Perfect record for victors in Tallinn
by Henrik MANNINEN (https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2025/wm20ib/news/65528/ukraine_storms_to_u20_division_i_group_a)
A convincing final-day 7-2 victory over Japan clinched gold for Ukraine at the 2025 IIHF Ice Hockey U20 World Championship Division I Group B in Tallinn, Estonia. Ukraine´s next generation proved unstoppable at this level, winning all five games to advance to next year´s U20 Division I Group A.
“Only first place was an option for us going into this tournament,” said Ukrainian defenceman Mykola Kosarev. “Our U18 national team plays in Division I Group A and so does our men´s national team. We wanted to step up to the same level.”
Ukraine´s trajectory is on the rise again after 12 straight appearances in Division I Group B and recent heartbreaks from falling at the final hurdle for promotion in 2023 and 2024. A 17th-place overall finish in World Championship competition marks the best finish for the Ukrainian U20 team since 2007. Fiften members of the gold medal-winning roster will be eligible for play in next year’s Division I Group A tournament.
At Tallinn´s Tondiraba Ice Arena, Ukraine got off a comfortable start, outshining the Estonian hosts 8-1. Next came a 3-0 shutout versus neighbouring Poland, and then a tougher battle in a 6-5 victory over Italy. Coach Andri Sryubko’s team had five different goal-scorers in a 5-2 win versus newly promoted Korea on Day Four.
In the final game versus Japan, Ukraine needed just one point to win gold. With the Ukrainians piling on the pressure, Olexi Yevtiekhov drew first blood midway through the first period. Ukraine enjoyed a 16-6 edge in shots on goal in those opening 20 minutes. Heavy forechecking paid off again as Mark Mironov doubled the lead at 12:49, scoring off a Nikita Kulikov feed.

Junya Kokuwa got Japan on the board on the power play before Ilarion Kuprianov restored Ukraine´s five-goal cushion with his 6-1 goal just ahead of the second intermission. Teito Ishigaki netted a third-period consolationtally for Japan before the dominant blueliner Kosarov capped off his excellent tournament by scoring Ukraine´s final goal on a one-man advantage. Skating for nine-time Norwegian champions Stavanger Oilers, the Kharkiv-born Kosarov scored his first goal in senior hockey on his 17th birthday on 24 October last year. Together with Yevtiekhov, he led Ukraine in scoring in Tallinn, with both players notching eight points (3+5=8) in five games.
At the other end, 18-year-old netminder Alexander Levshin played all the games for Ukraine and had the tournament´s best GAA (2.00) and save percentage (90.91), including one shutout.