Belgium faced their second game in the IIHF World Championship Division II Group B tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria, today. After an impressive win against Australia in their opening game yesterday, Belgium took to the ice against Chinese Taipei. A historically tough opponent, Chinese Taipei had tested Belgium in their past three encounters, two of which Belgium managed to win—but only by the narrowest of margins, decided in the final minutes of each game. Today proved to be no exception.
Just three minutes into the first period, Chinese Taipei grabbed the momentum with an early opening goal. Belgium’s Finn Gregory, in excellent form, equalized with his second goal of the tournament. However, the tide shifted again just before the break, as Chinese Taipei found the back of the net past Niko Sifakakis, closing the first period with a 2-1 lead.
The second period saw Belgium dominate the ice, outshooting their opponents and turning their efforts into a 4-3 advantage by the end of the period. It was a well-deserved lead, reflecting their determination and control during this stretch of the game.
The third period, as expected, was a nail-biter. Belgium approached the face-off nervously, and their errors proved costly. Chinese Taipei capitalized twice on Belgian mistakes, with the equalizer coming just two minutes before the end of regulation time.
Overtime was swift, with Chinese Taipei securing the victory early on and earning two points in the standings. Belgium, despite the loss, walked away with one valuable point.
Robbe Delport (#22) was named Belgium’s player of the game, while Ugo Courtois celebrated a milestone by scoring his first IIHF goal.
With a rest day scheduled for tomorrow, the Belgian team will regroup and prepare for their next challenge against tournament favorites, Spain. We’re rooting for our boys in Sofia!