Just over a decade ago, Norway was a team knocking on the door of the world’s top 8, but it has noticeably stagnated in recent years. In contrast, Kazakhstan is enjoying the most successful stretch in its World Championship history – this marks their fifth straight appearance in the top division.
Early Blow From Norway Doesn’t Shake Confident Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan was led onto the ice by legendary captain Roman Starchenko. In goal, the nod went to Maxim Pavlenko, who made his debut at this level.
In front of 3,588 fans, both teams opened cautiously. It was Norway who opened the scoring, as veteran blueliner Johannes Johannesen – currently in Finland’s Liiga – beat Maxim Pavlenko just six minutes in. The rest of the period remained tight, with minimal chances at either end.
🔎 Kazakhstan’s 2025 Worlds campaign is over
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Starchenko Strikes Back as Kazakhstan Levels the Score
In the second period, both teams finally opened up offensively, but only one man managed to find the net – and who else but Roman Starchenko? The Kazakh legend buried a power-play goal after a crisp setup from Metallurg Magnitogorsk stars Nikita Mikhailis and Valeri Orekhov.
Asetov–Volkov Connection Seals It for Kazakhstan
The tone shifted in the third period as Norway outshot the Asian champions 15–5 and pushed hard for a go-ahead goal. But it was Kazakhstan who struck again.
After a scrambled sequence, Alikhan Asetov gained control of the puck on the left wing and delivered a laser-sharp pass to Vladimir Volkov. The freshly crowned Kazakh league champion with Arlan Kokshetau made no mistake, ripping a top-shelf shot past Tobias Normann.
Norway pressed late, but Kazakhstan – backed by solid goaltending from Pavlenko – held firm for the 2-1 win.
🏒 Team Kazakhstan Preview – 2025 IIHF Ice Hockey Worlds
Kazakhstan Start Strong, but Key Battles Still Ahead
Kazakhstan couldn’t have asked for a better start – a full three-point win over a potential direct rival in the fight to stay up. But the tournament is far from over, and head coach Oleg Bolyakin’s squad will now turn their focus to a crucial clash with Hungary. That game could be decisive in securing their place in the top division of the IIHF World Championship.
Goals: 25:08 Starchenko (Mikhailis, Orekhov), 52:08 Volkov (Assetov, Kaiyrzhan) – 05:33 Johannesen (Elvsveen, Ostrem Salsten)
Kazakhstan: Pavlenko – Orekhov, Daniyar, Gaitamirov, Beketayev, Metalnikov, Korolyov, Mikhailov – Mikhailis, Shestakov, Starchenko, Panyukov, Likhotnikov, Assetov, Kolesnikov, Omirbekov, Savitskiy, Kaiyrzhan, Mukhametov, Muratov, Volkov. Coach: Oleg Bolyakin.
Norway: Normann – Solberg, Lilleberg, Johannesen, Engebraten, Myhre, Krogdahl, Hansen – Berglund, Bakke Olsen, Salsten, Berg-Paulsen, Vikingstad, Martinsen, Steen, Vesterheim, Olsen, Ronnild, Ostrem Salsten, Elvsveen, Edvardsen. Coach: Tobias Johansson.
Spectators: 3,588
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