It wasn’t expected to be a tight match, but nor was it expected to be so one-sided for Slovakia. The Slovaks decided the game already in the first period by scoring 7 goals and their 18-2 victory is the highest win of the tournament so far. Three Slovaks netted a hat-trick – Dudovič (3+3), Gál (3+2) and Čonka-Skyba (4+0). The 19-year-old Michal Dudovič is now the scoring leader of the championship with 16 points (7+9).
The whole match was just a one-sided affair. From the opening face-off, the Slovaks controlled the game and pushed Singapore onto their half of the rink. The Slovak forward Lukáš Ujhelyi scored the game opener at 0:37 already. After the third Slovak goal, the team Singapore coach took a time-out, but it did not help at all. Slovakia added four more goals before the first intermission and took a comfortable 7-0 lead. Although there were already no doubts about the winner, the 5,237 spectators were enjoying the game at the O2 arena anyway.
In the middle period, the Slovaks eased up a bit, but it did not change anything. They still managed to score six more goals. Although the Singaporeans created a few scoring opportunities, they were not able to find a way to the net. Slovakia changed goalkeepers during the second period – Jakub Klobučník, who plays at his first career Men’s World Championships, replaced Rastislav Mazák.
Despite facing a debacle, the Singaporeans did not lay down their arms and kept fighting, for which they were rewarded. They scored two goals in the third period, including one by Juin Jie Ng, the team’s best scorer with 4 goals. But the Slovaks continued in their scoring surge and three of them completed a hat-trick in the third period, including Ladislav Gál who recorded 2 points (1+1) in the 13-2 victory in last head-to-head encounter with Singapore at the WFC in Bern six years ago. Filip Čonka-Skyba scored four times today, posting his second hat-trick at the tournament, and is currently his team’s best scorer with 8 goals.
DAY 4: Group Stage Culminating, Czech Republic to Face Switzerland – 4.12.2018
Germany Saves Czechs by Beating Latvia, Nordic Powers Post Convincing Wins – 4.12.2018
Sweden Dominates Norway to Get Easy 9-1 Win – 3.12.2018
Estonia Beats Thailand 11-4 to End Group Stage Unbeaten – 3.12.2018
Great First Period Secures First Victory for Finland – 3.12.2018
Great Defense Gives Australia First Tournament Win over Poland – 3.12.2018
Data Analysis: Latvia vs Czech Republic 4:3 – 3.12.2018
Impressive Third Period Pushes Germany to First Win in Prague – 3.12.2018
Zubir‘s Two Goals Help Singapore Beat Japan in Front of 6,341 Spectators – 3.12.2018
Data Analysis: Finland vs Sweden 4:5 – 3.12.2018
DAY 3: Program Starts with Asian Battle, Fans to See Two Nordic Derbies – 3.12.2018
Latvia Stuns the Hosts, Slovakia and Switzerland on Scoring Surge – 3.12.2018
Estonia Wins Evening Thriller in Arena Sparta – 2.12.2018
First Tournament Surprise as Latvia Beats Czech Republic 4-3 – 2.12.2018
Battle between Canada and Singapore Ends in First Tournament Draw – 2.12.2018
Switzerland Outclasses Germany 13-1, Känzig Scores Four Goals – 2.12.2018
Japan Enters Tournament with 1-15 Loss against Slovakia – 2.12.2018
Norway Turns Score to Get First Tournament Win – 2.12.2018
Data Analysis: Germany vs Czech Republic 5:10 – 2.12.2018
DAY 2: Twelve Teams in Action, Czechs to Face Latvia – 2.12.2018