Go to contents

Korean men’s ice hockey team gets off a good start

Posted April. 15, 2015 07:16,   

한국어

Korean national men’s ice hockey team was degraded to Group B after it lost all five games at the 2014 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Ice Hockey World Championship Division 1 Group A held in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province.

To emerge from this adverse situation, Korea hired Paik Ji-sun as new head coach of the team. Paik is the first Asian who had advanced to the National Hockey League. Coach Park Yong-soo who had scored 102 goals at the National Hockey League was also scouted.

The national team has made a good start. At the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division 1 Group B held Tuesday at Eindhoven in the Netherlands, it blanked the Estonian team seven to three.

Players who had naturalized as Korean citizens were a huge contributor in addition to the coaching staff. On Tuesday, Mike Testwuide (Anyang Halla) who obtained Korean nationality through the Justice Ministry’s special naturalization program for outstanding talent, and Michael Swift (High1), were the biggest contributors who led the team win.

A tall offense, Testwuide became Korean citizen last month and scored two goals and one assist to make an impressive debut game. Having naturalized last year, Swift also scored two goals. Three are naturalized players among the 22-member national team, including Brock Radunske. If Brian Young who didn’t join this time is included, the number increases to four. Korea is also proceeding to have a naturalized player for the goalie position.

The Korean national ice hockey team obtained an automatic qualification to play at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. Its Olympic goal is to win more than one game. Such a goal would be impossible without naturalized players.

The Croatian team that naturalized 10 players and considered the toughest rival lost by two to three in a game with the British team. They were winning but lost in an extended game. Korea will have final game with Croatia on April 19.



uni@donga.com