazakhstan decided the game outright with three goals.

At 27:00, a collision in front – Hanming Zong sliding into the already-down Chen – created chaos, and Stepan Alexandrov jammed the puck through the pads.

Just 90 seconds later, Roman Starchenko dipped into the fountain of youth. He danced through the Chinese defense, sold everyone on a shot, then slid the puck to Batyrlan Muratov for a tap-in.

Kazakhstan Use Width and Angles to Take Control

That Starchenko play – and the sharp, wide combinations that followed – showed Kazakhstan had done their homework. They remembered how much trouble Chen gave them at the Asian Winter Games in Harbin.

Against such an athletic goalie, beating him clean was never going to be the plan. So Kazakhstan stretched the zone, moved the puck east-west, pulled Chen out of position – and struck when he had to open up.

At 32:00, Artur Gatiyatov joined the scoresheet; his well-placed shot found daylight thanks to two screens set perfectly in front.

China Hit Back With a Beautiful Counter

China had very few chances to shift the momentum in the middle frame, but they made one of them count. Youyang Hou started the play in his own end, Jing Wang pushed it forward, and Mingju Zheng finished the sequence with a gorgeous shot past debuting Kazakh goalie Vladislav Pestov.

The arena erupted – the home crowd had been lively all night and fully deserved a moment to celebrate. For the record, Zheng also scored against Kazakhstan last year in Almaty in a 1–6 loss. Some opponents just bring out the best in him.

China Push Late, Kazakhstan Cruise Into Management Mode

With a big lead in hand – and a gold-decider against Japan less than 24 hours away – Kazakhstan eased off the gas. China, meanwhile, pushed bravely and used back-to-back power plays to tilt parts of the period in their favor.

They generated several high-quality looks: Jing Wang, Zihao Liu, and the ever-dangerous Mingju Zheng all came close.

The highlight, though, was Pengfei Zhang slicing through Alexandrov and Grebenshchikov, forcing Pestov into a full extension save with the tip of his pad.

Yuyang Hou followed up with another slick solo attempt, blocked in the final instant.

Muratov Closes the Night

China’s surge wasn’t enough to change the storyline. Instead, Kazakhstan struck once more – another brilliant setup from Starchenko, who tore the defense apart and pulled Chen off his angle before feeding Muratov for the 5–1 finish.

Kazakhstan Shine, China Grow

Kazakhstan spent stretches of the game showcasing crisp combinations and flashes of Soviet old school puck movement. China, for their part, never quit – and every minute against a high-end opponent is invaluable for a young team still building its identity on the international stage.

Shots ended 44–22 for Kazakhstan, but the final period was a respectable 14–12 thanks to China’s late push.

Who Plays Whom on the Final Day?

Kazakhstan face Japan first – and any point will secure back-to-back Asian Championship titles.

In the evening game, China will once again try to take down South Korea – ideally in regulation this time – with a bronze medal on the line.

📆 The Full Tournament Schedule with Results is Available HERE.