Mongolia won the International Ice Hockey Federation Challenge Cup of Asia on goal difference ©MIHF

Mongolia won the International Ice Hockey Federation Challenge Cup of Asia on goal difference as three nations ended the round-robin tournament on nine points.

The Mongolians, as well as hosts The Philippines and Thailand, all finished the event with three victories and one defeat following today's concluding matches.

It meant the winners were decided by taking into account the three teams' results against each other with their matches against Singapore and Kuwait discarded.

Thailand had beaten The Philippines 7-4 at the SM Mall of Asia Ice Skating Rink in Pasay, with the hosts then beating Mongolia 6-5.

Mongolia's 5-1 win over the Thais yesterday meant all three teams beat each other and the margin of their success was crucial as they ended on the best goal difference of plus three.

Thailand were involved in a three-way tie ©TIHF/Wikipedia
Thailand were involved in a three-way tie ©TIHF/Wikipedia

Thailand ended on minus one to finish second with the hosts in third on minus three.

Mongolia had never before won the event.

Both The Phillippines and Thailand recorded massive wins today, with Mongolia not in action, but they proved irrelevant in the final reckoning.

The Thais beat Kuwait 12-1 before the Filipino outfit roared past Singapore 15-0.

Kuwait have finished bottom and will be relegated to Division One for 2019, to be replaced by Malaysia.