U18 Worlds: Back to IIIA with hope and valuable experience

Photos: IIHF / Joan Reyes

Despite a brave effort and a formidable second-period performance, Team Israel couldn’t secure its spot in Division IIB of the IIHF U18 World Championship, falling to a 3-5 defeat against Chinese Taipei. This means that next year our boys will be relegated to Division IIIA and will look for an immediate return to a higher level.

The Blue-and-Whites started their final game in Puigcedra with the right attitude, trying to take a grip on the proceedings, showing determination, and applying strong pressure on the opposition, but none of their 12 shots in as many minutes reached the net. Slowly, Chinese Taipei regained control, and in the closing minutes of the stanza, jumped to a 2-0 lead. This could have been a significant psychological blow for our youngsters, but they didn’t let frustration take charge. And right after the intermission, the comeback started.

It was helped by a power play duly converted by none other than Nikita Zitserman, who is showing signs of being a true master of play in numerical advantage situations. In the 24th minute, he scored his seventh goal of the tournament, six of which were power play goals. Just six seconds were needed to capitalize on Laio Kuei Jh’s penalty, and the impact was so strong that in another 69 seconds, Vasili Lysov leveled the score.

Right after the halfway mark, Zitserman proved that he could score in equal-strength situations as well. Taking a wide turn around the O-zone, he found his way to the goal and with a timely shot put our team in front, forcing Chinese Taipei’s coaching staff to change the goalie. At the second intermission, Israel went back to the locker room in pole position. With just 20 minutes of play remaining, everyone felt the mission was not impossible. Unfortunately, this was not to be. Chinese Taipei also showed some character and retaliated well enough to score four times in the final stanza, sending the Blue-and-Whites to the lower division. This was definitely not the outcome we all hoped for, but the team returns to IIIA with valuable experience and the hope of winning promotion back immediately. Being the youngest team of this year’s tournament, it will keep the core of the roster for next season and, beyond any doubt, will be among the top contenders for gold.