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Korea fight back to defeat Japan 5-2 in men's hockey at Asian Winter Games

Published: 07 Feb. 2025, 16:38

The Korean men's ice hockey national team celebrates during the Asian Winter Games match against Japan at Harbin Ice Hockey Arena in Harbin, China on Feb. 7. [YONHAP]

Captain Kim Sang-wook scored twice as Korea overcame an early deficit to beat rivals Japan 5-2 in the men's hockey tournament at the Asian Winter Games in China on Friday.

Korea, world No. 22 chasing its first Winter Asiad gold, now has two wins in regulation and one overtime victory in Group A, good for second place at eight points. Kazakhstan, the highest-ranked Asian team at No. 15, leads the group with nine points from three regulation victories. Japan, ranked 24th, is in third place with six points.

Korea will continue its tournament Saturday against Thailand.

Korea gave up a power play goal just 2:25 into the game at Harbin Sport University Student Skating Hall, as Masato Okubo fired a wrister from the left of the right faceoff circle.

But Lee Chong-min tied the score for Korea with a great individual effort on a partial breakaway. After taking a pass from Ahn Jin-hui on the left wing, Lee cut to the middle and sent a backhander through the five-hole of goalie Yuta Narisawa at the 6:06 mark.

Korea grabbed a lead 27 seconds into the second period, as the top line of Lee, Ahn and Kim went to work.

Lee skated into the offensive zone and passed the puck to Ahn on the right wing, and Ahn then found wide-open Kim in front of the net for an easy tap-in that made it a 2-1 game.

Taiga Irikura scored the tying goal just 1:30 later, but Kim Sang-yeob put Korea back up by one with a shot to the top shelf at the 7:24 mark in the second.

Kim Sang-wook netted his second goal of the game with 3:19 left in the second period.

After weathering the storm in the third period, Kang Yoon-seok scored with 88 seconds left in the game to ice the victory.

Yonhap