WJC: 2025 U20 Div 2B - VIVA ESPANA!

[MeHateHe]

Did I miss the thread on the Division 2B U20 tournament? If not, here's the thread. Spain wins! Spain wins! Spain wins!

Being played in Belgrade with Iceland, Israel, Australia, Belgium, Spain and the host Serbs, the tournament begain Jan. 19 and will end Saturday. But with their 7-3 win over Israel this morning, (well, 4 p.m. local time), Spain clinched promotion to Division 2A. Australia, Serbia and Iceland are each sitting on three points as of this writing, although Australia and Serbia are about to take to the ice for their fourth game, while Iceland has a date with Israel Saturday. So it's likely one of those three teams is fighting to stay up in this division.

Games are streamed here: IIHF - Live Streaming

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[SoundAndFury]

The only interesting about the tournament (to me) was that Israel had Michael Levin, who would have still been the best player in the division had he played in D1B, and it still wasn't even close between them and Spain.

 

[MeHateHe]

The only interesting about the tournament (to me) was that Israel had Michael Levin, who would have still been the best player in the division had he played in D1B, and it still wasn't even close between them and Spain.

Seems to me you flagged him during the U18 tournament last spring.

I've been keeping a side eye on Spain for a few years, as they've been sort of moving up. No real domestic league to speak of, and their development/club system is sporadic at best, so they'll have a ceiling. They included a team of Swedes in their domestic league a couple of years ago (IIHF - Nordic Vikings to conquer Spain) which seemed like an interesting project, although probably more of a benefit to the visiting Swedes than the local league. Still, a sports-mad country with a decent economic base could organically grow into a not bad middling hockey country (if they'd accept that a team sport other than football exists).

In any event, Serbia has now beaten Australia, so the loser of the Australia/Belgium match Saturday will be relegated to Division 3A.