Kazakhstan men's national junior ice hockey team
Encyclopedia
The Kazakh men's national under 20 ice hockey team is the national under-20 ice hockey
team in Kazakhstan
. The team represents Kazakhstan at the International Ice Hockey Federation
's World Junior Hockey Championship Division I.
Kazakhstan was promoted out of Pool B into Pool A for 1998. In Helsinki, Finland, the Kazakhs defeated Slovakia 5-2 to earn a spot in the quarter-finals. However, a devastating 14-1 loss to eventual gold-medalists Finland sent Kazakhstan to the placement games, where they defeated Canada 6-3 to finish 7th. It still stands as Kazakhstan's biggest win at the U20 level.
Nikolai Antropov became the first-ever Kazakh player drafted into the National Hockey League when selected the first-round by the Toronto Maple Leafs
in 1998. Antropov would captain the Kazakhstan team at the 1999 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Kazakhstan tied Belarus 2-2 and defeated Switzerland 3-0 to finish third place in Group B and went on to play Canada in the quarter-finals. Canada won 12-2. Nikolai Zarzhitskiy scored both Kazakhstan goals and got player-of-the-game award. Kazakhstan finished 8th and avoided relegation.
Kazakhstan was without Nikolai Antropov when he decided to stay with the Maple Leafs for the 1999–2000 NHL season. Kazakhstan was demolished 14-1 by Russia on December 25, 1999. Kazakhstan's only win was a 5-2 win over Ukraine to qualify for the quarter-finals. Kazakhstan lost to the Czech-Republic 6-3.
Kazakhstan's four-year stay at the World Junior Hockey Championships ended in 2001 when the Kazakhs went win-less and lost their fight to avoid relegation to Belarus.
Kazakhstan spent six years in Division I and nearly came close to being promoted back to the top level. In 2007, Kazakhstan was finally promoted by edging Norway 3-2 in an IIHF U20 Division I tournament in Torre Pellice, Italy.
Kazakhstan played in the 2008 World Junior Hockey Championships in Liberic, Czech-Republic. The Kazakhs wore only their white nike swift jerseys during the tournament because blue jerseys were not available. Kazakhstan was up 2-0 against Russia, but lost 5-4. They also lost to the US by a score of 4-2. Kazakhstan went on to defeat Switzerland 3-1 and defeated Denmark 6-3 to finished 8th.
Yakov Vorobyov became only the third Kazakh player to play in the Canadian Hockey League
. Vorobyov played for the Ottawa 67's
, but was released shortly after. Vadim Sozinov played for the Ottawa 67's in 2000-01 and Konstantin Pushkarov played for the Calgary Hitmen in 2004-05.
Kazakhstan boosted plenty of returning players from 2008 upon coming to Ottawa, Ontario to compete in the 2009 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
. Kazakhstan scored only 4 goals during the entire tournament and was relegated back to Division I after a 7-1 loss to Latvia.
Oleg Bolyakin will remain as head coach for Kazakhstan as the Kazakhs will play in the 2010 World Junior Championships, Division 1
held in Gdansk, Poland from December 14–20, 2009. Kazakhstan will compete against Belarus, Italy, Norway, Croatia, and Poland.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team in Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
. The team represents Kazakhstan at the International Ice Hockey Federation
International Ice Hockey Federation
The International Ice Hockey Federation is the worldwide governing body for ice hockey and in-line hockey. It is based in Zurich, Switzerland, and has 70 members...
's World Junior Hockey Championship Division I.
Kazakhstan was promoted out of Pool B into Pool A for 1998. In Helsinki, Finland, the Kazakhs defeated Slovakia 5-2 to earn a spot in the quarter-finals. However, a devastating 14-1 loss to eventual gold-medalists Finland sent Kazakhstan to the placement games, where they defeated Canada 6-3 to finish 7th. It still stands as Kazakhstan's biggest win at the U20 level.
Nikolai Antropov became the first-ever Kazakh player drafted into the National Hockey League when selected the first-round by the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
in 1998. Antropov would captain the Kazakhstan team at the 1999 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
1999 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
-Quarterfinals:-Semifinals:-5th place game:-Bronze medal game:-Gold medal game:-Final ranking:-Scoring leaders:-Pool B:Played at Szekesfehervar and Dunaujvaros, Hungary from December 27 to January 3. Two groups of four played round robins, and then the top three played each of the top three teams...
in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Kazakhstan tied Belarus 2-2 and defeated Switzerland 3-0 to finish third place in Group B and went on to play Canada in the quarter-finals. Canada won 12-2. Nikolai Zarzhitskiy scored both Kazakhstan goals and got player-of-the-game award. Kazakhstan finished 8th and avoided relegation.
Kazakhstan was without Nikolai Antropov when he decided to stay with the Maple Leafs for the 1999–2000 NHL season. Kazakhstan was demolished 14-1 by Russia on December 25, 1999. Kazakhstan's only win was a 5-2 win over Ukraine to qualify for the quarter-finals. Kazakhstan lost to the Czech-Republic 6-3.
Kazakhstan's four-year stay at the World Junior Hockey Championships ended in 2001 when the Kazakhs went win-less and lost their fight to avoid relegation to Belarus.
Kazakhstan spent six years in Division I and nearly came close to being promoted back to the top level. In 2007, Kazakhstan was finally promoted by edging Norway 3-2 in an IIHF U20 Division I tournament in Torre Pellice, Italy.
Kazakhstan played in the 2008 World Junior Hockey Championships in Liberic, Czech-Republic. The Kazakhs wore only their white nike swift jerseys during the tournament because blue jerseys were not available. Kazakhstan was up 2-0 against Russia, but lost 5-4. They also lost to the US by a score of 4-2. Kazakhstan went on to defeat Switzerland 3-1 and defeated Denmark 6-3 to finished 8th.
Yakov Vorobyov became only the third Kazakh player to play in the Canadian Hockey League
Canadian Hockey League
The Canadian Hockey League is an umbrella organization that represents the three Canadian-based major junior ice hockey leagues for players 16 to 20 years of age. The CHL was founded in 1975 as the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League, and is composed of its three member leagues, the Western Hockey...
. Vorobyov played for the Ottawa 67's
Ottawa 67's
The Ottawa 67’s are a junior ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario. They have played in the Ontario Hockey League since 1967, Canada's centennial year. The current coach is Chris Byrne.-History:...
, but was released shortly after. Vadim Sozinov played for the Ottawa 67's in 2000-01 and Konstantin Pushkarov played for the Calgary Hitmen in 2004-05.
Kazakhstan boosted plenty of returning players from 2008 upon coming to Ottawa, Ontario to compete in the 2009 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
2009 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
- Group B :ScheduleAll times local - Relegation round :The results from matches between teams from the same group in the preliminary round are carried forward to this round.-Schedule:...
. Kazakhstan scored only 4 goals during the entire tournament and was relegated back to Division I after a 7-1 loss to Latvia.
Oleg Bolyakin will remain as head coach for Kazakhstan as the Kazakhs will play in the 2010 World Junior Championships, Division 1
2010 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
The 2010 IIHF World U20 Championship, commonly referred to as the 2010 World Junior Hockey Championships , was the 34th edition of World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. The tournament was hosted in Saskatoon and Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, from December 26, 2009 to January 5, 2010...
held in Gdansk, Poland from December 14–20, 2009. Kazakhstan will compete against Belarus, Italy, Norway, Croatia, and Poland.