Korea kicks off Asian Winter Games with back-to-back ice hockey wins

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Korea kicks off Asian Winter Games with back-to-back ice hockey wins

Korean players in action during a men's ice hockey Group A match at the Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China on Feb. 4.  [YONHAP]

Korean players in action during a men's ice hockey Group A match at the Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China on Feb. 4. [YONHAP]

 
Team Korea started its Asian Winter Games campaign on a positive note on Tuesday, beating both China and Hong Kong in the first games of the preliminary rounds of the men’s and women’s ice hockey competition.
 
Korea’s very first action on ice or snow at the Asian Winter Games Harbin 2025 came at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday — four day before the tournament officially kicks off — when the Korean women’s ice hockey team cruised past Hong Kong 8-0 in their first Group B game at Harbin Sport University Student Skating Hall in Harbin, China.
 

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The feat was repeated, although with a bit less flair, a few hours later at 8 p.m. when the Korean men’s ice hockey team came from behind to edge out hosts China 6-5 to kick off their Group A action at Harbin Ice Hockey Arena.
 
The ice hockey tournaments at the Harbin Games ran from Monday this week and will continue until hours before the Closing Ceremony on Feb. 14.  
 
Neither Korean team played on Monday, leaving the women’s team second in their group behind Kazakhstan who have already played two and won two, and then men third behind Japan and Kazakhstan on goal difference.
 
Kwon Hyeon-su, right, of Korea views with Zhang Pengfei of China during a men's ice hockey Group A match at the Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China on Feb. 4.  [XINHUA/YONHAP]

Kwon Hyeon-su, right, of Korea views with Zhang Pengfei of China during a men's ice hockey Group A match at the Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China on Feb. 4. [XINHUA/YONHAP]

 
Although not known for its ice hockey, Korea enters the Asian Games as a serious medal contender in both the men’s and women’s events.  
 
Based on International Ice Hockey Federation rankings last updated when the season ended in May last year, Korea is the second-highest ranked Asian team in the men’s competition at world No. 22, behind Kazakhstan’s No. 15 but ahead of Japan at No. 24.
 
Korea ranks third in Asia in the women’s game, behind Japan at world No. 7 and China at No 12. Korea’s No. 18 outpaces Kazakhstan, who trail at No. 23.
 
Medals aside, fans of ice hockey have plenty to look forward to over the next 10 days.  
 
Korea will play at least one game a day for the duration of the Games, starting with the men’s team facing Chinese Taipei on Wednesday at 2 p.m., or 3 p.m. in Korea. The women’s team will be back in action on Thursday at 3:30 p.m., or 4:30 p.m. in Korea, as they take on Thailand.
 
The Games proper start Friday, with Korea facing long-time rivals Japan in men’s ice hockey at 1:30 p.m., or 2:30 p.m. in Korea, while the action will also start on the short track speed skating track.
 
Fans that like their ice sports a little more sedate can also get an early start to the Games, with the mixed doubles curling round robin stage also having kicked off Tuesday.  
 
Korea’s Kim Kyeong-ae — of PyeongChang Olympics Team Kim fame — and Seong Ji-hoon played their first game at Harbin Pingfang Curling Arena against the Philippines, losing 12-6.
 
The curlers have a busy few days ahead of them, with the group stages playing over Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, the semifinals on Friday and the medal event, the first of the Games, on Saturday morning.

BY JIM BULLEY [[email protected]]
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