Taiwan notched their third win at the Under-18 World Championship in Taipei yesterday — defeating Bulgaria 4-2 — a day after their encounter against China turned nasty seconds after the game finished 4-0 in favor of the visitors.
China lead Division III, undefeated through four games after their 12-0 dismantling of New Zealand yesterday, but they won no friends after China forward Wang Ziqiao (王梓喬) appeared to deliberately skate into a Taiwan player after the final siren in their game on Friday.
A melee resulted, with sticks scattered over the ice as players traded blows and bottles, and even a chair, were thrown into the rink.
Photo courtesy of Chantal Liao
Video footage showed China defenseman Cui Yunjie throwing the chair back over the glass into an area where spectators can walk.
As the referees struggled to regian control, some of the China team skated to mid-ice, where they unfurled a Chinese national flag and gesticulated toward the crowd until being ushered to the bench.
Reports said that the China players were furious with spectators for shouting at them to “go back to China.”
Photo courtesy of Chantal Liao
Taiwanese linesman Chantal Liao, who was not officiating, but was a photographer at the game, described the situation as a “vicious circle.”
China were angry about the spectators yelling, so they hit our [Taiwan] player, causing the spectators to yell more,” she said.
Wang and fellow China forward Wang Jing (王京) were penalized and suspended for one game for their roles in the fracas.
Photo courtesy of Chantal Liao
The game itself was a fractious affair, with 18 penalties shared between the two sides before the two after the siren.
China were on the receiving end, penalized 12 times in regulation time, including all six that were handed out in the second period, for throwing a stick or any object, delaying the game, boarding, misconduct and too many men on the ice.
Taiwan are second-equal among the six teams, adding wins over Turkey, 8-1 on Tuesday, and New Zealand, 3-2 on Wednesday, to yesterday’s result. Israel also have three wins after beating Turkey 6-2 yesterday, while Bulgaria have one and New Zealand none.
The final round of games is on tomorrow at the Taipei Annex Arena, with China to play Turkey in the first game, Bulgaria taking on New Zealand and Taiwan to play Israel in the last game, which is to begin at 8pm.
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old