Kyrgyzstan Triumphs Over Kuwait in Thrilling Overtime at Asian Winter Games
In an exhilarating start to the men’s ice hockey competition at the Harbin Asian Winter Games, Kyrgyzstan edged out Kuwait with a 9-8 overtime victory on Monday, just days before the Opening Ceremony of the continental event.
Kuwait dominated the first period, with Anton Tcibin and Ilia Drozdetskikh each netting two goals, establishing a commanding 5-3 lead. They extended their advantage to 7-3, putting pressure on the Kyrgyz team.
However, Kyrgyzstan mounted an impressive comeback, leveling the score at 8-8 in the final minute of the third period. The decisive moment came just 19 seconds into overtime when Kyrgyz captain Mamed Seifulov scored the winning goal, sealing the dramatic victory.
“It was a hard win for us. We arrived here two days ago and still need to adapt,” said Kyrgyz forward Sultan Ismanov. “I’m sure we will be better in the next game. The atmosphere was great. I want to thank our fans and the Chinese people.”
The action continues on Tuesday with five scheduled ice hockey games, including a highly anticipated matchup between China and South Korea in the men’s event at 8:00 PM local time.
