1996 IIHF European U18 Championship

The 1996 IIHF European U18 Championship was the twenty-ninth playing of the IIHF European Junior Championships.

Group A

Played April 7 to the 14th, in Ufa, Russia.

First round

Because of Germany's success in the previous year, the draw for this year's championship guaranteed a final four berth for either Germany, Switzerland or Belarus. Group 1 was made up of the teams that finished 1st, 4th, 5th, and the newly promoted country, Group 2 contained 2nd, 3rd, 6th, and 7th. Unfortunately, this meant that Slovakia's first time playing at the top level, they would face Finland, Russia, and the Czech Republic, in the first round. The Swiss made the most of their opportunity, becoming just the seventh nation to finish in the top four.

Group 1
Team FIN RUS CZE SVK GF/GA Points
1.  Finland 3:3 2:0 5:3 10:06 5
2.  Russia 3:3 4:4 6:2 13:09 4
3.  Czech Republic 0:2 4:4 3:1 07:07 3
4.  Slovakia 3:5 2:6 1:3 06:14 0
Group 2
Team SWE SUI GER BLR GF/GA Points
1.  Sweden 4:2 6:0 11:2 21:04 6
2.   Switzerland 2:4 5:4 5:2 12:10 4
3.  Germany 0:6 4:5 4:3 08:14 2
4.  Belarus 2:11 2:5 3:4 07:20 0

Final round

On the final day the Russians and the Finns both won to finish tied for first, and since they had tied each other, it came down to goal differential in the final round. Both teams beat the Swedes by three goals, but Russia's seven goal margin against the Swiss clinched the gold.[1]

Championship round
Team RUS FIN SWE SUI GF/GA Points
1.  Russia (3:3) 5:2 8:1 16:06 5
2.  Finland (3:3) 3:0 4:3 10:06 5
3.  Sweden 2:5 0:3 (4:2) 06:10 2
4.   Switzerland 1:8 3:4 (2:4) 06:16 0
Placing round

On the final day of competition, Slovakia avenged their surprising loss in 1993, by beating, and in effect relegating, Belarus.

Team CZE GER SVK BLR GF/GA Points
1.  Czech Republic 8:0 (3:1) 10:1 21:02 6
2.  Germany 0:8 6:4 (4:3) 10:15 4
3.  Slovakia (1:3) 4:6 7:4 12:13 2
4.  Belarus 1:10 (3:4) 4:7 08:21 0

Belarus was relegated to Group B for 1997.

Tournament Awards

Group B

Played from March 23 to the 29th, in Tychy and Sosnowiec, Poland.

First round
Group 1
Team UKR NOR ITA HUN GF/GA Points
1.  Ukraine 6:2 6:1 5:3 17:06 6
2.  Norway 2:6 6:3 6:1 14:10 4
3.  Italy 1:6 3:6 3:0 07:12 2
4.  Hungary 3:5 1:6 0:3 04:14 0
Group 2
Team DEN FRA POL ROM GF/GA Points
1.  Denmark 6:3 7:5 12:4 25:12 6
2.  France 3:6 7:3 8:3 18:12 4
3.  Poland 5:7 3:7 20:0 28:14 2
4.  Romania 4:12 3:8 0:20 07:40 0

Final round
Championship round
Team UKR DEN FRA NOR GF/GA Points
1.  Ukraine 5:4 4:2 (6:2) 15:08 6
2.  Denmark 4:5 (6:3) 3:2 13:10 4
3.  France 2:4 (3:6) 5:1 10:11 2
4.  Norway (2:6) 2:3 1:5 05:14 0
Placing round
Team POL ITA HUN ROM GF/GA Points
1.  Poland 6:0 7:4 (20:0) 33:04 6
2.  Italy 0:6 (3:0) 9:4 12:10 4
3.  Hungary 4:7 (0:3) 7:0 11:10 2
4.  Romania (0:20) 4:9 0:7 04:36 0

Ukraine was promoted to Group A and Romania was relegated to Group C, for 1997.

Group C

Played from March 15 to 19, in Maribor, Slovenia.

First round
Group 1
Team AUT EST GBR CRO GF/GA Points
1.  Austria 1:1 4:3 9:1 14:05 5
2.  Estonia 1:1 3:3 6:4 10:08 4
3.  Great Britain 3:4 3:3 10:2 16:09 3
4.  Croatia 1:9 4:6 2:10 07:25 0
Group 2
Team SLO LAT LTU ESP GF/GA Points
1.  Slovenia 3:0 16:3 13:0 32:03 6
2.  Latvia 0:3 12:3 13:0 25:06 4
3.  Lithuania 3:16 3:12 11:0 17:28 2
4.  Spain 0:13 0:13 0:11 00:37 0

Placing round
7th place Croatia  10:2
(5:0, 1:0, 4:2)		  Spain
5th place Great Britain  12:3
(4:1, 4:1, 4:1)		  Lithuania
3rd place Latvia  9:2
(4:0, 1:2, 4:0)		  Estonia
Final Slovenia  4:3
(1:1, 3:1, 0:1)		  Austria

Slovenia was promoted to Group B and Spain was relegated to Group D, for 1997.

Group D

Played from March 6 to 10 in Sofia, Bulgaria.

First round
Group 1
Team NED BUL TUR GF/GA Points
1.  Netherlands 16:0 40:0 56:00 4
2.  Bulgaria 0:16 23:1 23:17 2
3.  Turkey 0:40 1:23 01:63 0
Group 2
Team YUG ISR GRE GF/GA Points
1.  FR Yugoslavia 6:2 (14:0) 6:2 2
2.  Israel 2:6 (5:0) 2:6 0
3.  Greece (0:14) (0:5) (0:19) (0)
  • The Greek team did not have the minimum required number of players, and were disqualified. However, they still played their games against Israel and Yugoslavia as exhibition matches. They also played an exhibition game against fifth place Turkey, defeating them seven to five.[2]

Placing round
3rd place Israel  4:3 o.t.
(0:2, 3:0, 0:1, 1:0)		  Bulgaria
Final Netherlands  6:4
(2:2, 0:2, 4:0)		  FR Yugoslavia

The Netherlands was promoted to Group C for 1997.

References
  1. Gold for Russia
  2. Greece still plays
  • Complete results
  • Duplacey, James (1998). Total Hockey: The official encyclopedia of the National Hockey League. Total Sports. pp. 530–2. ISBN 0-8362-7114-9.
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