The Ukrainian national team, led by world champion Dmytro Khrystych, has sensationally returned to the elite division of world hockey after 20 years.
During the World Championship in Division 1A in Sosnowiec, Poland, the “yellow-blue” lost to Poland (2:3), defeated Lithuania (2:1) and France (3:2), lost to Kazakhstan in a shootout (4:5), and for the first time in 14 years, broke the resistance of Japan (3:1).
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To finish in second place (Kazakhstan secured the first place early), our guys needed Lithuania not to lose in the final match to the hosts, the Poles. And the Lithuanians, who were fighting to keep their place in the second strongest division, not only held on after three periods (1:1), but also snatched a victory in overtime (2:1).
Something incredible was happening in the Ukrainian national team's locker room at that moment!
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Final standings of the teams: 1. Kazakhstan — 13 points (goal difference — 20:8); 2. Ukraine — 10 (14:12) ; 3. France — 8 (12:11); 4. Poland — 8 (12:12), 5. Lithuania — 4 (7:12); 6. Japan — 2 (9:19).
It is encouraging that the top scorer of the World Championship in Poland was the Ukrainian team's forward Danylo Trakht, who added four assists to his four goals, and another of our hockey players, Oleksiy Vorona, together with Japanese Teruto Nakajima, became the tournament's top assist provider (six assists each).
Head coach of the Ukrainian national team Dmytro Khrystych ADVERTISING
Let us recall that the Ukrainian national team once spent nine seasons in the strongest division of the World Cup, but after being relegated in 2007, they were unable to return. The highest place the “yellow-blue” team achieved — 9th — was at the 2002 World Cup.
The World Ice Hockey Championship in the top division, where the Ukrainian national team will compete, will be hosted by the German cities of Düsseldorf and Mannheim from May 14 to 30, 2027. All opponents of Khrystyn's team will be determined after the completion of the 2026 World Championship in the summer division (May 15–31).
Previously, “FACTS” reported that the Ukrainian national hockey team won a place in Division 1A in 2024.
Photo of the Ukrainian Hockey Federation
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