News of the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship in Minsk and Riga

MINSK, 21 May (BelTA) - Team Belarus goalkeeper Kevin Lalande posted the best save percentage of 96.36% at the preliminary round of the 2014 IIHF World Championship in Minsk, BelTA has learned.

Kevin Lalande allowed two goals on 55 shots in four games of the tournament. Second best went Team Canada goalkeeper Ben Scrivens with four goals allowed on 86 shots (95.35%). Team Russia goalie Sergei Bobrovsky and Team Norway goal stopper Steffen Soberg shared the same stat figures, i.e. six goals allowed, 110 saves on 116 shots, both going with 94.83 save percentage.

The teams of Belarus and Canada went best on the penalty kill, each scoring two while playing shorthanded. Team USA led on the power-play, scoring ten in 36 minutes on the man advantage. Team Belarus had two goals in 26 power-play minutes.

Latvia registered the highest PIM: 147 minutes (21 minutes on average per game). Belarusians got 97 minutes (13.51). Kaspars Daugavins recorded the highest 42 penalty minutes per seven games. Germany's 44 penalty minutes were the fewest at the tournament.

Russia forward Viktor Tikhonov came out as the scoring leader with 14 points (seven goals and seven assists). Belarus’ scoring leaders were Mikhail Grabovsky and Sergei Kostitsyn with 8 points (4+4).

Russia is the leader in scoring efficiency with 31 goals. Russia also has the best defense (seven conceded goals). Italy ranks last in terms of scoring efficiency with just 6 goals for the team. Kazakhstan allowed the most goals (32). Belarus’ GF:GA is 18-17.

In terms of plus minus the leaders are Russia’s Viktor Tikhonov and Anton Belov with a +9 rating. The best Belarusian is Sergei Kostitsyn with +6.