Six Asian nations competed in a single round-robin format from April 13 to 19, with Uzbekistan emerging as the tournament winner and earning promotion to Division III B.
Final Standings and Tournament Overview
Uzbekistan finished first with four regulation wins and one overtime loss, collecting 13 points and scoring 79 goals in five games. Armenia followed closely with 12 points, while Kuwait secured bronze with 11 points.
| POS | TEAM | RESULTS | GF/GA | POINTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Uzbekistan | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 79:10 | 13 |
| 2 | Armenia | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 53:11 | 12 |
| 3 | Kuwait | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 56:32 | 11 |
| 4 | Indonesia | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 17:60 | 6 |
| 5 | Iran | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6:42 | 3 |
| 6 | Malaysia | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 20:76 | 0 |
Debut for Uzbekistan, Return for Armenia
For Uzbekistan, this tournament marked its long-anticipated debut in IIHF competition. Armenia, meanwhile, returned to the international scene for the first time since 2010. In the past, the Armenian team had been disqualified from tournaments due to player eligibility issues. Now, however, they are back in full force – perhaps ready to move on and leave the demons of their past behind.
🏒 Kazakhstan is back on hockey’s biggest stage!
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Young Core Leads Uzbekistan’s Success
Uzbekistan’s roster was composed primarily of young players, led by a few experienced veterans – naturalized players from Russia who brought leadership and composure to the lineup. Vadim Kravchenko led the tournament in scoring with 25 points (13 goals, 12 assists), while Vasili Zhilov and Pavel Sinyavsky were also among the top offensive contributors.
On the blue line, Ilya Nazarevich stood out as a key two-way presence, supported by Daniel Kogan and Artyom Maltsev. Goaltender Rustam Irgashev posted a 90,0 save percentage and picked up three wins between the pipes.
One of the breakout stars of the tournament was 17-year-old forward Jasurbek Rustamkhonov, who is already making waves in the Czech U20 league and is seen as a rising star in Uzbekistan’s hockey future.
Uzbekistan’s Hockey Growth Strategy
Uzbekistan’s rapid development in the sport is the result of strategic investment in infrastructure and youth development. Humo Tashkent, founded in 2019 and initially competing in Russia’s VHL, now plays in Kazakhstan’s top professional league. The junior team Tashkent Selects competes in the Kazakh Jastar Hokey Ligasy, helping develop a clear pathway for young talent.
Winning the Division IV title and securing promotion to Division III B is another major step for a nation quickly making its presence felt on the international hockey stage.
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