Hungary improved to 4-0 with a second shutout victory in a row, this time against neighboring Croatia, and one win away from the gold.
After a day off on Thursday, Hungary was back on the ice and looking to improve to 4-0 against Croatia. Head coach Rich Chernomaz gave Gergely Arany the start in net and kept the lines the same from their 6-0 win over Estonia. Croatia was able to keep Hungary off the scoring sheet until the eighth minute when Márl Szaller took a cross zone pass from Zsombor Kiss and put a shot on net from the right faceoff circle and in as the Croatian goalie Ivan Ruzic was screened. Later in the period Hungary was on the 5 on 3 power play when István Terbócs made a pass down low to Csanád Erdély just tapped it into the empty net. In the closing minutes of the first period Donát Szita scored from close range to make it 3-0. Hungary took their foot off the gas a bit in the second period however just after the midway point they scored twice in a 73 second span, first Erik Keresztury scored from the right faceoff dot for the powerplay goal, Zsombor Kiss wrapped a rebound around to make it 5-0. At the start of the third period coach Chernomaz switched Arany for Bence Kiss in net, Hungary put the game away in the final period as Galló made it 6-0 after we skated through the defensive zone, later in the period Galló scored his second of the game, Kiss finished what Arany had started as the two goalies combined for the shutout.
Lineup
Keresztury, Erdély, Galló
Zs.Kiss, Bödök, Terbócs
Vizi, Mazzag, Szita
Sági, Antal, Gáspár
Stipsicz, Jászai
Szaller, Vokla
Garát, Herner
Kovács, Herszényi
Arany (B.Kiss)
View from the Ice:
Csanád Erdély: It seemed like an easy game but to be honest we did not show our best, especially in the first. Fortunately we were able score some big time goals and get the job done. But it was not our best game and it will not be enough a game against lithuania. All in all we are happy with the three points and we are focusing the last game.
Norbert Antal: I am glad that we won and were able to stay undefeated, our tactics and physical played worked well and we were able to enjoy the results of this. This might not been the hardest game but it was a great way to build our confidence.
Stats, schedule and all other information about the world championships can be found here.
Roster
Goalies(2): ARANY Gergely, (MAC Budapest), KISS Bence (DVTK)
Defensemen(8): SZALLER Márk, VOKLA Roland (Fehérvár AV19) HERNER Olivér, HERSZÉNYI András, JÁSZAI Dávid, KOVÁCS Attila, STIPSICZ Bence (MAC Budapest), GARÁT Zsombor (Seacoast Prep, USA)
Forwards(12): BÖDÖK Bence, TERBÓCS István (MAC Budapest) GÁSPÁR Máté, SÁGI Martin, (Black Wings Linz, Austria), MAZZAG Dániel, SZITA Donát, VÍZI Dániel (Fehérvár AV19), GALLÓ Vilmos (Linköping, SHL), KISS Zsombor (HC Davos, Switzerland), ANTAL Norbert (Borlänge HF, Sweden), KERESZTURY Erik (Düsseldorf EG, Germany), ERDÉLY Csanád (Sioux Falls, USHL)
Coaching Staff:
Head Coach:Rich Chernomaz
Assistants: Bence Svasznek, Dávid Kiss Gary Clark
Schedule
Hungary vs Korea 8-1
Hungary vs Netherlands 7-5
Hungary vs Estonia: 6-0
Hungary vs Croatia: 7-0
Hungary vs Lithuania Saturday December 19th 20:00