photo: © IIHF / Michal Chwieduk / Polish Ice Hockey Federation
After taking the maximum 15 points, Poland will return to Division 1 Group B next year.
Poland has won the 2024 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship Division II Group A by posting a perfect 5-0 record on home ice in Sosnowiec. The clear class of the tournament, the Poles outscored their opponents 34-5 and will return to Division I Group B, where they played in 2022 and 2023.
“We won gold my dad, as an assistant coach, won the Polish Hockey League with Unia Oswiecim,” said defender Mateusz Majkowski, referring to his father Krysztof, who is also on the coaching staff of the Polish national U20 team. “It was a successful year for our family. My dad and I are very happy.”
“I'm happy because we are in a higher division,” said goaltender Igor Tyczynski, who played four of Poland’s five games and led the tournament with two shutouts. “I would like to thank the Polish fans who came to the games in large numbers and supported us. They helped us.”
At the U18 level, Poland has played at either the I.B or II.A level continuously since the current division and group system began in 2012.
Poland has won the 2024 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship Division II Group A by posting a perfect 5-0 record on home ice in Sosnowiec. The clear class of the tournament, the Poles outscored their opponents 34-5 and will return to Division I Group B, where they played in 2022 and 2023.
“We won gold my dad, as an assistant coach, won the Polish Hockey League with Unia Oswiecim,” said defender Mateusz Majkowski, referring to his father Krysztof, who is also on the coaching staff of the Polish national U20 team. “It was a successful year for our family. My dad and I are very happy.”
“I'm happy because we are in a higher division,” said goaltender Igor Tyczynski, who played four of Poland’s five games and led the tournament with two shutouts. “I would like to thank the Polish fans who came to the games in large numbers and supported us. They helped us.”
At the U18 level, Poland has played at either the I.B or II.A level continuously since the current division and group system began in 2012.
The medal podium was completed by Great Britain and the Netherlands. Romania, Croatia and Serbia finished fourth, fifth and sixth and played three very even games against each other.
The game that ultimately decided the gold medal was on the opening day last Wednesday, when Poland defeated Great Britain 6-4. That game was tied 4-4 until Olaf Zachariasz scored the winning goal with 5:14 to play. That was Zachariasz’s second goal of the game and he completed his hat trick with an empty-net goal in the dying seconds.
“I’m proud of this team,” said head coach Andrei Gusov. “The first game against Great Britain was crucial for us in the tournament. We were leading 3-0, but our opponents tied the game. Still, we won. Our team played nice hockey. Everyone wanted us to go back to a higher division and we did it.”
From there, Poland and Great Britain each won the rest of their games in regulation time.
Also on opening day, Romania defeated Croatia 3-2 in a game that the Romanians ultimately needed to avoid relegation. The game was tied 2-2 until Matei Bolocan scored the winner midway through the third period.
The next key game came on the penultimate game day of the tournament, when Poland met the previously unbeaten team from the Netherlands. Poland held a wide 55-14 edge in shots, but Thijs Kivits was brilliant in the Dutch goal to keep his team in the game. Poland won 3-0 with Tyczynski recording the shutout. That win clinched the gold medal and promotion for Poland.
On the final day of the tournament, the only thing to decide was silver and bronze between Great Britain and the Netherlands. GB won the game decisively, 9-1, with Jack Clark and Owen Bruton each recording three points.
The game that ultimately decided the gold medal was on the opening day last Wednesday, when Poland defeated Great Britain 6-4. That game was tied 4-4 until Olaf Zachariasz scored the winning goal with 5:14 to play. That was Zachariasz’s second goal of the game and he completed his hat trick with an empty-net goal in the dying seconds.
“I’m proud of this team,” said head coach Andrei Gusov. “The first game against Great Britain was crucial for us in the tournament. We were leading 3-0, but our opponents tied the game. Still, we won. Our team played nice hockey. Everyone wanted us to go back to a higher division and we did it.”
From there, Poland and Great Britain each won the rest of their games in regulation time.
Also on opening day, Romania defeated Croatia 3-2 in a game that the Romanians ultimately needed to avoid relegation. The game was tied 2-2 until Matei Bolocan scored the winner midway through the third period.
The next key game came on the penultimate game day of the tournament, when Poland met the previously unbeaten team from the Netherlands. Poland held a wide 55-14 edge in shots, but Thijs Kivits was brilliant in the Dutch goal to keep his team in the game. Poland won 3-0 with Tyczynski recording the shutout. That win clinched the gold medal and promotion for Poland.
On the final day of the tournament, the only thing to decide was silver and bronze between Great Britain and the Netherlands. GB won the game decisively, 9-1, with Jack Clark and Owen Bruton each recording three points.
Serbia had already been relegated before the final day of the tournament and was a minute away from finishing without a point. However, trailing 1-0 to Romania, Maksim Vujovic scored the equalizer with 48 seconds remaining in regulation time. Then in overtime, Vujovic delivered again on the power play so that the Serbs could finish with a win.
In the tournament finale, the Poles defeated Croatia 8-0 to complete their perfect record.
The top two scorers of the tournament were Brynley Capps and Jack Clarke with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Capps, Clarke and Poland’s Tymoteusz Petrazycki all scored six goals and Poland’s Rafal Drabik led with seven assists.
Maxime Rentmeester led the Netherlands with seven points, Lovro Kurjakovic and Filip Svjetlicic led Croatia with four each, Vujovic led Serbia with three and four players had two points each for Romania.
In goal, Tyczynski and Great Britain’s Alfie Jefferis had identical 91.23 save percentages. Serbia’s Filip Korenic was the tournament’s busiest goalie, making 137 saves.
Thijs Kivits of the Netherlands was named Top Goalkeeper of the tournament, Poland’s Mateusz Majkowski was Top Defender, and Great Britain’s Brynley Capps was Top Forward.
In the tournament finale, the Poles defeated Croatia 8-0 to complete their perfect record.
The top two scorers of the tournament were Brynley Capps and Jack Clarke with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Capps, Clarke and Poland’s Tymoteusz Petrazycki all scored six goals and Poland’s Rafal Drabik led with seven assists.
Maxime Rentmeester led the Netherlands with seven points, Lovro Kurjakovic and Filip Svjetlicic led Croatia with four each, Vujovic led Serbia with three and four players had two points each for Romania.
In goal, Tyczynski and Great Britain’s Alfie Jefferis had identical 91.23 save percentages. Serbia’s Filip Korenic was the tournament’s busiest goalie, making 137 saves.
Thijs Kivits of the Netherlands was named Top Goalkeeper of the tournament, Poland’s Mateusz Majkowski was Top Defender, and Great Britain’s Brynley Capps was Top Forward.