Sunday, December 11, 2016

2016 World Junior Championship - Division I Group B Preview

The newly-promoted Hungary has the honour of hosting the U20 Division I Group B tournament. The Hungarians will want to do what they can to please the home crowd and not be sent back to Division II. Italy is also new to the group thanks to getting relegated from Group A. The Italians hope to keep their stay in Group B short. Great Britain and Poland return after finishing second and third last year (respectively) despite tying for first in points. Both teams will look to right the wrong and earn the promotion this year. Ukraine is back as well, and will want to improve on a fourth place finish. Slovenia was new to the group last year after being relegated, would have earned a second straight relegation if Japan did not withdraw from that tournament. The Slovenians look to rebound from last year's performance.

Note: most information from the IIHF website.

Rosters

Great Britain

Goalies:
Defensemen:
Forwards:

Hungary

Goalies:
Name
Team
Bence Kiss
DVTK Jegesmedvek Miskolc
David Mark Kovacs
SCL Tigers Langnau

Defensemen:
Name
Team
Gabor Bugar
Bodens HF
Rajmund Bukor
Vasas Budapest
Botond Erdely
Ocskay Academy Szekesfehervar
Nandor Fejes
MAC Budapest
Zsombor Garat
Austin Bruins
Roland Kiss
Caspar Coyotes
Florian Sandor
Ocskay Academy Szekesfehervar
Bence Stipsicz
Cedar Rapids Roughriders

Forwards:
Name
Team
Patrick Kiss
Ocskay Academy Szekesfehervar
Zsombor Kiss
HC Davos
Bruno Kreisz
MAC Budapest
David Molnar
Debrecen HC
Akos Nagy
Ocskay Academy Szekesfehervar
Andor Peter
Ocskay Academy Szekesfehervar
Marcell Revesz
ZSC Lions Zurich
Martin Sagi
DVTK Jegesmedvek Miskolc
Kevin Szabad
Vienna Capitals
Akos Szigeti
MAC Budapest
Natan Vertes
Ocskay Academy Szekesfehervar
Daniel Vizi
Ocskay Academy Szekesfehervar


Italy

Goalies:
Name
Team
Simone Peiti
HC Pergine
Hannes Treibenreif
Ritten Sport

Defensemen:
Name
Team
Dominik Bernard
Eppan Lakers
Maximilan Leitner
HC Pustertal
Gianluca March
HC Auer Ora
Marco Marzolini
SHC Fassa
Peter Spornberger
EV Landshut
Markus Trenkwalder
WSV Sterzing-Vipiteno

Forwards:
Name
Team
Simon Berger
BC Bad Tolz
Tommaso Cordiano
HC Lugano
Davide Dal Sasso
HC Asiago Junior 1935
Alex de Lorenzo Meo
Nacka HK
Ivan Deluca
WSV Sterzing-Vipiteno
Alex Gasser
ESV Kaufbeuren
Diego Glueck
HC Gherdeina
David Laner
HC Pustertal
Samuel Moroder
HC Gherdeina
Patrick Nocker
HC Gherdeina
Simon Pitschieler
WSV Sterzing-Vipiteno
Elias Thum
HC Pustertal
Felix Tschimben
WSV Sterzing-Vipiteno
Andreas Vinatzer
HC Gherdeina


Poland

Goalies:
Name
Team
Kamil Lewartowski
Mosm Tychy
Mateusz Studzinski
Sokoly Torun

Defensemen:
Name
Team
Olaf Bizacki
SMS Sosnowiec
Kordian Chorazyczewski
GKS Jastrzebie
Yauheni Kameneu
HKm Zvolen
Jakub Michalowski
SMS Sosnowiec
Dawid Musiol
GKS Katowice
Tomasz Skokan
Kalkaska Rhinos
Patryk Wsol
SMS Sosnowiec
Mateusz Zielinski
SMS Sosnowiec

Forwards:
Name
Team
Bartosz Bichta
GKS Jastrzebie
Kamil Filip
Polonia Bytom
Mateusz Goscinski
SMS Sosnowiec
Bartlomiej Jeziorski
GKS Tychy
Patryk Krezolek
SMS Sosnowiec
Alan Lyszczarczyk
Sudbury Wolves
Dominik Olszewski
Springfield Jr. Pics
Dominik Pas
SMS Sosnowiec
Patryk Pelaczyk
SMS Sosnowiec
Iwo Sroka
Polonia Bytom
Kamil Wrobel
GKS Jastrzebie
Pawel Zygmunt
SMS Sosnowiec


Slovenia

Goalies:
Name
Team
Tilen Spreitzer
HDD Olimpija
Mark Vlahovic
Southern Oregon Spartans

Defensemen:
Name
Team
Mark Cepon
HDD Olimpija
Nik Grahut
HK Celje
Jakob Jugovic
Triglav Kranj
Zan Kuzman
HK Maribor
Nik Petek
HK Celje
Andraz Zibelnik
HDD Olimpija
Luka Zorko
No Team

Forwards:
Name
Team
Matevz Ban
Triglav Kranj
Jan Drozg
Leksands IF
Gasper Glavic
HDD Olimpija
Matic Jeklic
HC Olomouc
Zan Jezovsek
HDD Olimpija
Rok Macuh
HC Olomouc
Zan Markic
Triglav Kranj
Luka Maver
Lincoln Stars
Janez Orehek
HC Neuilly sur Marne
Kristof Potocnik
HDD Olimpija
Nik Simsic
Sodertalje SK
Blaz Tomazevic
HDD Olimpija
Luka Ulamec
HK Olimpija


Ukraine

Goalies:
Name
Team
Bogdan Dyachenko
HC Donbass
Mykyta Petlenko
HK Kremenchuk

Defensemen:
Name
Team
Olexander Aleksandrov
HC Kryvbas
Andri Grygoryev
HC Donbass
Olexander Horlushko
HC Kryvbas
Stanislav Ordynsky
Nynashamns IF
Yuri Shpak
Generals Kyiv
Olexander Vlad
Sparta Prague

Forwards:
Name
Team
Sergi Aleksanyan-Petrovich
Vityaz Kharkov
Andri Denyskin
Hampton Roads Whalers
Vasyl-Yuri Kachan
Nynashamns IF
Mykyta Kovalenko
HC Kryvbas
Mykyta Lesnikov
Bily Bars Bila Tserkva
Vadym Mazur
HC Donbass
Denys Mostovi
Nynashamns IF
Anton Ruban
HC Kryvbas
Dmytro Sherbakov
Stoczniowiec Gdansk
Artem Shymansky
HK Kremenchuk
Bogdan Stupak
Lower Austria Stars St. Polten
Yaroslav Svishev
HC Donbass
Olexi Vorona
HC Donbass


Schedule

December 11
Ukraine - Poland
Hungary - Italy
Slovenia - Great Britain

December 12
Italy - Ukraine
Great Britain - Hungary
Poland - Slovenia

December 14

Italy - Slovenia
Hungary - Ukraine
Poland - Great Britain

December 15
Ukraine - Slovenia
Poland - Hungary
Great Britain - Italy

December 17

Italy - Poland
Slovenia - Hungary
Great Britain - Ukraine

Prediction

1 (Promoted) - Poland
2 - Italy
3 - Great Britain
4 - Ukraine
5 - Hungary
6 (Relegated) - Slovenia

Could be close like last year at the top, but with a different result this time. Poland probably eeks it out and earns the promotion, while Italy and Great Britain fall just shy of that honour. Ukraine likely finishes fourth again. The battle at the bottom will be between Hungary and Slovenia. Being the host adds to the pressure Hungary will be in, and I can see them rising to the challenge. Slovenia ends up losing on the last day and is sent to Division II.

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