A strong third period sealed the win and kept Ukraine in contention for promotion, with one round left to decide the group champion.
The Ukrainian national junior ice hockey team (under-18 players) earned its second win at the Ice Hockey World Championship in Division 1A.
In the fourth round, the Ukrainians defeated Poland 6-3 (1-1, 0-1, 5-1).
In the group stage, the team continues to contend with the group leaders – Switzerland, which has effectively moved up to the elite U18 division.
In the opening game, the Ukrainians beat Slovenia 4-2; in the second, they conceded four goals in almost 12 minutes and lost to Hungary 4-6; in the third, after taking a 3-0 lead in favor of ours, they were defeated by Kazakhstan 3-5.
After the fourth round, the standings are: Switzerland – 12 points, Kazakhstan – 9, Ukraine – 6, Slovenia – 3, Hungary – 3, Poland – 3. After five rounds, the group winner will be determined, who will compete in the elite division next season.
The Division 1A Championship is taking place in Krynica-Zdrój, Poland, and will run until 24 April.
Current state of the tournament and future plans
Following the tournament, the Ukrainian team continues preparing for the next matches and focuses on strengthening tactics and on-ice chemistry in its line pairings.
The final stage of the tournament will be a test for the season’s results, but the Ukrainians are already showing resilience and readiness to fight for the maximum result and the country’s prestige in the world of youth hockey.