Slovenia got more than it bargained for in today's Qualification Game against Japan.

Slovenia earned the right to remain among the top eight In-Line hockey nations today after a hard-fought 9-8 overtime win over Japan in the Qualification game. Japan was the first place finisher from the D Group, while Slovenia finished last in the B Group. The Qualification Game was played to determine which nation would earn the right to be among the top eight teams at this year’s IIHF In-Line Hockey World Championship.

The first half was an even battle in which neither team could pull away from the other. When the 24-minute mark came, it was Slovenia holding a 4-3 lead over Japan. But the real dogfight came in the second half as spectators were treated to one of the most competitive halves of the tournament.

Japan quickly turned the tables on Slovenia, netting two goals in within the first five minutes of the third period. Team Japan’s Takeyasu Nakayama scored the go-ahead goal for his team at the 4:33 mark. Japan nearly held a 6-4 lead, but the goal was disallowed. Slovenia took the opportunity to tie the game at five when Jure Vnuk netted the equalizer at the 8:22 mark.

The third-period scoring was not finished as Team Japan once again climbed ahead in the waning moments of the stanza off of a Yutaka Ono goal. Slovenia changed its goaltender to rookie Gasper Krosew at the start of the fourth period.

Slovenia got into penalty trouble early in the period, and gave up a power-play goal 3:02 minutes into the period as Japan opened up its biggest lead of the game with a 7-5 advantage. Japan made it a three-goal lead just as time expired on the power-play at the 4:43 mark. Shuhei Tadamura scored both goals for Japan.

Slovenia inched its way back into the game with back-to-back goals that came 39 seconds apart at the 7:11 mark. Bostjan Omerzel and Vnuk scored the comeback goals for Slovenia. Slovenia used its momentum and as Marjan Manfreda tied the game at eight, 24 seconds later, sending it in to overtime.

With 18 seconds left in the five-minute overtime period, Slovenia earned the victory when Denis Kadic scored his first goal of the game to lift Slovenia to the 9-8 win.

Slovenia will now take on Team USA tomorrow in the first game of the Quarterfinal Round.