The triumph in Pionir Ice Rink propels Spain instantly again to compete at subsequent 12 months´s U20 Division II Group A.
“The strength of this team is their skating and hard work,” mentioned Ron Chyzowski, Spain´s just lately appointed head trainer. “I`ve been positively surprised by the level of the team. Spain doesn’t have a deep pool of players, but there´s a good base to compete with at international level, including a group of them with a very high skill level.”
The Spaniards opened their promotion marketing campaign with a 2-0 shutout win opposed to Iceland, then posted 4-2 and 2-0 victories opposed to Australia and Belgium, respectively. The Iberians sealed gold on day 4, beating newly promoted Israel 7-3.
Against the Israelis, Spain stepped out to outshoot their combatants 22-8 within the first era to take hold of a 3-1 lead. With all 3 strains generating, Jorge Mazon and Eduardo Gonzalez tallied earlier than a made up our minds Carlos Vilar Cabello backhanded a morale-boosting short-handed target 8 seconds earlier than the first-period buzzer sounded.
Relying closely on its sensible best troika, Israel narrowed the space to 3-2 in the second one era. On the powerplay, Mike Levin scored his 2nd of the afternoon at 27:08 firing a wrister from the left faceoff circle. Jose Blanco, one in all 8 participants of the present Spanish crew that narrowly suffered relegation closing 12 months, restored a two-goal cushion through changing from a Dusan Cantabrana feed on a five-on-four merit.
Nikita Zitserman´s 4-3 target at the powerplay in short restored Israeli hopes early within the ultimate body. But with Israel starting to run out of steam, momentum swung within the favour of a well-balanced Spanish crew.
At 50:17 Hector Acuna made it 5-3, earlier than 5 mins later, Gonzalez potted his 2nd of the sport and Spain´s 6th. With 48 seconds left, Hugo Perez tapped house a Bosco Collado pressure to near the scoring.
Spain completed the event with some extent in a shootout loss as opposed to Serbia. Spain´s Pablo Salvador was once voted as the highest goalkeeper of the event with a 1.00 goals-against moderate, 94.12 save share and two shutouts. His teammate, Collado of FC Barcelona gained the accolade as best defender. 13 participants at the roster will likely be eligible for subsequent 12 months´s U20 marketing campaign.
“My experience working with the Spanish team has been great. Everything is well organized, the staff is very supportive and takes great care of the boys. The future looks very positive with everyone working hard to make it better and improve. There is definitely a good possibility that one or two of our guys could get an invite to the national camp, to try and make the men´s World Championship team,” mentioned Spain´s trainer Chyzowski.
On the general day, Israel´s Levin broke a 2-2 tie together with his game-winning third-period strike in a feisty tie opposed to Iceland. Newly promoted Israel gained silver to have fun their best possible general end at this degree.
Relishing skating for his nation in Belgrade´s Pionir Ice Rink, Levin averaged a target consistent with sport for Israel´s males´s crew at this venue on the 2024 World Championship Division IIA closing spring.
Now in his ultimate 12 months taking part in for the U20s, the Tel Aviv-born ahead returned to Serbia to complete because the event´s main marksman with 11 (7+4) issues from 5 video games. His compatriot, 15-year-old prospect Samson Goldshtein loved a nice debut at this degree notching 9 (3+6) issues to win the vote because the event´s best ahead.
In 2024, just a shootout loss separated Serbia from profitable gold on house ice. This 12 months, their promotion marketing campaign successfully derailed after two video games. Following a disastrous get started with a few instantly losses, Serbia´s children roared again to win bronze. In their final sport as opposed to Spain, Andreja Popovic scored two times in legislation after which transformed a penalty shot in a pulsating 4-3 shootout victory.
Australia headed into the general spherical of video games on the backside of the standings. Ivan Kuleshov netted a hat-trick to emphatically beat Belgium 8-1 in a relegation decider because the Young Roos jumped as much as fourth.
Strong in particular play and extremely environment friendly in capitalizing on their probabilities, Iceland completed 5th. With pictures on target significantly favouring Serbia 55-13, Iceland´s Haukur Karvelsson grabbed a brace and Thorir Aspar became away 53 pictures in a memorable 3-2 victory for the Scandinavians as opposed to the hosts on day two.
Returning to Belgrade´s Pionir Ice Rink for a 3rd time in 4 seasons, Belgium completed fourth in 2022 adopted through 5th position closing season. Despite a memorable 4-2 comeback win opposed to Serbia of their opener this 12 months, Belgium misplaced their subsequent 4 video games and can now wish to regroup in Division III for the 1st time since 2014.
