16th World Junior Hockey Championship - Everything Thread

[Suimede]

Loss Bounds Suimede to Wild Card

Having already qualified for the knockout round of the WJHC, a win against Savojarna would've meant that the Suimeders were heading onto the round of 16, bypassing the round of 20. Unfortunately, this wouldn't be the case for Suimede, conceding 7 goals in the process. The game started out well enough for the Jags, their swift passing leaving the Savojars out of position, as a splitting pass from Jonatan Ujakede left Kapuej am-Ofamlok with an opportunity that he simply does not miss. The rest of the 1st period was breathtaking for any neutrals spectating, as both teams had numerous shots that would've resulted in goals any other day of the week, however both defenses made sure that wasn't going to be the case. With a 1-0 lead heading into the 2nd, the Red and Purple were confident and looking to capitalize.
They were a bit too confident, however. A content Suimede side began leaking shots on net, and it was only a matter of time before one (or two or three) of them would be converted. The first of these goals came by way of Jussi Parvaniemi, who took advantage of Efraín Bustos's lackadaisical puck control. The next were from Janne Suhonen & Sergei Vetrayev, who were both profiteers of telepathic puck distribution that was too fast for Suimede top handle.
There must have been a tern talking to in the dressing room heading into a third, as the lead was absolutely gifted away in the preceding period. The Purples looked to have a fire under them, as Jonatan Ujakede again set up one of his teammates, this time the recipient being Farrah Qadir. Another goal came soon after, as Gabe Stuį made a crucial body check that landed the puck in possession of Rashto am-Apana. Stuį finished off the play, receiving the puck back in transition and making this game 3-3.
Suimede did not score another goal in this game. At the end of the day, Savojarna are among the most experienced teams in this WJHC, and Suimede were complete newcomers. This was emphasized when Gabe Stuį, not too much longer after his goal, was sat down by Roman Kasajev (who already had two assists on the day) and conceded the go-ahead goal. The Northern Europeans didn't look back, either. As hard as Suimede tried, they just didn't make decisions fast enough for the Savojars not to see it coming. A poor pass from Rashto am-Apana quickly saw Ilari Brythén score in transition, then a brilliant interception by Ilja Sakachev saws Savojarna take the lead to 3, and just when the Purples thought it nwas over, Jann Suhonen hit a shot from deep to truly sink their hearts.

"No bye for you guys today, Coach Heshejl, any consoling words?"

"I mean, we'll just have to win our wild card match, and this is still the greatest hockey team ever. Come on boys!"

[Delaclava]

Eight teams scrambled and scrapped and fought to qualify, and credit to them - now, they'll need one more game to join the playoffs with everyone else. Who gets it done? Here...we...GO!

Round of 20 cutoff!

Round of 20
#13 Nova Anglicana 2–2 #19 Atheara (3–2 OT) @ Vespers Yard (9,000), Breton Valley

#14 Sainterris 3–1 #20 Quebec @ Lake Mansell (7,500), Kalinin

#15 Suimede 1–0 #17 Abanhfleft*@ Lake Mansell (7,500), Kalinin

#16 Grey County 3–5 #18 Siovanija and Teusland @ Vespers Yard (9,000), Breton Valley

Round of 16
#1 Gergary vs. #14 Sainterris*
Nexus Nordlige (30,000), Arctica

#8 Savojarna vs. #9 HUElavia
Domara Square (25,000), Kalinin

#4 Kelssek vs. #15 Suimede*
Panthers Arena (16,387), Breton Valley

#5 Banija vs. #12 NPC West Florida
Panthers Arena (16,387), Breton Valley

#6 Græntfjall vs. #10 Anthor
Lepotuoli (25,000), Narkyla

#3 Fluvannia vs. #13 Nova Anglicana*
Domara Square (25,000), Kalinin

#7 New Waldensia vs. #11 Srednjaci
Lepotuoli (25,000), Narkyla

#2 Delaclava vs. #18 Siovanija and Teusland*
Danzig Game Hall (65,000), Solveheim

* This was tough to maneuver, as the two lowest seeds were both in the same group as Gergary. I went by the following process:
- Assigned #1 Gergary the lowest seed they could face, #14 Sainterris
- Since #4 Kelssek could not face #13 Nova Anglicana, I gave them the next highest seed, #15 Suimede
- #2 Delaclava was then given the lower remaining seed (Siovanija and Teusland) and #3 Fluvannia the higher remaining seed (Nova Anglicana).
From this point, there are no rematches and reseedings.

Best of luck tomorrow!

[Grey County]

It was a sad day for Grey County as their debut WJHC run came to an end in the ROund of 20 which most considred unlikely before the veent but was always the teams goal to make it there.

The coach had this to say post match "well its disapointing to say the least but we had a good run and Im proud of the boys. See u at WJHC 17".

The country is extremely proud of their team and they were welcomed off the plane to thunderous applause in Laneca and much of the same roster will appear next time.

[Kelssek]

To: Greg Holt <gholt@kirkenesdragons.ks>
Subject: WJHC scouting GRAENTFJALL BEAT US OMG

What happened? Are we suck? Are Graentfjall good? National shame? Who is score? Should we sign them?

Alexander Steinsson C
Scored two against Kelssek, yes we all know. Deployed in a 2C role for Græntfjall. Strong wrist shot and deceptive release, but doesn't shoot so well from further out. I don't know why Kelssek didn't see this and contain him better, but they don't pay me.

With better stickhandling to complement his ability to shoot from in close, he could be a really dangerous goalscorer. The key thing however is his defensive awareness is probably the best of that team's forwards. A worthwhile addition who would also be an trade/transfer asset with other teams. On the flip side, unfortunately there is likely to be competition to transfer him, and he is not worth overpaying for.

Christian Sofusson LW
Clear top-six potential at the KHL level, but doubtful if he's an improvement on what we have already.
Being made captain of the national junior team is testament to his leadership ability. Further scouting needed to assess how this would translate over to a locker room in Kelssek, though, does he consider us filthy, evil commies bent on injecting 5G into the veins of the oppressed peasantry? This would be a red flag, pun not intended.

Júlíus Lukasson D
Good physical presence, knows how to hit clean, some speculation that he is a time traveller from another dimension, which if true does raise questions on commitment and whether he will just leave this reality if things go badly. He does not seem to be trusted with a lot of minutes and has been a healthy scratch for some games. Possibly he has a tendency to overcommit to the check which the Græntfjall coaches are wary of. A good option as we lack physical defenders in our development pipeline but he doesn't have a high ceiling, at most he could work on a second pairing with development.

[Nova Anglicana]

Freitas comes through in OT for Young Lions

The Nova Anglicana Young Lions U20 hockey team managed to come through the group stage undefeated, but they only snatched two victories from seven games. This earned them the #13 seed overall and a Round of 20 matchup with #19 Atheara, who had finished 3-1-3 in their seven group stage games. There was some trepidation over whether the Young Lions would be able to come up with a win, since they had been comparatively scarce in the group stage. Would they have the killer instinct needed to dispatch the Northern Guards and move on to the Round of 16? Thanks to Clement Freitas, the answer is yes.

Coming into the game, both teams were seen to play a neutral or defensive-leaning style, but the Northern Guards of Atheara had not been able to hold that many teams to a defensive struggle, averaging a score of 3-2 in their games. True to form, Atheara was not able to play a grinding, slow, defensive style in the first period, and the Young Lions set the tempo and flow of the game. They weren't über-aggressive, but they got Atheara to move out of their defensive crouch and opened the game up a bit. This style of play resulted in a penalty, with Peter Frazier being the victim of a hooking by Andrew Santosa-Calliard at 6:39 of the first period. On the ensuing power play, Aaron Shelton rifled a snap wrister past Richofen Graf Spleisher, the Athearan starting goaltender, putting the Young Lions up 1-0. This state of affairs persisted for the remainder of the period, with the Young Lions outshooting the Northern Guards 11-6 and generally outpossessing them as well.

In the second, third-line winger Andre Messier took everyone by surprise when, barely 30 seconds into the period, he took a pass from Sean Harper, weaved through the defense, pirouetted past the final man, and beat Spleisher to the glove side. A stunned silence at first filled Vespers Yard, but then the several-thousand strong crowd erupted in a sea of noise as the Young Lions surrounded the young Acadian winger. It was a marvelous goal, and it seemed to take some of the fight out of Atheara, as the Young Lions controlled the possession and racked up the majority of the shots over the next ten minutes. But their failure to add to their 2-0 lead was fatal, as Joshua McBride was whistled for slashing at 11:05, giving Atheara a power-play opportunity. They converted, and then pressed their advantage for the rest of the period, keeping the Young Lions on their heels. Give credit to Darren Gordon for making several excellent saves during that time to keep his team on top, 2-1.

The third period was back and forth, with both teams pressing on the attack, then yielding to the counterattack of the other side. Although it was not replete with goals nor an example of the truly mind-boggling speed at which junior hockey may be played, it was an excellent display of skating and passing. However, only one goal was scored in the period, which belonged to Atheara at the 15:37 mark. The Young Lions had led for more than 45 minutes at that point, and it would have been easy for the tying goal to have been the moment where they deflated as a team and began a collapse that would have led to an Athearan victory. But captain Stephen Barnett and assistant captains Cedric Caldwell and Gordon steadied the team and prevented the Northern Guards from gaining the upper hand. Head coach Tom Benson gave the credit to his leaders after the game, saying, "It wasn't me who rallied the troops in the third period, it was our captain and assistant captains. You have to let the kids lead at some point, and they rewarded my faith in them and all of our fans' faith in them."

The third period ended 2-2, a scoreline more to the Young Lions' liking than the Northern Guards, but one cannot say that either team truly had the upper hand. The Young Lions had won the first half, while Atheara ruled the second, and it was anybody's game going into the overtime period. With it being 3-on-3, the Young Lions played with two forwards and one defenseman most of the time, the only exception being the two-way talent of Marc Broussard, which allowed the Young Lions to play with two defensemen at times. After both teams had a couple of good opportunities, Clement Freitas took advantage of some tired Athearan legs to gain separation and beat Spleisher, scoring the winning goal at 2:44 of overtime. Freitas was mobbed by his teammates and the arena was no less loud than Messier's earlier goal, recognizing a well-played game on both sides.

Following some re-seeding (because Nova Anglicana cannot be matched up with group-stage foe Kelssek), the Young Lions' opponent for the Round of 16 is #3 Fluvannia. Fluvannia is well known for a strong hockey program at both the junior and senior level, and certainly proved it in the group stage. In Group B, they finished an excellent 5-1-1, with their only blemishes being a 4-1 loss to Abanhfleft and a 3-3 draw with Quakmybush. However, they have won their last two games in a row, taking down a strong Banija team 2-0 and then breezing by third-place HUElavia 6-3. They will be a formidable foe and the Young Lions will need all of their cunning, skill, and luck to defeat the Cubs.

[Delaclava]

DSGN.com Hockey

Panthers org: Bondra twins in team's short-term future
Breton Valley looking to accelerate Tomas and Zoltan after breakout World Juniors

When Breton Valley Panthers general manager Rolf Ullrich signed then 16-year-old twins, center Tomas and right wing Zoltan Bondra, to development contracts, he was excited about the possibility of the Bondra contributing to title runs for the long haul, saying at the time: "I am confident that these kids have the talent, determination, and mentality to become fixtures of this club. Five or ten years from now, they'll be ready to be stars."

A year later, the group stage of the 16th World Junior Hockey Championship has wrapped up, and Ullrich may need to consider pushing up that timeline.

The Phoenixes have taken charge in their own backyard, winning their eight-team Group A with a 5-1-1 record. They put together one of the most prolific offenses in the tournament - their 30 goals were the third-most in the group stage, including a 9-6 barnburner against Sarzonia. The Bondras have been a focal point of that attack; Zoltan leads Phoenixes scorers with seven goals, and Tomas tops the playmakers with eight apples. The Bondras' performances have suggested that the twins may already be ready for USL play on the A squad.

"They're so skilled, so quick, and they work well together," Ullrich said. "Honestly, neither one is very big and I thought they would need more time to physically mature. But the way they've taken on the best youths in the world, many of whom are already fully grown and much bigger, maybe that doesn't matter... We're not going to rush them before they're ready to compete. We said we'd wait for them to show us something, and they absolutely have."

It won't necessarily mean the Bondras are automatically inserted into the lineup. Coach Miguel Perianes said, "We have to figure out what makes sense, how they fit in. Obviously we've been assembling the team in a certain way and try to put together a plan for the season. And keep mind, they are still just 17. They will continue to get better and develop, so I feel no urgency to put them in. But they have speed and skill that most players never have in their careers. They could be game changers, really. All of our players and staff look forward to seeing what they could do."

Ullrich pointed out another potential roadblock to getting the Bondras in league play. With Delaclava competing in the WJHC for the first time, it's a level of exposure for the Ashlings that no Delaclav prospect has had before. And Ullrich anticipates that foreign clubs may be ringing Tomas and Zoltan to get them overseas. Under USL development contracts, the Panthers will have first negotiation rights, but they ultimately could not prevent the Bondras from taking a more attractive offer and heading elsewhere. "They're part of our long-term plan, but we know the allure of a more established league system will be hard to compete with," Ullrich said. "So we'll continue to help them improve as long as they want to be Panthers, and we hope they'll stay with us to begin their senior careers."

First, WJHC coach Jacob Hines will need the Bondras at the peak of their powers. Delaclava had the third-best offense in the group stage. Second were Grey County at 32 goals; first were Siovanija and Teusland at 33 goals. The Goldhorns, in fact, just defeated Grey County 5-3 in the Round of 20. Who's next for the blue, gold, and white? None other than Delaclava, in an octofinal that will be for scoring supremacy. The scoreboard and horns at Danzig Game Hall in Solveheim will surely be getting a workout, and it's a race that the Phoenixes hope to win.

So that's what's next for Tomas and Zoltan - but after that? Their stock is rising, and their future looks promising.

[Fluvannia]

RED LIGHT BLUES.fl.net
The Semi-Official Fan Site of Team Fluvannia Hockey

Fan Forum

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Nova Anglicana celebrates their OT winner over Atheara

The unstoppable force
palmyramike Reply Quote Give Rep Report
21.3.13 at 17:11

Well, hopefully the Cubs can figure out how to be an immovable object. Nova Anglicana hasn’t lost a game yet, so we really need that trend to come to an end. But they’ve also only won two games. Their goalie looks pretty good — got a good “hockey IQ”, but not the most athletic guy out there, so hopefully the Cubs can find a way to exploit it some. That’s just going off highlights, though; have any of you seen more of their games?

+ 87lynxgt Reply Quote Give Rep Report
21.3.13 at 17:36

I haven’t seen a whole lot, I was watching the Sainterris-Quebec game. Kinda figured that was who the Cubs would face the winner of, I forgot they move seedlings around in the bracket to prevent round-robin rematches. Not a fan of that format if I’m honest, I feel like if you’re gonna have a fixed bracket then it needs to be fixed, y’know?

+ nmbr1royalsfan Reply Quote Give Rep Report
21.3.13 at 17:45

Not to derail the thread too much, but I remember back in the ‘90s when the FIAA tournament used to do that to prevent in-conference matchups in the first round. Made for some weird region assignments for some teams, Navy got sent all the way down from Manitowoc to Scottsville more than once.

+ windmotor_fan Reply Quote Give Rep Report
21.3.13 at 17:53

I don’t miss those days. Scottsville Tech got hosed on jet lag so many times.

More on topic though, I think that Pearson is the better goaltender, and we’ve put a toooon of goals on the board, so as long as the offense can keep clicking, our chances are good. That’s one reason NA keeps tying, they’re not scoring enough. If the Cubs can keep their feet on the gas, they should be fine.

[Srednjaci]

WORLD ARENA SPORT

16TH WORLD JUNIOR HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP

Young hockey players are playing today to enter the quarterfinals. Can they win?

World Arena Sport broadcast the Winter Olympics in Kelssek for the first time. Athletes from Srednjaci performed for the first time. It is also the first sports international performance of the young nation. 5 medals were won, the anthem was intoned. A lot more results in the top 5 were in those games. But we watched other nations play hockey. The portable matches of the men's and women's tournaments went on a regular basis. After alpine skiing, it was the most watched broadcast in Srednjaci. Great teams, dynamic game captured the attention of spectators. There were comments on the street, but also questions, what about our hockey?

So let’s go chronologically. The young nation of Srednjaci came out of a long civil war. With the victory of the democratic forces united with the socialists, they defeat the fascist army and unite the nation. Establishing a Democratic Republic of Srednjaci . The first free elections were organized and the coalition of the Forces of Democrats and Liberals (SDL) won the elections. The Socialists are entering parliament as well and the only right-wing party (SSP) also entering parliament .
Severely destroyed infrastructure, poor condition of the treasury, Srednjaci are embarking on extensive reconstruction of the country. International recognition helps to present the country and its capabilities. The first international economic forum with a large turnout was organized.
The economy is starting to recover, life is coming back and the Srednjaci are quickly realizing that tourism is an essential branch. The opportunity should be seized because tourists want to discover something about which little is known.
The state is investing in winter tourism, renovating ski resorts, ski slopes and hotels. Winter sports are also started by inertia. Alpine skiing is becoming an increasingly popular sport.
Srednjaci people are starting to build sports halls, stadiums and playgrounds. Each school must have a sports hall and an outdoor playground.

General change!

This momentum, however, somehow bypasses hockey. Before going to the XV Olympic Games, Srednjaci has 4 clubs and 3 hockey fields. Of these 3 playgrounds, two are used for other sports. Conditions are bad and unbearable. In the elections in the hockey association, the current president of the association, the general secretary and the vice-president were replaced. In their place come new young people who start from scratch. The "Children on Ice" campaign leads to a large number of children who would play ice hockey. By putting pressure on the Ministry of Sports and the Olympic Committee, great results are being achieved, halls are being built. New clubs are springing up in the cities. Coaches are imported from other countries. Hockey is on an upward trajectory, growing and evolving. It goes forward every day.

This junior championship follows that development. Just a few months ago in a regional competition, the DR Srednjaci failed to beat anyone. They had a 0: 4 win-loss ratio. Goal difference 2:31. Today, young hockey players, who will already be in the A selection in a couple of years, are fighting to enter the top 8. It won’t be easy for them but what these kids leave as a legacy is huge. They lay the foundations for the future of this sport. The popularity of hockey, thanks to the games in Delaclava, is greater than during the Olympic Games. Ice Cubs, as they are called, do not come off the covers. Their schools proudly have pictures of their players on the hallway walls. Sports portals across the country publish stories about them every day. The voice of success is heard far away.

[Graintfjall]

Posted on the In Brief section of the GTV Sports website.

Junior Ice Wolves face toughest yet

The Græntfjall junior national ice hockey team were left to regret a sleepy 0 – 0 draw against Srednjaci, neither side seeming to commit to a win at the risk of a loss, thereby allowing Kelssek to creep above them in the Group D goal difference standings. The result pushed the Junior Ice Wolves into what looks to be much the hardest side of the bracket, and sets up an imposing Round of 16 tie with defending champions Anthor. Last year’s finallists Fluvannia or perenially strong Nova Anglicana, World Cup of Hockey 41 breakouts New Waldensia, hosts Delaclava, world double champions Siovanija & Teusland, or Srednjaci again, all lie in wait even in the event of a win.

With most of the Junior Ice Wolves turning 21 this tournament, this will be the last time this group of young players play together as one, adding motivation as they look ahead to the tough match to come. According to captain Christian Sofusson: “We’ve all come up together through the same age group programs but this is sort of the end of the line: GHL or international hockey, the full national team, it’ll never quite be the same. And I’d much rather our last group photo together were celebrating a win than recovering from a defeat – so that’s a big motivation.” The team’s youngest member, Pétur Hjálmarsson, agreed: “I might get another shot at this tournament, but most of these guys won’t. So I’m playing to send them out on a high.”

Positives so far during the tournament have been the scoring touch of Sofusson and first line center Lukas Jalmarisson, while Bjarni Davíðsson and Jason Bensson have looked strong in defense. Finn Ilíasson has not totally succeeded in getting his young charges to adapt to international officiating, however: the team averages among the highest penalty minutes of all teams remaining in the competition. Njáll Þórarinnsson has similarly looked a little below top international level in goal, with some sharp reaction saves but a couple of infuriating lapses to allow pucks to slide under or past him. The team has also lost Zacharias Jónbjörnsson to a broken wrist in a training accident in which Júlíus Lukasson hit the comet that obliterated the dinosaurs, thereby setting in motion a causality loop that involved three tons of triceratops shit landing on Jónbjörnsson’s arm.

[Delaclava]

Welcome back to all the top teams in the competition! Are you ready to start your run for the title?

Round of 16 cutoff?

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Round of 16
#1 Gergary 2–2 #14 Sainterris (2–3 OT)
Nexus Nordlige (30,000), Arctica

#8 Savojarna 4–0 #9 HUElavia
Domara Square (25,000), Kalinin

#4 Kelssek 5-3 #15 Suimede
Panthers Arena (16,387), Breton Valley

#5 Banija 1–0 #12 NPC West Florida
Panthers Arena (16,387), Breton Valley

#6 Græntfjall 5–1 #10 Anthor
Lepotuoli (25,000), Narkyla

#3 Fluvannia 2–6 #13 Nova Anglicana
Domara Square (25,000), Kalinin

#7 New Waldensia 1–5 #11 Srednjaci
Lepotuoli (25,000), Narkyla

#2 Delaclava 5–3 #18 Siovanija and Teusland
Danzig Game Hall (65,000), Solveheim



Quarterfinals
#14 Sainterris vs. #8 Savojarna
@ Hejtursallur (40,000), Valhalla

#4 Kelssek vs. #5 Banija
@ Hejtursallur (40,000), Valhalla

#6 Græntfjall vs. #13 Nova Anglicana
@ Ovalmechty (70,000), Kalinin

#11 Srednjaci vs. #2 Delaclava
@ Ovalmechty (70,000), Kalinin

[Delaclava]

DSGN.com Hockey

Round of 16: Delaclava 5–3 Siovanija and Teusland

First Star: DEL RW Zoltan Bondra - 1 goal, 1 assist, +1 -- With all the noise and hype surrounding the Bondra brothers, it was fitting then that Zoltan ended up getting the game-winning goal in a game against a Siovanija and Teusland team that routinely brings some of the world's best talent. It was a balanced attack that helped Delaclava recover from a 2-0 deficit to eventually pull ahead, but it was the Bondra brothers who were the only multipoint scorers for the Ashlings, with the crucial role of tying the game for the first time at 2-2, then pulling ahead for the final time at 4-3.

Second Star: STL C Volodimir Pozhidanov - 1 goal, 1 assist, E -- The Siovanijan star and expected top pick in the Ehrenliga draft lived up to his reputation, clearly frustrating the defense with his skills, his puck movement, and his chirping. Pozhidanov continued to shake free and find gaps between the defenseman to get shots on goal, good for the opening tally not even four minutes into the game. His activity level and generation of scoring opportunities was the narrative of the first half of the game. The only downfall was that his line could only tally one goal - partially some bad luck and posts hit, partially due to some incredibly play from Bradley Konta. But by the time the Phoenixes were ready to return fire, the Goldhorns hadn't completely run away with the game, and the tide came the other way. Sometimes that's how the games go; nevertheless, Pozhidanov made his impression in this game and in this tournament, and we suspect he'll be even more dangerous when the Phoenixes encounter him at a WCoH or AOHC.

Third Star: DEL G Bradley Konta - 30 SV, 33 S, .909 SV% -- The save percentage is hardly eye-popping, but for the first period alone, Konta deserves this honor. He was the only player on the ice who seemed to even remotely stop Pozhidanov and Radim Krejci and all the other dynamic scorers on the ice. There's nothing that could be blamed on Konta for the goals that were scored, but his alertness and athleticism in stopping 13 of 14 in the first frame are what allowed the Phoenixes to survive until they were ready to take over. Siovanija and Teusland had scored 38 goals in their first eight games, more than anyone else in the tournament. For Konta to hold them to a statistically average scoring day is nothing short of incredible.

Honorable Mention: Coach Jacob Hines didn't quite feel like he was getting enough from his depth players, so the originally intended "non-playing advisor" Edan Bullard got his number called in place of Haley Harris. Even though the Phoenixes offense as a whole took a while to get going, they stayed alive thanks to the new energy and leadership Edan was providing. And all of a sudden, a rather tame line of Kai Kimmich, Harris, and Johnny Parra took on a new scrappiness with the injection of Bullard, making the Goldhorns defensemen work overtime to deal with the pressure of all four forward lines. Not to mention, Liam Bullard clearly got a boost from playing with his older brother. So Edan didn't litter the stat sheet - one assist on the final goal by Kimmich - but he gave the Ashlings a noted psychological boost.

Next up: Srednjaci, who defeated New Waldensia 5-1 at Lepotuoli in Narkyla. Srednjaci performed consistently with a 3-3-1 record in Group D, most notably drawing the top teams including Kelssek, Græntfjall, and Nova Anglicana, all of whom have navigated their way to the quarterfinals. But the Ice Cubs were looking for a way to get over the hump when it mattered, and they did so in a big way against New Waldensia, the only team to vanquish the Phoenixes in this tournament. It was the kind of statement win Srednjaci needed to show they have realistic title hopes here. Now, Delaclava has made their way past several high-quality teams, and hockey math is hardly an exact science, but for Srednjaci to so definitively solve a puzzle that stumped the Phoenixes - this is going to be an interesting matchup... While Edan Bullard was called up to play, Dominick Neal is expected to remain scratched for the time being; all eight wingers registered points in this last win. Edan Bullard will remain with Kimmich and Johnny Parry, although Hines said Edan may possibly center the Coburn twins, sending Bretty Sexton down to the checking line.

Siovanija and Teusland      1 - 1 - 1 -- 3
Delaclava                   0 - 2 - 3 -- 5

1st Period
STL - Pozhidanov (Krejci) 3:46.
2nd Period
STL - Hecke (Kubacek, Tesar) 24:59.
DEL - Sevanov (Domenici, Požgaj) 27:03.
DEL - L. Bullard (Z. Bondra, T. Bondra) 35:16.
3rd Period
DEL - Mi. Coburn (Kirilenko, Ma. Coburn) (pp) 40:36.
STL - Krejci (Pozhidanov, Lieblein) (pp) 46:11.
DEL - Z. Bondra (T. Bondra, A. Parra) 47:50.
DEL - Kimmich (E. Bullard, J. Parra) 51:33.

Saves: DEL, Konta 13-8-9--30 of 33; STL, Gollwitzer 9-12-13--34 of 39.

[Srednjaci]

WORLD ARENA SPORT

16TH WORLD JUNIOR HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP

SREDNJACI vs. NEW WALDENSIA 5:1

The best when it is most needed!

The young hockey players dominated their match against New Waldensia. Although there was a lot of criticism of the attacking game during the tournament, the team's manager Tatjana Đureković said that once the dice were placed, this attack would be violent. That is exactly what happened. It was shining from all sides on the opponent's goal. Constant pressure was on the goalkeeper of New Waldensia.

The first third showed already at the start that the opponent will be on the shooting range. In the second minute, Goran Tuđman won the puck, mixed two opposing players, added beautifully and Zhuo scored for 1: 0. The celebration of Ice Cubs was an impressive one for the visitors. But their troubles are not over. Twice more, the Ice Cubs shook the net of the opponent's goal. Goran Tuđman entered the list of scorers as well as AI Toyotami. The first third and 3-0 is the result, led by Ice Cubs.

The second third starts and the bully is in front of the Ice Cubs goal. In that crowd, the New Waldensia player comes in and it's a goal. Reducing the score to 3-1. The Ice Cubs dominated in the sequel but failed to hit.
The last third, again the initiator of the action Goran Tuđman, great skating and puck control, drew two defensive players on himself, the return puck and in the right place was Jurešić and it was a goal for 4-1! That result was short because in the next attack the players of New Waldensia lose the puck, a quick counter-attack and Zhuo scores the fifth goal for the Ice Cubs and his second in the match.


Celebrations across the country have begun. The Srednjaci are in the quarterfinals! Among the 8 best teams! In the cities, people took to the streets. Congratulations are coming from all sides.
Nina Mandarić, golden biathlete from the Olympic Games: "Congratulations to the young Ice Cubs, make the nation proud again. Your success fills my heart with joy. Just keep going!" she wrote in social media status.

MELARIT - a city on the coast, one of the largest cities in the country. A beautiful city, a tourist destination, the hometown of several hockey players who play in Ice Cubs. Construction of a hockey hall is underway. Access infrastructures are also under construction.
"This will be a pledge for the future of hockey. This multifunctional hall will consist of two ice rinks, a central one with 22,000 spectators and an auxiliary field with 2,800 chairs. There are of course gyms, saunas, medical center, heliport, shops, restaurants, bars and other facilities. ”said Mayor Melarit.

Delaclava is our next opponent. Great team, they play at home, the organizer of this great competition. Delaclava is one of the main favorites for the medal. They have several talented players in the team who can make an advantage with their individual quality. The solid defense feature is the Srednjaci , but the Phoenixes were dominant in their group. However, they lost just to New Waldensia.
"We are smart enough to know that the result in the group is just the result in the group. The knock out phase is a new competition and there is nothing to look at that defeat. Phoenixes were dominant against Siovania and Teusland. We have to study the opponent well and find cracks in their defense. "said Tatjana Đureković.

[Graintfjall]

Posted on the In Brief section of the GTV Sports website.

Junior Ice Wolves knock out defending champions

The Græntfjall junior national ice hockey team brushed aside defending world champions Anthor to advance to the quarterfinals of the World Junior Hockey Championships. The Lepotuoli in Narkyla was the scene of a 5 – 1 thrashing as the Junior Ice Wolves comfortably overcame the Wardens. An exciting rematch with Nova Anglicana now awaits: the two teams drew 1 – 1 during the group stage, so another closely fought encounter beckons.

In Narkyla, the Wardens scored first, through captain Kaj Ellar Matters, but the first period ended tied after Róbert Grímúlfursson’s pass put Erling Vígþórsson through on goal for a well-taken snap-shot high to Kenneth Ewart’s right. Ólafur Stefánsson opened the scoring 4 minutes into the second period with a skilful deflection off Kristófer Óðinnsson, and thereafter Græntfjall would not relinquish the lead. Christian Sofusson, Jóhannes Viktorsson and Hálfdan Akselsson all found the net; Víkingur Gunnólfursson was involved in all three goals to finish credit with three assists.

The Wardens looked faster and more skilful, but the Junior Ice Wolves brought a mixture of scrappy energy and basic physicality that shut down Matters’s team. Nicklas Sunesson, receiving extra minutes in place of the injured Zacharias Jónbjörnsson, earned MVP (Most Violent Presence) honors for big hits on Algar Kasen and Angus Uilleam.

“Getting past the old champions was a big win,” said Grímúlfursson after the game. “But it’s still a long way to consider us the new champions. Nova Anglicana have big hockey pedigree – they’ll be tough opponents.” He shrugged off reports of an injury to defenseman Bjarni Davíðsson, who looked labored during the game and sat out the entire last two periods. “Bjarni got winded early but he’s fine, and there was no need to risk him.” First Kumquat of the Game Gunnólfursson said that the team were “ready to go”. After previous disappointments in senior and junior Olympic hockey, “this is finally a team that can prove what Græntfjall is capable of”, he said.

[Delaclava]

One more game to the medal rounds - who makes it through?

Quarterfinals cutoff!

---

Quarterfinals
#14 Sainterris 1–4 #8 Savojarna
@ Hejtursallur (40,000), Valhalla

#4 Kelssek 3–0 #5 Banija
@ Hejtursallur (40,000), Valhalla

#6 Græntfjall 1–3 #13 Nova Anglicana
@ Ovalmechty (70,000), Kalinin

#11 Srednjaci 6–6 #2 Delaclava (6–7 OT)
@ Ovalmechty (70,000), Kalinin


Semifinals

Savojarna vs. Kelssek
@ Utfordrerehall (60,000), Valhalla

Nova Anglicana vs. Delaclava
@ Utfordrerehall (60,000), Valhalla

[Nova Anglicana]

Young Lions break out in rout of Fluvannia

Who knew the Young Lions were saving their best performance for the Round of 16? In the group stage, Nova Anglicana's U20 hockey team managed only two wins and five draws, including a pair of scoreless draws. They ended the group stage by blowing a 3-1 lead to winless, pointless, Croblade. They always seemed to be one goal or one stop away from securing a big win. They won back to back games at one point, defeating St. Saratoga 5-2 and then Quebec 3-1, but only one of those teams made the playoffs, and even then as a #5 seed. They defeated Atheara in the Round of 20, but Atheara was the #19 seed to the Young Lions' #13, and it took overtime after they blew a 2-0 lead in regulation. So nobody was expecting what happened next.

In the Round of 16, after some re-seeding, the Young Lions were slated to face the Cubs of Fluvannia. This team had blazed its way through the group stage, going 5-1-1 to win their group. It was a tough matchup, to be sure. And the first period looked that way, with the Cubs striking first on an excellent snap wrister by Preston Sihvola at 4:42. Darren Gordon would later admit to not having seen the puck very well, dealing with traffic in front of the net, and a very quick shot by Sihvola. But the Young Lions battled back, as third-line winger Ricky McCoy knocked home a rebound in a desperate scramble in front of the net. The goal, which came at 11:27, seemingly energized the Young Lions and helped them take control of the game.

Over the next 24 minutes, the Young Lions would outshoot the Cubs 22-12, and outscore them 3-1. First, at 16:31 of the first period, Cedric Caldwell continued to prove that he is the pre-eminent scorer on this team, firing a bullet of a shot past Cody Pearson to give the Lions their first lead of the game, 2-1. In the second, Pascal Clevenger, second-line center, was "Johnny on the spot", jamming the puck home under Pearson's pads at 5:20 in a violent scrum in front of the net. This goal gave the Young Lions a 3-1 lead and took some of the wind out of the Fluvannian team, since they had been defending well only to surrender the tally. Only three minutes later, at 8:15, Andre Messier continued to emerge as a scoring threat for this team by beating Pearson to his weak side on a wraparound shot. At 4-1, the Young Lions were now firmly in control of the game, but despite a barrage of shots, they were unable to deliver what might have been the killing blow over the next 8 minutes. At 15:36, it was none other than Fluvannia's captain, Teimo Peräjärvi, who scored the Cubs' second goal and brought them back into the game. Unfortunately for Fluvannia, the next four minutes did not result in any more goals despite their best efforts.

The third period, despite Fluvannia's best hopes, ended up being somewhat anti-climactic. Gordon made six saves in the first five minutes of the third, stopping the Cubs cold and hurting their chances at a comeback. Peter Frazier delivered the backbreaker at 7:24, finding a hole in the defense after some good passing and swiftly firing it past Pearson. Finally, it was Alain Marchand, fourth-line wing, who administered the coup de gras, scoring the Young Lions' sixth and final goal at 14:59. It was a balanced performance all around, and the team played incredibly well to earn the victory.

The Young Lions will now advance to face the Junior Ice Wolves of Græntfjall, the #6 seed, who thrashed 10th seeded Anthor 5-1 in their Round of 16 matchup. Interestingly enough, the Young Lions have been slated to face a group-stage foe in each of the Round of 20 and Round of 16. In the Round of 20, they should have played Quebec, but that was re-seeded. In the Round of 16, they should have played Kelssek, but that was re-seeded. Finally, now, in the Round of 16, they are both slated to and will actually play a group stage rematch against Græntfjall. The Young Lions and the Junior Ice Wolves drew 1-1 in their group stage matchup, but we can likely expect more fireworks this time around, given their Round of 16 performances.

We'll all be rooting the Young Lions on tonight, but if crowd size is any indication, then they should win by about sixteen goals. Confused? Well, in their Round of 20 game, they played in Vespers Yard, a venue with a capacity of about 9,000, and won by one goal. In the Round of 16, they played in Domara Square, a venue with about triple the capacity of Vespers Yard, and more than tripled their margin of victory to four goals. Next up is Ovalmechty, which holds 70,000, again about triple the capacity of Domara Square. Assuming a more or less fixed ratio of 1.44/1 (margin of victory increase multiplier over venue size increase), then with a venue increase of 2.8, their margin of victory should be multiplied by 4.03, or a margin of victory of about 16 goals. So expect the Young Lions to win by a score of 18-2 or thereabouts tonight. Should the formula be adjusted for actual crowd size, i.e should we really expect 70,000 fans for a non-Delaclav junior hockey game? Definitely not, as that would mess with the carefully constructed and not at all thrown together on the fly ratio seen above. In any case, the Young Lions should win easily.

EDIT: Missed the cutoff, oh well.

Caldwell proves decisive in group stage rematch

The first time Nova Anglicana and Græntfjall met in the 16th World Junior Hockey Championship, it was in Group D, and it was inconclusive. Clement Freitas scored early to put the Young Lions up 1-0, but Græntfjaller center Christian Sofusson found an equalizer late and the final score was 1-1. This time around, Cedric Caldwell and the Young Lions' first line made sure it was them and not the Junior Ice Wolves who came home with the win.

Coming into the game, head coach Tom Benson knew the Græntfjaller reputation for physicality and checking skill. The Young Lions had experienced that in the group stage and had allowed themselves to be pushed around a little then. Thus, he knew that crisp skating and immaculate puck control would be necessary. "In the group stage, I feel like we had some real opportunities to make it 2-0 and avoid a tying goal late, but give credit to Græntfjall. They're a hard-hitting, physical, high-effort team who doesn't give up and they really pushed us and kept us from playing the kind of game we wanted to play. So for the Round of 16, we knew we had to stick with our gameplan and give as good as we got."

And true to form, the first two periods were quite physical. Both teams were aggressive in checking, though the Græntfjallers were more dedicated to their craft, hitting a bit harder and backchecking better, while Nova Anglicana held the advantage in forechecking. Thus, the teams traded a goal each in the first and second periods, with the Young Lions striking first and the Junior Ice Wolves scoring in the second. In the first, Cedric Caldwell shook off a hard hit by formidable defender Júlíus Lukasson to receive a pass from Peter Frazier and deftly flip it past netminder Njáll Þórarinnsson at 13:25. In the second, it was Víkingur Gunnólfursson, who had three assists against Anthor, teeing up a one-timer and blasting it past Darren Gordon in net. The fact that the score came from the fourth line of the Græntfjaller team showed their depth, and made it clear they wouldn't be going down without a fight. Metaphorically, of course. Both the Young Lions and Junior Ice Wolves are disciplined teams who aren't dropping the gloves unless it's absolutely necessary.

The third would be the decisive period. Perhaps a bit wearied or surprised at the Young Lions' persistent resistance to their physical game, the Junior Ice Wolves found themselves just half a step behind their opponents at crucial moments. The first moment came at 6:13, when Caldwell whipped a pass to Marc Broussard, who found himself at the right place in the right moment to blast a shot into the net, with Þórarinnsson just a bit too slow to stop him. Up 2-1, the Young Lions pressed their advantage. At 10:47, after expending a lot of effort to battle the Junior Ice Wolves up and down the ice, Caldwell struck again. He weaved through a hole in the Græntfjaller defense, drew a defender, and passed nimbly to Aaron Shelton, who shot almost as soon as the puck touched the blade of his stick. This lightning-quick combination meant that Þórarinnsson was a moment too late to make the save, putting the Young Lions up 3-1. Over the final nine minutes and change, the Young Lions dropped back into more of a defensive shell, and attempted to expend energy only on defense and controlling possession. In the end, despite the Junior Ice Wolves' best efforts, the Nova Anglican team ran out the clock. When the horn sounded, the team embraced at center ice, then congratulated their opponents on an incredibly hard-fought game.

Up next for the Young Lions are the hosts, Delaclava. The Junior Phoenixes are a high-scoring, high-flying team who defeated the Young Lions' groupmates, Srednjaci, 7-6 in overtime in the quarterfinals. It will be incumbent upon the Young Lions to summon every ounce of defensive prowess they have in order to stop the ruthless Delaclav onslaught. If they can, they'll get a shot at their first WJHC crown since the seventh edition.

[Delaclava]

DSGN.com Hockey

Quarterfinals: Delaclava 7-6 (OT) Srednjaci

First Star: DEL C Peter Požgaj - 2 goals, 1 assist, +2 -- The captain of the Ashlings showed championship mentality from the third period on. HIs line with Maxim Sevanov and Patrick Domenici didn't figure into the scoring for the first 40 minutes, but he did his best to ensure his team would finish the game strong. With Srednjaci looking to battle back, he set up a goal for Sevanov that gave Delaclava a 5-2 lead. Insurmountable? Not quite, as the Ice Cubs brought it back to 5-4. Požgaj's response was to break away on the penalty kill, taking a pass around center ice to beat Dominik Patković and give Delaclava a 6-4 lead. Surely that was enough? Well, Srednjaci did well to continue to battle and force overtime, but a steal and give-and-go with Sevanov later, Požgaj's short-range slapper sent Delaclava to the semi-finals. The Ice Cubs performed admirably, but Požgaj and Delaclava ultimately got the last word.

Second Star: SRE C Goran Tuđman - 2 goals, 1 assist, E -- Tuđman was the offensive and spiritual leader of the Ice Cubs, successfully poke-checking Derrick Carter in neutral ice and setting up Wei Zhou for their opening goal, answering Liam Bullard's goal from just 42 seconds earlier and ensuring that Srednjaci got on the board before the wheels fell off completely. And when the Ice Cubs got a power play with less than five minutes remaining and down 5-4, only for Ambrose Parra to intercept a bad pass and lead Požgaj for a short-handed goal, that could have been curtains for the Ice Cubs. Instead, Tuđman got his offense set up again and tipped in a shot from Marija Velić to bring the deficit back to one. And it was the center who also finished off a mad dash up the ice to tie the game with 37 seconds remaining. Srednjaci couldn't quite get over the line tonight, but Tuđman and company made Delaclava pull out all the stops, and went down swinging in their debut WJHC, in a performance the fans in the Ovalmechty won't forget soon.

Third Star: DEL C Bretty Sexton - 1 goal, 1 assist, E -- One of the throughlines for the Ashlings was the high expectations for the top line of Marcus and Michael Coburn on either side of Sexton, which they then failed to meet as the likes of Tomas and Zoltan Bondra, Sevanov, and Požgaj instead rose to the fore. Maybe it was the threat of Edan Bullard taking his spot, but Sexton had a different energy tonight, setting up the opening goal just 84 seconds into the game and quarterbacking the power play, getting one goal from the point in the process. It was a glimpse into the kind of smart, mature, and physical play that Sexton can bring, and will need to bring for the medal rounds.

Next up: Nova Anglicana, who has remarkably gone undefeated in this tournament. Sure, they drew their first four games and as a result had to come through the Round of 20, where it also took them overtime to defeat Atheara. But since then, they took down defending runners-up Fluvannia 6-2 and then bested Græntfjall in a Group D rematch, 3-1. They're a well-disciplined team who can move the puck effectively but also was able to match the physicality of the Ice Wolves in their quarterfinal, and their record has shown they are nearly impossible to keep down. The Young Lions have the versatility to hold the Ashlings' firepower in check while also providing some of their own; if Konta and the defenseman don't quickly recover their confidence and rhythm, it could be a long night. On the other hand, the Delaclav squad clearly has a nose for the net; if the occasion isn't too big for them, they may just continue to impress the world.

Srednjaci      1 - 1 - 4 - (0) -- 6
Delaclava      3 - 1 - 2 - (1) -- 7

1st Period
DEL - Mi. Coburn (Sexton, Ma. Coburn) 1:24.
DEL - L. Bullard (T. Bondra, Kirilenko) 4:56.
SRE - Wei (Tuđman) 5:38.
DEL - Quentin (Condon, L. Bullard) 13:22.
2nd Period
DEL - Sexton (Ma. Coburn) (pp) 24:05.
SRE - Buvač (Toyotama, Velić) (pp) 34:54.
3rd Period
DEL - Sevanov (Požgaj, Kodály) 41:55.
SRE - Menkov (Hretušić, Turešić) 43:48.
SRE - Buvač 48:00.
DEL - Požgaj (A. Parra) (sh) 56:12.
SRE - Tuđman (Velić, Kotreški) (pp) 57:03.
SRE - Tuđman (Jurešić, Wei) 59:23.
Overtime
DEL - Požgaj (Sevanov) 65:09.

Saves: DEL, Konta 9-6-3-0--18 of 22, Suša 0-0-7-3--10 of 12; SRE, Patković 8-8-5-4--25 of 32.

[Delaclava]

Semifinal cutoff! Who gets a place in the 16th WJHC final?

---

Semifinals

Savojarna 2–4 Kelssek
@ Utfordrerehall (60,000), Valhalla

Nova Anglicana 3–4 Delaclava
@ Utfordrerehall (60,000), Valhalla
(scorinated by Chromatika)

---

Bronze Medal Game
Savojarna vs. Nova Anglicana
@ Utfordrerehall (60,000), Valhalla



Gold Medal Game
Kelssek vs. Delaclava
@ Meistarahall (120,000), Valhalla

[Delaclava]

DSGN.com Hockey

Semifinals: Delaclava 4-3 Nova Anglicana

First Star: DEL C Peter Požgaj - 1 goal, E -- Peter established early on that he was the captain, the heart and soul of this team, encouraging his teammates when things were going well and urging them forward through adversity. But who would've thought he'd combine that emotional impact with lethal goal-scoring ability? He's now got a quarterfinal and semifinal game winner, not to mention his overall offensive impact while centering Patrick Domenici and Maxim Sevanov. With maturity, teamwork, and individual skill, he's quietly and gradually had himself a breakout tournament. Who knows if this is a long-term scoring leader in the United SuperLeague - but this is a guy who could captain a franchise for fifteen years and win them some titles. It's a pleasure to acknowledge his performance here, and the Ashlings should consider themselves lucky to have him leading them into battle for the final.

Second Star: NOV LW Clement Caldwell - 2 goals, +1 -- Caldwell's overall physicality and deadly accuracy were too much to handle as the Young Lions took the early lead and then threatened to complete a riveting comeback, with Delaclava set to blow a 3-1 lead. On the power play, he found his shooting lane around the faceoff circle and caught Bradley Konta off-guard from an initial shot from Peter Frazier; then he finished off a crisp passing sequence in the offensive zone to tie the game with 7 1/2 minutes to go. He'll get one more chance in the first place game to put his best foot forward, but he's already had a tournament to be proud of. In a tournament for which the sole purpose is to put young talent on display, Caldwell's star has shone as one of the brightest.

Third Star: DEL RW Zoltan Bondra - 2 goals, E -- And meanwhile, the Ashlings had a sniper of their own in Zoltan. In their biggest game of the tournament, his line with twin brother Tomas and Liam Bullard was a well-oiled machine, taking over in the second period with their speed and tying the game 1-1 on an odd-man rush. Upon tallying his own power-play wrister early in the third period, Bondra extended his tally to ten goals for the tournament. It was a sigh of relief for the young winger, who rebounded after a quiet performance in the Srednjaci quarterfinal where he scored no points, although he was on the ice for two of the seven goals. The Phoenixes need their best goal-scorer to be feeling good heading into the final, and after a game like tonight, Bondra should be good to go.

Next up: This is it: the gold medal game. The opponent is Kelssek, who ended up winners of the highly competitive Group D, where all of the top four teams made the quarterfinals. The Phoenixes have already faced two of them: Srednjaci and Nova Anglicana. Kelssek has only lost to Græntfjall, but has looked rock solid in playoff wins over Suimede 5-3, Banija 3-0, and Savojarna 4-2. They are a storied program at both the junior and senior levels, and surely the coaching staff will have prepared them well for the occasion of playing in enemy territory for the gold medal. But ultimately, these are all teenagers, kids stepping up to one of the higher-pressure situations of their young careers. The championship is anyone's for the taking.

Nova Anglicana      1 - 0 - 2 -- 3
Delaclava           0 - 2 - 2 -- 4

1st Period
NOV - Caldwell (Frazier, McBride) (pp) 6:18.
2nd Period
DEL - Z. Bondra (L. Bullard, T. Bondra) 23:44.
DEL - E. Bullard (Kimmich, Condon) 29:08.
3rd Period
DEL - Z. Bondra (Kirilenko, T. Bondra) (pp) 40:57.
NOV - Freitas (Clevinger) 49:23.
NOV - Caldwell (Shelton, Frazier) 52:28.
DEL - Požgaj (Domenici, Quentin) 58:09.

Saves: DEL, Konta 8-7-10--25 of 28. NOV, Gordon 11-10-12--33 of 37.

[Delaclava]

It's...... TIME! Let's crown our 16th World Junior Hockey Champion!

Final cutoff!

---

Bronze Medal Game
Savojarna 1-2 Nova Anglicana
@ Utfordrerehall (60,000), Valhalla



Gold Medal Game
Kelssek 4-3 Delaclava
@ Meistarahall (120,000), Valhalla
(scorinated by Chromatika)

Congratulations to Kelssek, and thank you all for coming to Delaclava for this edition! We look forward to seeing you again soon!

[Srednjaci]

Hockey Federation of Srednjaci

16TH WORLD JUNIOR HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP

Hockey Federation of Srednjaci would like to congratulate the young hockey players of DR Srednjaci on great matches.
Congratulations to all the medal winners but also to everyone who performed and played this great competition.
We thank the host Delaclava for his effort and another well-organized competition.

See you at the next championship.