REYKJAVIK - After a well-deserved rest day, Team Belgium U20 played its third match today, January 19th, at the DIV2B Worlds in the Icelandic capital Reykjavik. The opponent this time was Mexico. Quite quickly, in the third minute, the Belgians score via Lowie VREYS succeeding a well-organized powerplay. In the eighth minute, Flavio DEVERCHIN is sent to the penalty box for hooking. The Belgians are outnumbered for two minutes, but that doesn't stop them from scoring again. Lowie VREYS hits the puck for a second time past Mexican goalie Fernando GARCIA. With a few seconds left on the clock, the Belgians scored a third goal to finish this first period with a comfortable score. And this via Axel VAN GORP assisted by Ian POUKENS and Flavio DEVERCHIN.
Hardly a chip of that comfortable gap remains in the second period. The Belgians seem like a different team. In the 29th minute, Maximiliano ARGANDONA scored the first goal, barely four minutes later, the second goal follows via Luis VALENCIA, in a power play in which Tobi GENTRY watches from the penalty box for hooking. A period to quickly forget.
And that also works because barely three minutes into the third period Tijs VREYS strikes via Tobi GENTRY and Rik CUYLEN. Five minutes later, the Belgians are on the ice working another powerplay they neatly finish via Eneas PALMAERTS assisted by Warre VANMONTFOORT and Lowie VREYS. The Mexicans don’t stand a chance while the Belgians pocket a second victory. Final score: 5-3 (3-0; 0-2; 2-0) with goals from Lowie Vreys (3), Tijs Vreys and Eneas Palmaerts.
Coach Gil Paelinck reacts from Reykjavik with mixed feelings. “Happy with the points, but a very bad second period. However, they do enough to win. Nonetheless, they must play three good periods if they want to achieve anything in this tournament. It's a World Championship, you can't take a period off, something like that is simply out of the question."
Game Schedule Team Belgium U20
16.01 – 17h30: BEL vs. CHN: 3-4 OT
17.01 – 21h00: BEL vs. ISL: 5-3
19.01 – 17h30: BEL vs. MEX: 5-3
20.01 – TPE vs. BEL
22.01 – SRB vs. BEL