photo: © International Ice Hockey Federation / Mehmet Zahit Düzgün
Erva Kanat’s near perfection in net this week powered Turkiye to the 2025 IIHF U18 World Championship Division II B in Istanbul, Turkiye.
Along with winning the title, Turkiye has been promoted to Division II, Group A.
In the championship game, it was a battle of undefeated teams, with both Iceland and Turkiye only allowing one goal against opponents. It featured the two top goaltenders of the tournament – Turkiye’s Erva Kanat and Iceland’s Diana Oskarsdottir.
The host took the early lead with 3:35 remaining in the first period. From behind the Iceland net, Dolunay Erbakan passed the puck to Sidre Haciomanoglu, who blasted it past Oskarsdottir’s right shoulder for the score.
After a scoreless second period, Turkiye would get some insurance as Azra Senyuva scored with 7:48 remaining in the game. Ece Erasci launched the puck towards the net and Senyuva got just enough of it to ensure it went past Oskarsdottir’s right leg.
To the delight of the Turkish fans, the hosts earned a 2-0 shutout victory over Iceland. This capped off a week that saw the hosts go undefeated in all four games.
The top four scoring leaders came from Iceland, led by Fridrika Magnusdottir. The Icelandic forward tallied seven goals and eight assists for 15 points. Teammates Solrun Arnardottir (three goals, nine assists for 12 points) and Kolbrun Bjornsdottir (five goals, five assists for 10 points) rounded out the top three scoring leaders.
Eda Secen was Turkiye’s top scorer with two goals and six assists for eight points.
Iceland’s Magdalena Sulova was the top scoring defender of the tournament with four goals and four assists for eight points.
Kanat was named top goaltender of the tournament. In four games, the goaltender only allowed one goal in, earned two shutouts, a 97.87 save percentage and a 0.30 goals against average.
Magnusdottir was top forward while Belgium’s Ans Van Hoof was named the top defender.
In the other game on the final day of the tournament, it was a battle for third place between Mexico and Belgium. Belgium came out on top, edging Mexico 2-1 in a shootout.
After a scoreless first period, Mexico would strike first on the scoreboard. Only 57 seconds into the second period, Rebeca Andrade Castro scooped up a turnover deep in Mexico’s zone and blasted the puck past Belgium goaltender Anouk Belmans to tally the marker.
Belgium would get the equalizer ay 7:36 of the period when Lois Miller capitalized on the power play that came from a Natalia Molinar Morosoli tripping penalty. Miller brought the puck out from the Belgium zone and then shot the puck towards Hernandez. The puck went up and over Hernandez’ left hand and into the net.
This marked the second consecutive year Iceland claimed silver and Belgium earned bronze.
After a scorless third period, overtime solved nothing so the game went to a shootout. Linorre Saunders and Fenna Sempels scored to give Belgium the victory. Sempel went top shelf over Hernandez’ left glove while Saunders lifted the puck past the goaltender’s right leg.
Turkiye and Mexico played one of the most exciting games earlier in the week. The hosts edged Mexico 2-1. With 1:47 remaining in the first period, Sofia Bulnes gave the Mexicans the lead. Scooping up the puck from the boards, forward Ariadna Lorenzana Guerrero launched the puck towards the net and on the way, Bulnes manouvered a nifty move with her back towards the net as she lifted her right leg and shot the puck between her legs to tally a marker,
The hosts would get the equalizer 5:40 into the second period to the delight of the home crowd. After Mexico had a couple of great scoring opportunities, they turned over the puck in their own zone and Secen passed it over to Senyuva. Racing in from the left side of the ice, Senyuva blasted it top shelf past Mexican goaltender Sofia Hernandez for the marker.
After Mexico’s Morosoli was assessed for an illegal hit, Turkiye went on the power play and they capitalized on the opportunity. Winning the face off in the Mexican zone, Tan Goksal blasted the puck and it blew past Hernandez’s right shoulder for the game winner. The hosts two goals were scored 41 seconds apart in the period. It was a scoreless third period.
While South Africa went winless this week, they did enjoy a highlight. Despite a loss to Belgium, the team scored their first goal of the tournament in the game. With 4:54 remaining in the first period, Cailin Vlotman scored a shorthanded goal. South Africa won the faceoff and kept the puck in the Belgium zone. Vlotman came from behind net and shot the puck past the left leg of Belgium goaltender Anouk Belmans for the score.
In South Africa’s loss on the opening day of the tournament at the hands of Iceland, goaltender Sone Geldenhuys faced 71 shots on goal. Hayley Chrissopoulous 60 shots against Turkiye.
Along with winning the title, Turkiye has been promoted to Division II, Group A.
In the championship game, it was a battle of undefeated teams, with both Iceland and Turkiye only allowing one goal against opponents. It featured the two top goaltenders of the tournament – Turkiye’s Erva Kanat and Iceland’s Diana Oskarsdottir.
The host took the early lead with 3:35 remaining in the first period. From behind the Iceland net, Dolunay Erbakan passed the puck to Sidre Haciomanoglu, who blasted it past Oskarsdottir’s right shoulder for the score.
After a scoreless second period, Turkiye would get some insurance as Azra Senyuva scored with 7:48 remaining in the game. Ece Erasci launched the puck towards the net and Senyuva got just enough of it to ensure it went past Oskarsdottir’s right leg.
To the delight of the Turkish fans, the hosts earned a 2-0 shutout victory over Iceland. This capped off a week that saw the hosts go undefeated in all four games.
The top four scoring leaders came from Iceland, led by Fridrika Magnusdottir. The Icelandic forward tallied seven goals and eight assists for 15 points. Teammates Solrun Arnardottir (three goals, nine assists for 12 points) and Kolbrun Bjornsdottir (five goals, five assists for 10 points) rounded out the top three scoring leaders.
Eda Secen was Turkiye’s top scorer with two goals and six assists for eight points.
Iceland’s Magdalena Sulova was the top scoring defender of the tournament with four goals and four assists for eight points.
Kanat was named top goaltender of the tournament. In four games, the goaltender only allowed one goal in, earned two shutouts, a 97.87 save percentage and a 0.30 goals against average.
Magnusdottir was top forward while Belgium’s Ans Van Hoof was named the top defender.
In the other game on the final day of the tournament, it was a battle for third place between Mexico and Belgium. Belgium came out on top, edging Mexico 2-1 in a shootout.
After a scoreless first period, Mexico would strike first on the scoreboard. Only 57 seconds into the second period, Rebeca Andrade Castro scooped up a turnover deep in Mexico’s zone and blasted the puck past Belgium goaltender Anouk Belmans to tally the marker.
Belgium would get the equalizer ay 7:36 of the period when Lois Miller capitalized on the power play that came from a Natalia Molinar Morosoli tripping penalty. Miller brought the puck out from the Belgium zone and then shot the puck towards Hernandez. The puck went up and over Hernandez’ left hand and into the net.
This marked the second consecutive year Iceland claimed silver and Belgium earned bronze.
After a scorless third period, overtime solved nothing so the game went to a shootout. Linorre Saunders and Fenna Sempels scored to give Belgium the victory. Sempel went top shelf over Hernandez’ left glove while Saunders lifted the puck past the goaltender’s right leg.
Turkiye and Mexico played one of the most exciting games earlier in the week. The hosts edged Mexico 2-1. With 1:47 remaining in the first period, Sofia Bulnes gave the Mexicans the lead. Scooping up the puck from the boards, forward Ariadna Lorenzana Guerrero launched the puck towards the net and on the way, Bulnes manouvered a nifty move with her back towards the net as she lifted her right leg and shot the puck between her legs to tally a marker,
The hosts would get the equalizer 5:40 into the second period to the delight of the home crowd. After Mexico had a couple of great scoring opportunities, they turned over the puck in their own zone and Secen passed it over to Senyuva. Racing in from the left side of the ice, Senyuva blasted it top shelf past Mexican goaltender Sofia Hernandez for the marker.
After Mexico’s Morosoli was assessed for an illegal hit, Turkiye went on the power play and they capitalized on the opportunity. Winning the face off in the Mexican zone, Tan Goksal blasted the puck and it blew past Hernandez’s right shoulder for the game winner. The hosts two goals were scored 41 seconds apart in the period. It was a scoreless third period.
While South Africa went winless this week, they did enjoy a highlight. Despite a loss to Belgium, the team scored their first goal of the tournament in the game. With 4:54 remaining in the first period, Cailin Vlotman scored a shorthanded goal. South Africa won the faceoff and kept the puck in the Belgium zone. Vlotman came from behind net and shot the puck past the left leg of Belgium goaltender Anouk Belmans for the score.
In South Africa’s loss on the opening day of the tournament at the hands of Iceland, goaltender Sone Geldenhuys faced 71 shots on goal. Hayley Chrissopoulous 60 shots against Turkiye.