Photo: IIHF / Joan Reyes
Team Israel U18 kicked off its IIHF U18 World Championship campaign with an exhilarating game against Bulgaria, ending on the wrong side of a 7-6 scoreline. Despite the loss, there were many positives for Evgeni Kozhevnikov’s team, notably the stellar performance of 15-year-old Nikita Zitserman, who netted a hat-trick on the Polisportiu ice in Puigcerda, Spain.
Last year in Iceland, Israel earned promotion to Division IIB, and as is customary for newcomers, their priority is to secure their spot at a higher level and demonstrate their belonging. Thus, avoiding finishing at the bottom of the six-team table is the primary goal. However, this task is easier said than done, as they face opponents who are well-versed in playing at this level.
Nevertheless, Kozhevnikov’s squad is undaunted by the challenge, drawing on the wealth of experience possessed by several players. Notably, eight skaters on the current roster, including defensemen Ori Moss Rendell, Itay Parasol, Nick Ougortsin, and Ariel Elkin, as well as forwards Vasili Lisov, Shon Kazinets, Yonatan Melnikov, and Itay Kerner, participated in last year’s tournament in Iceland. Three of them—Moss Rendell, Ougortsin, and Kerner—also contributed to a successful U20 World Championship campaign earlier this year, securing promotion to a higher level in January.
Zitserman, who has valuable experience playing for the U20 side, opened the scoring in the 9th minute with a powerplay goal. However, the lead was short-lived, and by the end of the first period, Israel found themselves trailing 3-1.
Melnikov initiated the comeback after the intermission, which was sealed in the 27th minute by another powerplay goal from Zitserman, assisted by Samson Goldshtein, the youngest player in the tournament, who will turn 15 on April 30th.
A minute later, Goldshtein himself scored in a 5-on-3 situation, putting Israel back in front. Elkin then added a shorthanded goal to make it 5-3. However, the Bulgarians retaliated once again, scoring three quick goals to carry a 6-5 advantage into the final stanza.
With 15 minutes remaining, Israel received another powerplay opportunity, and Zitserman capitalized once again, completing his hat-trick and reigniting hope for a positive outcome. However, it was not to be, as Boyan Iliev scored the decider in the 51st minute, securing the win for Bulgaria.
Despite the disappointing result, there is no time for frustration, as four more games are scheduled for this week. The next opponent is Australia, which lost 6-3 to China earlier today. The puck drops tomorrow at 1 pm local time (2 pm in Israel).