MINSK, 11 May (BelTA) - Down 2-0, Belarus came back with four goals in the third period to defeat Slovakia 4-2 for its first win at the 2016 IIHF World Championship in Russia, BelTA has learned.
Following the three previous defeats at the ongoing tournament Belarus needed a win to keep its playoff chances alive.
Andrei Stepanov’s third period goal gave Belarus its first lead of the game and one it would not give away. Charles Linglet put in the team’s fourth for the final score 4-2.
Kirill Gotovets and Artur Gavrus scored early in the third stanza to even the game for Belarus.
Andrej Sekera and Tomas Jurco scored for Slovakia in the second period.
The Group B standings: 1. Finland – 12 points (four games played); 2. Canada – 9 (3); 3. Slovakia – 6 (4); 4. France – 5 (3); 5. Germany – 4 (3); 6. United States – 3 (3); 7. Belarus – 3 (4); 8. Hungary – 0 (4).
Belarus will next play Germany on 13 May. Then the team will face Hungary on 14 May and will wrap up its performance in Group B against France on 17 May.
Group A standings are as follows: 1. Czech Republic – 8 (3); 2. Sweden – 8 (4); 3. Switzerland – 7 (4); 4. Russia – 6 (3); 5. Norway – 5 (3); 6. Denmark – 4 (3); 7. Kazakhstan – 2 (4); 8. Latvia – 2 (4).
Four best teams from each group will advance to the playoff which is scheduled to take place in St Petersburg and Moscow on 19 May.