Bulgarian goal tender Radosvet Petrov is unable to stop
this shot from New Zealand No 6 Keegan Harnett in a U20
world championship ice hockey game at Dunedin Ice stadium
last night. Photo by Jane Dawber.
New Zealand beat Bulgaria 3-1 but it will need to lift
its game when it faces top seed Iceland in the under 20 world
third division ice hockey championships tonight.
A crowd of 300 cheered New Zealand to an important win at the
Dunedin Ice Stadium last night.
It was New Zealand's first game at the championships and
there defects in its play that will need to be rectified
before it meets Iceland.
But coach Stephen Reid was pleased.
"Any win at this tournament is fantastic," he said. "We blew
our cobwebs out tonight and will be looking to play to our
potential tomorrow."
New Zealand took the game out of the grasp of Bulgaria early
in the third period, when Remy Sandoy demonstrated his talent
by scoring an unassisted goal to give New Zealand a 3-0 lead.
But Bulgaria narrowed the gap when Aleksandar Vaslilev found
the net.
New Zealand led 1-0 after a brutal first period that was
punctuated by pushing, shoving and niggardy play. Players
were regularly pushed into the perimeter boards.
The first goal came early in the spell when the rebound from
a Sandoy shot was put into the net by Keegan Harnett.
The score could have been greater but for the brilliant
defence of Bulgarian goal tender Radosvet Petrov. New Zealand
had 25 shots at goal in the period and only one was let in by
goal tender Petrov.
His outstanding play energised the Bulgarian team and they
backed him up with sound defence.
New Zealand was spreading the puck wide and probing gaps in
the Bulgarian defence.
The coach was not concerned about the lack of goals.
"I just tell the guys that if we get shots at the net the
goals will come," Reid said.
But the Bulgarian defence was sound and Kristian Radovanov
and Teodor Kraynyanov had strong games.
Kraynyanov was the link man who kept the pressure on New
Zealand.
Bulgaria only had five shots at goal during the first period.
The aggressive play continued in the second period, as
Bulgaria's Martin Talev was pushed into the ice and star
player Kraynyanov was sidelined with a hand injury.
Connor Harrison will face the judiciary for this penalty and
could face a one-game suspension.
"We believe it was a good hit with the shoulder and not a
knee, and we will appeal it," Reid said.
The second period was more even with Bulgaria having six
shots at goal and New Zealand scoring one more, from 11
shots, to lead 2-0.
Three members of the Queenstown national league team Stampede
combined to score New Zealand's second goal. Connor Harrison,
the "old man," was assisted by Gareth Lloyd and Luke
Pickering.
In the third period New Zealand had seven shots and scored
one goal, while Bulgaria had five shots and scored one goal.
The most valuable player award for New Zealand went to
captain Mitchell Frear and Bulgaria's was awarded to Martin
Nikolov.
New Zealand 3 (Remy Sandoy, Connor Harrison, Keegan
Harnett), Bulgaria 1 (Aleksandar Vaslilev).
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