Congrats to Norway and Latvia!

Congrats to Norway and Latvia for their promotion to the Elite Level of the World Juniors (U20s) for 2006 here in Vancouver after winning their respective groups today! For Norway it will mark a return to the Elite group for the first time since 1991, while it will be Latvia's first ever time!

Norway had clinched first place with one day to go, but the other group came down to a match up between Slovenia and Latvia (with Slovenia needing to win outright).
It looks like Anze Kopitar (Slo) and Martins Karsums (Lat) did their best to help each side gain promotion, both had Natural Hat Tricks! Look at how close this game was:

Slovenia 5 - Latvia 6

1.50 0 - 1 EQ Latvia DZERINS (DARZINS)
6.45 0 - 2 EQ Latvia SAULIETIS (KLUJEVSKIS, FEOKTISTOVS)
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24.31 1 - 2 EQ Slovenia CVETEK (SVETE)
26.20 1 - 3 PP2 Latvia JASS
30.25 2 - 3 EQ Slovenia KOPITAR (PAJIC)
37.39 3 - 3 PP1 Slovenia KOPITAR (CVETEK)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
40.40 4 - 3 EQ Slovenia KOPITAR (CVETEK, SVETE)
44.47 4 - 4 PP1 Latvia KARSUMS (BARTULIS, DZERINS)
51.02 4 - 5 EQ Latvia KARSUMS (DARZINS, DZERINS)
56.39 4 - 6 EQ Latvia KARSUMS - Game Winning Goal
56.53 5 - 6 EQ Slovenia MARKOVIC (PAVLIN)

Goaltending was off the mark as shots were only 23-27 (8:8, 10:8, 5:11).

I am not that familar with either of Norway's or Latvia's roster, so I was wondering so can anyone here can tell me if most of this year's roster for both teams will be available for the 2006 World Juniors or not?

I'm pretty choked up about this, as I have tickets to the World Juniors in Vancouver next year. I was looking forward to hopefully getting the chance to see Slovenia in the Elite Group, so I could watch Kopitar.

That sounds like an awesome game.

Congrats to Norway and Latvia.

I'm happy for Norway and Latvia but sad because Slovenia didn't make it. I used to play a lot against those players and I know how good they are so I feel sorry for them. Unfortunately they (85 born players) wont have another chance next year.

Sorry, I'm pressed for time. Could someone please post a link to the full results of the tournament (preferably scoring leaders and box scores).

Sorry, I'm pressed for time. Could someone please post a link to the full results of the tournament (preferably scoring leaders and box scores).
Group A:
http://www.iihf.com/Hydra/Tournaments_05/output/w20ia/hydra.iihf.com/IIHF_Core/jsp/content/web_output/index.jsp@compId=1000000021

GroupB:
http://www.iihf.com/Hydra/Tournaments_05/output/w20ib/hydra.iihf.com/IIHF_Core/jsp/content/web_output/index.jsp@compId=1000000022&live=yes&date=all

France could have had a good opportunity in this tournament but Norway seemed to be just better. Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, probably the best in the team France, had a pretty good tournament: five goals and one assist in six games. France apparently didn't have a very solid goaltending but this tournament is a good experience for the players, even if we didn't win. It will help them. There's still a lot of work.

Congrats to both teams! Maybe we'll see a young Espen Knutsen next year in Vancouver.

That Slovenian/Latvia game looks like it was a battle between two highly touted offensive players for the upcoming draft. Kopitar vs. Karsums.

It's good to see some other countries producing some big time talents.

That Slovenian/Latvia game looks like it was a battle between two highly touted offensive players for the upcoming draft. Kopitar vs. Karsums.

It's good to see some other countries producing some big time talents.

karsums was drafted by boston this past year...2nd round

karsums was drafted by boston this past year...2nd round

As you are correct, I was thinking of Zagropan of the Q. Confused the two.

Wow ! Kopitar's great ! He scored almost all the goals of his team.

Anyways , Congrats Norway and Latvia ! :mad: I wanted to see Kopitar on tv though.

Karsums and Bartulis, the two Moncton players, were outstanding in this tournament it appears. I'll be talking to the pair of them sometime probably in January to get a little more information on this event.

That's great.

Congrats Norway & Latvia.

How does the IIHF decide who hosts these lower division tournaments? The hosts in Division I (Great Britain and Estonia) got absolutely obliterated and suffered an easy relegation to Division II.

You would think that normally the hosts would have a chance.