Jeonju, November 8. Kazakhstan’s national ice hockey team won the Asian championship for the third time in a row, finishing the tournament in Jeonju, South Korea, with a 1–0 shootout win over the hosts, the Sports.kz portal reported.
The final took place on November 8. Neither side scored in regulation or overtime, and in the shootout the Kazakhs were more accurate, 4–3. Artur Gross, Yevgeny Rymarev, who scored twice, and Dias Guseynov, whose shot was decisive, converted their attempts. Goalkeeper Vladislav Nurek kept a clean sheet for all 65 minutes.
The team is coached by Talgat Zhailauov. In the opening match of the tournament the Kazakhs beat Japan 3–2, then thrashed China 5–0, and in the decisive game overcame South Korea. With eight points Kazakhstan finished first without a single defeat. Silver went to Japan (six points), bronze to South Korea (four), and China ended the tournament without points.
Kazakhstan have won all three Asian championships run by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF): in 2024 the team took the trophy for the first time at the home tournament in Almaty, and in 2025 it defended the title in Beijing.
What it means: Kazakhstan have confirmed their status as Asia’s strongest team: three IIHF tournaments, three wins. This year the title was decided in a shootout, where both accuracy and a reliable goalkeeper were needed.
What we know now: The tournament is over; the final table: Kazakhstan (8 points), Japan (6), South Korea (4), China (0).
Background: The Asian ice hockey championship is run by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF); the first tournament was held in Almaty in 2024 with four teams.
