photo: © Jaca Kalač
Thirteen became the lucky number for Bulgaria. The youngest team of the tournament mounted a comeback to beat Estonia 5-3 on the final day to finish top of the 2025 IIHF Ice Hockey Women´s World Championship Division III Group B in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Following 12 earlier attempts, the triumph in Sarajevo´s Skenderija Sports Arena earns Bulgaria its first gold medal in Women´s World Championship play. Following last year´s demotion, the Bulgarians return to next year´s Division III Group A.
Heading into the final day showdown for top-spot, Bulgaria and Estonia were level on seven points apiece. Skating on the Estonian roster were seven gold medal-winning members at this level from 2022. One of those, Kirke Kulla combines duties as the General Secretary of the Estonian Ice Hockey Association with being an attacking threat on Estonia´s first line. Back in action after missing out on last year´s second-place finish due to injury, Kulla led by example and fired Estonia ahead versus Bulgaria with a powerplay opener at 5:18. The Bulgarians replied swiftly through Maria Runevska to draw level.
The Estonians came out in the middle frame firing on all cylinders. Nora Vont assisted Kulla in converting her second of the afternoon at 25:47. Appearing to have the Bulgarians hanging on the ropes, Estonia´s top-scorer Olesja Prants stretched the Baltic nation´s lead to 3-1 midway through the contest.
Bulgaria made their World Championship debut in 2011. The sole member from those days on this year´s team, 31-year-old Stefani Stoyanova struck back to half the Estonian lead to one with 3:09 left of the middle frame.
With the tie tilting firmly into Bulgaria's favour, Borislav Blagoev´s roster stepped out to dominate the third period from start to finish. Emphatically outshooting their Baltic opponents 22-2, Bulgaria went level from a powerplay goal by Maya Georgieva after 43:13. Runevska then completed the turnaround potting her second as the Bulgarians went 4-3 ahead at 47:31. Lena Ivanova closed the scoring with an empty netter with 21 seconds remaining.
Earlier in the tournament, Stoyanova had led the way for Bulgaria with a couple of goals and an assist in a 5-2 opening-day victory versus Israel. Two teenagers then shone in a 6-0 sweep of Singapore with 16-year-old goalie Angelina Dimova enjoying a shutout and Runevska grabbing a hat-trick. Their only blip came in their penultimate game versus Bosnia and Herzegovina when the Bulgarians had to settle for one point after squandering a two-goal lead in an overtime 4-3 loss.
Among the leading individual performances, Bulgaria´s Runevska topped the scoring with 11 (5+6) points and was selected as the tournament´s top forward. Estonia´s Aleksandra-Olga Seppar won the accolade for top defender. Israel’s Yael Fatiev was chosen as top goalie, stopping 94.77% of the 172 shots she faced for a GAA of 2.30.
Israel beat Singapore 6-2 on the final day to leapfrog Estonia for second spot. 16-year-old defender Lior Leshem continued her rich vein of goalscoring form from last year and bagged a hat-trick in Sarajevo when Estonia was beaten 4-3 in overtime. Expect more to come from a roster with 14 teenagers where versatile Shelly Zilkha was Israel´s oldest player. The 26-year-old has enjoyed an eclectic national team career path. She was a goaltender in two Women's Worlds (2022, and 2023) before suiting up as a forward this year.
Host team Bosnia and Herzegovina entered this tournament with a record of one win from their seven most recent World Championship games. Keeping the fans at the edge of their seats with swashbuckling offensive hockey, Haris Mrkva´s coached team bounced back from an opening-day defeat versus Estonia to earn five points and finish fourth. 15-year-old Lamija Zubcevic enjoyed a memorable debut. Finishing as the leading goalscorer with eight goals in four games, the Sarajevo native netted a hat-trick as the Bosnians roared back to win two points versus Bulgaria.
Scoring on four occasions in as many games, Singapore finished winless in fifth. The Southeast Asians most memorable performance came when frustrating the Estonians in a narrow 2-1 loss.
Following 12 earlier attempts, the triumph in Sarajevo´s Skenderija Sports Arena earns Bulgaria its first gold medal in Women´s World Championship play. Following last year´s demotion, the Bulgarians return to next year´s Division III Group A.
Heading into the final day showdown for top-spot, Bulgaria and Estonia were level on seven points apiece. Skating on the Estonian roster were seven gold medal-winning members at this level from 2022. One of those, Kirke Kulla combines duties as the General Secretary of the Estonian Ice Hockey Association with being an attacking threat on Estonia´s first line. Back in action after missing out on last year´s second-place finish due to injury, Kulla led by example and fired Estonia ahead versus Bulgaria with a powerplay opener at 5:18. The Bulgarians replied swiftly through Maria Runevska to draw level.
The Estonians came out in the middle frame firing on all cylinders. Nora Vont assisted Kulla in converting her second of the afternoon at 25:47. Appearing to have the Bulgarians hanging on the ropes, Estonia´s top-scorer Olesja Prants stretched the Baltic nation´s lead to 3-1 midway through the contest.
Bulgaria made their World Championship debut in 2011. The sole member from those days on this year´s team, 31-year-old Stefani Stoyanova struck back to half the Estonian lead to one with 3:09 left of the middle frame.
With the tie tilting firmly into Bulgaria's favour, Borislav Blagoev´s roster stepped out to dominate the third period from start to finish. Emphatically outshooting their Baltic opponents 22-2, Bulgaria went level from a powerplay goal by Maya Georgieva after 43:13. Runevska then completed the turnaround potting her second as the Bulgarians went 4-3 ahead at 47:31. Lena Ivanova closed the scoring with an empty netter with 21 seconds remaining.
Earlier in the tournament, Stoyanova had led the way for Bulgaria with a couple of goals and an assist in a 5-2 opening-day victory versus Israel. Two teenagers then shone in a 6-0 sweep of Singapore with 16-year-old goalie Angelina Dimova enjoying a shutout and Runevska grabbing a hat-trick. Their only blip came in their penultimate game versus Bosnia and Herzegovina when the Bulgarians had to settle for one point after squandering a two-goal lead in an overtime 4-3 loss.
Among the leading individual performances, Bulgaria´s Runevska topped the scoring with 11 (5+6) points and was selected as the tournament´s top forward. Estonia´s Aleksandra-Olga Seppar won the accolade for top defender. Israel’s Yael Fatiev was chosen as top goalie, stopping 94.77% of the 172 shots she faced for a GAA of 2.30.
Israel beat Singapore 6-2 on the final day to leapfrog Estonia for second spot. 16-year-old defender Lior Leshem continued her rich vein of goalscoring form from last year and bagged a hat-trick in Sarajevo when Estonia was beaten 4-3 in overtime. Expect more to come from a roster with 14 teenagers where versatile Shelly Zilkha was Israel´s oldest player. The 26-year-old has enjoyed an eclectic national team career path. She was a goaltender in two Women's Worlds (2022, and 2023) before suiting up as a forward this year.
Host team Bosnia and Herzegovina entered this tournament with a record of one win from their seven most recent World Championship games. Keeping the fans at the edge of their seats with swashbuckling offensive hockey, Haris Mrkva´s coached team bounced back from an opening-day defeat versus Estonia to earn five points and finish fourth. 15-year-old Lamija Zubcevic enjoyed a memorable debut. Finishing as the leading goalscorer with eight goals in four games, the Sarajevo native netted a hat-trick as the Bosnians roared back to win two points versus Bulgaria.
Scoring on four occasions in as many games, Singapore finished winless in fifth. The Southeast Asians most memorable performance came when frustrating the Estonians in a narrow 2-1 loss.