Hong Kong enters the early morning game against Lebanon with one objective in mind: get a clean win and they’re through to the B pool semi-finals. Lebanon has fought hard and showed poise in their matches being their first trip to the World Championships. They look for their first win.
Despite both teams trading penalties early on, neither could capitalize on the ensuring powerplays. Hong Kong finally broke through late in the first. Lokki Kwan broke down the right side and snapped a high shot over the shoulder of the Lebanon keeper Malkoun with 2:41 to go.
Hong Kong used speed and it’s experience to apply pressure to Malkoun.
Justin Reid made it 2-0 with four minutes left in the 2nd and despite consistent pressure from Lebanon throughout, Hong Kong opened the floodgates early in the 3rd. Lokki Kwan put home his second of the game off a rebound from a shot from the slot to make it 3-0. Clayton Chia made it 4-0 soon after on the power play and Jonathan Yueh tallied the final of the game with a snapper off the rush with about six minutes to go. Hong Kong never looked back and went on to win 5-0.
Lebanon has weapons and had consistent chances throughout. However Lui stood tall and would get the shutout!
Hong Kong now waits to find out if they play either Great Britain or the Cayman Islands in the semi-finals. They played Cayman Islands on Day 1 of the championship and remarkably came back from three goals down in the 3rd period, only to drop the game in the shootout. Lebanon will await it’s opponent to play for 7th place.
