Denmark – France2 2:6 (end) | Kazakhstan – Finland 3:4 (end) | Italy veterans – Sweden2 1:5 (end)
Latvia – Belarus 1:3 (end)
final
Latvia
1:3 (0:2, 1:0, 0:1)
Belarus
Monday 19.05.2014, 19:45 • Minsk Arena, Minsk • World Championship
     
    The final buzzer has now sounded, and in a simply enthralling match Belarus have beaten Latvia 3-1, a victory that means they have qualified for the quarterfinals of their own tournament! Latvia can also still make it if they beat Switzerland tomorrow. Geoff Platt and Mikhail Grabovski gave the Belorussians a two goal lead, before Arturs Kulda got the Latvians back into it. The real drama was still ahead through, when in the final minute Kaspars Daugavins looked to have scored a clean goal to tie it up, but the referees controversially waved it off. Sergey Kostitsyn then proceeded to ice it with an empty netter. Thanks for following our coverage with us today, and see you again soon for more fantastic action from the 2014 IIHF World Championships! (22:14:53)
     
    60:00
    Game over.
     
    59:59
    Kaspars Daugavins has gone simply mad, crashing his stick against the boards and cursing at the referees he has been sent to the dressing room a second early!
     
    59:59
    Goal for Team Belarus! What a finish to this game but the hosts have done it! SERGEY KOSTITSYN picks up the loose puck and hits the empty net from just outside the Latvian zone! It's 3-1!
     
    59:53
    Belarus are now back to full strength with just a few seconds remaining!
     
    59:24
    What's going on here! Madness inside the Minsk Arena! Kaspars Daugavins from the left faceoff circle wrists in high on net and it goes all the way through and in! But for whatever reason the referees have waved it off, incredible stuff! It looks as though they're calling it against Gints Meija who was in front of the goaltender, but it's a very strange and controversial decision! And Belarus have taken a timeout to compose themselves!
     
    58:50
    Latvia have now pulled Edgars Masalskis in favour of the extra skater!
     
    58:37
    It's an absolutely mad goalmouth scramble! But somehow with Kevin Lalande down and out already the puck is deflected wide and into the boards!
     
    57:53
    Belarus incredibly have picked up another penalty! They're make their own lives difficult as now Vladimir Denisov for delaying the game has been penalised!
     
    57:40
    You can feel the nervous energy inside the Minsk Arena as neither team get settled into the attacking zone, the puck is going from end to end constantly
     
    55:31
    Belarus are still coming under pressure but being back at full strength does make their task easier
     
    54:57
    Cipulis! He should really have scored! Escaping his marker Martins Cipulis is picked out at the doorstep, he twists and wrists but it drifts wide of the right hand post! Latvia can't afford to waste such chances!
     
    53:31
    Alexander Kitarov has gifted the Latvians a massive powerplay chance to draw this game level, he's been sent to the penalty box for tripping
     
    53:01
    The game is taking a slight breather at the moment, both know that any mistake could become fatal at this time
     
    51:13
    Alexey Kalyuzhniy flashes a strong pass across the face of goal from the left but it's hit with too much pace for his strike partners!
     
    50:16
    Aleksandrs Nizivijs twisting out to the right feeds a teammate completely open at the high slot, but the puck isn't taken control of and it comes to nothing!
     
    49:51
    The Latvians now commit icing with just over ten minutes remaining for Belarus to hold on to what would be a priceless victory
     
    49:06
    Belarus couldn't get anything going on that powerplay however and their opponents are back at full strength
     
    47:06
    The goaltender is fine to carry on though but his team is going on the penalty kill, Rodrigo Lavins for holding his opponent's stick has been penalised
     
    47:06
    Andrey Stas brilliantly frees himself on the slot leaving his opponents for dead, but on the turn he only just can't force it home! And in that play Edgars Masalskis had his mask knocked off and he's being helped off the ice!
    Commentary by

    Shaun Nicolaides

    Goals & lineups Match log
    Goals and assists: 34. Kulda (Nizivijs) – 9. Platt (Graborenko, Stas), 9. Grabovski (Kalyuzhniy, Korobov), 60. Kostitsyn

    Latvia: Masalskis (Gudlevskis)- Galvins, Kulda, Daugavins, Kenins, M Redlihs- Sotnieks, Pujacs, Vasiljevs, Nizivijs, Indrasis- J Redlihs, Lavins, Dzerins, Cipulis, Meija- M Jass, Jaks, Stals, Berzins, K Jass
    Belarus: Lalande (Koval)- Korobov, Graborenko, Grabovski, S Kostitsyn, Kalyuzhniy- Gotovets, Denisov, A Kostitsyn, Platt, Stas- Yevenko, Usenko, Stepanov, Ugarov, Kitarov- Karev, Yefimenko, Osipov, Volkov, Kovyrshin
    Referees: Jerabek, Kaval, Vinnerborg, Carlson, Puolakka, Lederer