Photo @ Hockey Slovakia
Last year Slovakia won the IIHF Division 1B World Championships earning promotion to the second highest division. They went 4-1 and outscored their opponents 25-6.
The nation looks destined for the double bounce, a rare back-to-back promotion typically reserved for the lowest levels of international competition. Slovakia opened their 2025 IIHF Division 1A World Championships with dominant wins in their first two games.
Not only was Slovakia evidently the better team in both, but they came against France and China, both team who have been in the top division of the World Championships in recent years.
Playing in Shenzhen, Slovakia opened their tournament with a 4-0 win over host China. Slovakia outshot China 43-15 and took a 4-0 win with Ema Tothova, Janka Hlinkova, Laura Sulikova, and Nicola Nemcekova scoring. Livia Debnarova had the shutout.
The 19-year-old Debnarova, who will play NCAA Division 1 hockey next year at Holy Cross continued her strong play in game two making 38 saves in a 4-1 Slovakian win over France.
After Estelle Duvin opened the scoring for France in the first period, it was all Slovakia from there. France outshot Slovakia 14-5 in the first, but Slovakia outshot France 27-25 for the remainder of the game. LESKOVJANSKA Emilia Leskovjanska got Slovakia on the board just over eight minutes into the second period, followed by goals from Barbora Kapicakova, Lucia Haluskova, and Julia Matejkova.
Slovakia’s veterans have been bolstered at the tournament by the emergence of their young core. This core gained valuable experience over the last 12 months internationally, not only at the Division 1B World Championships, but by going through the Olympic Qualifying process.
Slovakia has eight teenagers on their roster and 16 players aged 23 and under. Only one blueliner is over 23, and four are 21 or younger. Among their young core are Wisconsin commit Nela Lopusanova, Ohio State commit Ema Tothova, Lindenwood commit Michaela Paulinyova, and Holy Cross committed Debnarova. Slovakia will continue to get better with their group of NCAA committed players. There are currently no Slovakian players at the NCAA Division 1 level. By 2026-27, there will be at least five.