Ice hockey: Iceland wins title, regains its place in second division

The Iceland team showed emotion as their national anthem was played and they received their gold medals in Dunedin last evening.

Iceland beat China in the final of the under-20 world ice hockey division three world championships 5-1 at the Dunedin Ice Stadium, to regain a spot in second division next year.

The team had come to New Zealand on a mission to get back into the higher grade and had remained disciplined throughout the tournament.

They hugged each other and lustily sang the Iceland national anthem. It was a proud team from a small island with a population of only 300,000.

It was special for captain Olafur Bjornsson.

"I am very happy," he said.

"It is my third year in the team but my first time as captain."

China came out firing and scored a goal in the first minute.

"I think we got the edge when we tied it up in the first period," Bjornsson said. "I wasn't scared when China scored that first goal because the game changes so fast."

It was also special for the Iceland coach John Joshua Gribben.

"We had a tough relegation last year but we always believed that we are a second division team.

"We were just one goal away from a bronze medal and to get relegated was tough.

"We have great speed and have a good depth on our team. Our plan was to out-skate them and maintain possession. I believe we did that."

Iceland was the only unbeaten team in the round robin competition and finished with 12 points from its four games, followed by China 9, New Zealand 6, Bulgaria 3 and Turkey 0.

Two goals in the last five minutes of the final period clinched the title for Iceland when Arnar Ingason and captain Olafur Bjornsson scored to stretch the lead to 5-1.

Iceland played controlled hockey and dictated play and shut China out.

The score could have been larger but for the courageous Chinese goaltender Shengrong Xia, who conceded only five goals from 55 Iceland shots.

China had only 14 shots at goal.

It showed in the later stages of the second period that it was capable of coming back into the game. did all the attacking in the final five minutes of the period when Iceland lost a man through a penalty.

It was a fierce attack, and two stinging shots were saved by the goaltender Snorri Sigurbergsson.

Those saves were decisive, as Iceland went into the final period with a two-shot cushion.

Iceland 5 ( Bjorn Sigurdarson, Arnar Ingason, Olafur Bjornsson, Ingthor Arnason, Steindor Ingason), China 1 (Hang Li).

• New Zealand led Turkey 3-1 after the first period, added eight goals in the second period, and won their game 12-1.

The star players for New Zealand were Remy Sandoy and Connor Harrison who each scored three goals.

There was also satisfaction for Turkey, when Gokalp Solak scored the first goal of the game, its only goal of the championship.

New Zealand finished the tournament with two wins from its four games. It lost narrowly to China 5-3 and was beaten by the championship winning Iceland 7-1.

New Zealand 12 (Remy Sandoy 3, Jordan Challis 2, Mitchell Frear 2, Connor Harrison 3, Gareth Lloyd, Andrew Gouldstone), Turkey 1 (Gokalp Solak ).

The tournament directorate awards were goal tender, Shengrong Xia (China), forward, Cheng Zhang (China), defender, Ingolfur Eliasson (Iceland).