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.
By 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 in Turkiye’s Erva Kanat and Iceland’s Diana Oskarsdottir.
The hosts 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 (3+9=12) and Kolbrun Bjornsdottir (5+5=10) rounded out the top three scoring leaders.
Eda Secen was Turkiye’s top scorer with (2+6=8), while Iceland’s Magdalena Sulova was the top scoring defender of the tournament (4+4=8).
Kanat was named top goaltender of the tournament. In four games, the goaltender only allowed one goal, earning two shutouts, a 97.8 save percentage and a 0.30 GAA.
Magnusdottir was top forward while Belgium’s Ans Van Hoof was named the top defender.
In the other game on the final day, 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 drew first blood. Just 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.
Belgium would get the equalizer at 7:36 when Lois Miller capitalized on the power play that came from a Natalia Molinar Morosoli tripping penalty. Miller brought the puck out from the Belgian zone and then shot the puck towards Hernandez. The puck went up and over Hernandez’ left hand and into the net.
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.
This marked the second consecutive year Iceland claimed silver and Belgium earned bronze.
Turkiye and Mexico played one of the most exciting games earlier in the week as 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. En route, Bulnes pulled off a nifty move with her back towards the net as she lifted her right leg and shot the puck between her legs to fool the goalie.
The hosts got the equalizer at 5:40 of the second period to the delight of the home crowd. After the Mexicans 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.
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,
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 that 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 out from behind the net and shot the puck past the left leg of Belgium goaltender Anouk Belmans.
In South Africa’s loss to Iceland on Day One, goaltender Sone Geldenhuys faced a whopping 71 shots on goal. It was perhaps the most visible symbol of how hard these young players work to represent their countries in IIHF competition.
By 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 in Turkiye’s Erva Kanat and Iceland’s Diana Oskarsdottir.
The hosts 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 (3+9=12) and Kolbrun Bjornsdottir (5+5=10) rounded out the top three scoring leaders.
Eda Secen was Turkiye’s top scorer with (2+6=8), while Iceland’s Magdalena Sulova was the top scoring defender of the tournament (4+4=8).
Kanat was named top goaltender of the tournament. In four games, the goaltender only allowed one goal, earning two shutouts, a 97.8 save percentage and a 0.30 GAA.
Magnusdottir was top forward while Belgium’s Ans Van Hoof was named the top defender.
In the other game on the final day, 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 drew first blood. Just 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.
Belgium would get the equalizer at 7:36 when Lois Miller capitalized on the power play that came from a Natalia Molinar Morosoli tripping penalty. Miller brought the puck out from the Belgian zone and then shot the puck towards Hernandez. The puck went up and over Hernandez’ left hand and into the net.
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.
This marked the second consecutive year Iceland claimed silver and Belgium earned bronze.
Turkiye and Mexico played one of the most exciting games earlier in the week as 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. En route, Bulnes pulled off a nifty move with her back towards the net as she lifted her right leg and shot the puck between her legs to fool the goalie.
The hosts got the equalizer at 5:40 of the second period to the delight of the home crowd. After the Mexicans 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.
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,
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 that 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 out from behind the net and shot the puck past the left leg of Belgium goaltender Anouk Belmans.
In South Africa’s loss to Iceland on Day One, goaltender Sone Geldenhuys faced a whopping 71 shots on goal. It was perhaps the most visible symbol of how hard these young players work to represent their countries in IIHF competition.