Junior Ice Hockey World Championship 1998

	Junior World Championship
	◄ previous	1998	next ►
	Winner: Finland

The 22nd ice hockey world championship of the juniors of the International Ice Hockey Federation IIHF were the ice hockey world championships of 1998 in the age group of the under-20s (U20). Between December 25, 1997 and January 4, 1998, a total of 34 national teams took part in the four tournaments in the A to D group of the World Cup.

Finland became world champions for the second time ahead of Russia and surprisingly strong Switzerland , which won their first medal in junior championships. Defending champion Canada only finished eighth. The German offspring had to accept relegation to the B group after seven years of excellence. Austria took fourth place in the C group.

Overview of the Junior World Championships

competition	place	date	sub- contractor	viewers total	Games	O
A world championship	Helsinki Hämeenlinna	Dec 25, 1997 - Jan 3, 1998 0	10	139,680	34	4,108
B world championship	Tychy Sosnowiec	Dec 28, 1997 - Jan 4, 1998 0	8th		24
C world championship	Tallinn Kohtla-Järve	Dec 28, 1997 - Jan 1, 1998 0	8th		16
D world championship	Elektrėnai Kaunas	Dec 30, 1997 - Jan 3, 1998 0	8th		16

Participants, venues and periods

• A World Championship: December 25, 1997 to January 3, 1998 in Helsinki and Hämeenlinna , Finland

  Participants: Germany , Finland , Canada (defending champion) , Kazakhstan (promoted) , Russia , Sweden , Switzerland , Slovakia , the Czech Republic , USA            

• B World Championship: December 28, 1997 to January 4, 1998 in Tychy and Sosnowiec , Poland

  Participants: France , Japan , Latvia , Norway , Poland (relegated) , Ukraine , Hungary , Belarus (promoted)         

• C World Championship: December 28, 1997 to January 1, 1998 in Tallinn and Kohtla-Järve , Estonia

  Participants: Denmark , Estonia (promoted) , Great Britain , Italy (relegated) , Croatia , Austria , Romania , Slovenia          

• D World Championship: December 30, 1997 to January 3, 1998 in Kaunas and Elektrėnai , Lithuania

  Participants: Bulgaria , Federal Republic of Yugoslavia , Lithuania , Mexico , Netherlands (relegated) , Spain , South Africa , Turkey (newcomer)         

 In contrast to the previous year, Israel no longer competed.

A world championship

in Helsinki and Hämeenlinna, Finland

mode

Male players under the age of 20 (U-20) were allowed. Ten teams took part, divided into two groups of five teams each. Each team played once against each group opponent. Then the last two in the group played in the best-of-three mode, the only relegated to the B-World Championship. The other eight teams played the world championship title in the playoffs.

Preliminary round

Group A

December 25, 1997 6:30 pm

Finland Kauppinen (33:01) Somervuori (47:27) Hagman (56:20)

3: 2 (0: 0, 1: 1, 2:11) game report

Canada Ward (30:02) Dumont (51:39)

Helsinki spectators: 9,000

December 25, 1997 3:00 p.m.

Czech Republic

2: 1

Sweden

Hämeenlinna

December 26, 1997 6:30 p.m.

Sweden Nilson (6:56) Hedin (17:32) D. Sedin (22:55) Cannerheim (46:45)

4: 0 (2: 0, 1: 0, 1: 0) game report

Canada

Helsinki spectators: 2523

December 26, 1997 6:30 p.m.

Finland

5-0

Germany

Hämeenlinna

December 27, 1997 3:00 p.m.

Germany

1: 9

Czech Republic

Helsinki

December 28, 1997 3:00 p.m.

Canada Holden (10:10) Cooke (11:10) Tanguay (26:45) McLean (30:40) Holden (38:05)

5: 0 (2: 0, 3: 0, 0: 0) game report

Czech Republic

Helsinki spectators: 7,500

December 28, 1997 6:30 pm

Sweden

3: 4

Finland

Helsinki

December 29, 1997 6:30 p.m.

Germany

0: 8

Sweden

Helsinki

December 30, 1997 3:00 p.m.

Canada Bradley (28:05) Lecavalier (54:59)

2: 0 (0: 0, 1: 0, 1: 0) game report

Germany

Helsinki spectators: 8,933

December 30, 1997 6:30 pm

Czech Republic

5: 5

Finland

Helsinki

		Sp.	S.	U	N	Gates	Pt.
1.	Finland	4th	3	1	0	17:10	7: 1
2.	Czech Republic	4th	2	1	1	16:12	5: 3
3.	Sweden	4th	2	0	2	16: 06	4: 4
4th	Canada	4th	2	0	2	09: 07	4: 4
5.	Germany	4th	0	0	4th	01:24	0: 8

Group B

December 25, 1997 3:00 p.m.

Russia

12: 1

Kazakhstan

Hämeenlinna

December 25, 1997 3:00 p.m.

Slovakia

6: 3

United States

Helsinki

December 26, 1997 3:00 p.m.

Kazakhstan

2: 8

United States

Helsinki

December 26, 1997 3:00 p.m.

Slovakia

1: 3

Switzerland

Hämeenlinna

December 27, 1997 6:30 pm

Switzerland

3: 3

Russia

Helsinki

December 28, 1997 3:00 p.m.

Kazakhstan

5: 2

Slovakia

Hämeenlinna

December 28, 1997 6:30 pm

United States

2: 3

Russia

Hämeenlinna

December 29, 1997 6:30 p.m.

Switzerland

7-0

Kazakhstan

Hämeenlinna

December 30, 1997 3:00 p.m.

Russia

4-0

Slovakia

Hämeenlinna

December 30, 1997 6:30 pm

United States

4: 1

Switzerland

Hämeenlinna

		Sp.	S.	U	N	Gates	Pt.
1.	Russia	4th	3	1	0	22: 06	7: 1
2.	Switzerland	4th	2	1	1	14: 08	5: 3
3.	United States	4th	2	2	0	17:12	4: 4
4th	Kazakhstan	4th	1	0	3	08:29	2: 6
5.	Slovakia	4th	1	0	3	09:15	2: 6

Play-Downs against Relegation (Best of Three)

December 30, 1997	Helsinki	Slovakia	-	Germany	9: 0 (1: 0.4: 0.4: 0)
January 1, 1998	Helsinki	Slovakia	-	Germany	8: 3 (0: 1.3: 2.5: 0)

Play-offs

Quarter finals
December 30, 1997	Helsinki	Russia	-	Canada	2: 1 n.V. (1: 0.0: 0.0: 1.1: 0)
December 30, 1997	Helsinki	Switzerland	-	Sweden	2: 1 n.P. (0: 0.0: 0.1: 1.0: 0.1: 0)
December 30, 1997	Helsinki	Finland	-	Kazakhstan	14: 1 (6: 1.5: 0.3: 0)
December 30, 1997	Helsinki	Czech Republic	-	United States	4: 1 (0: 0.3: 0.1: 1)
Placement round for places 5–8
January 1, 1998	Helsinki	Canada	-	United States	0: 3 (0: 1.0: 1.0: 1)
January 1, 1998	Helsinki	Sweden	-	Kazakhstan	5: 1 (1: 0.2: 0.2: 1)
Game for 7th place
January 2, 1998	Helsinki	Canada	-	Kazakhstan	3: 6 (0: 2.0: 2.3: 2)
Play for 5th place
January 2, 1998	Helsinki	United States	-	Sweden	4: 3 (1: 2.2: 0.1: 1)
Semifinals
January 1, 1998	Helsinki	Finland	-	Switzerland	2: 1 (1: 0.0: 0.1: 1)
January 1, 1998	Helsinki	Russia	-	Czech Republic	5: 1 (0: 0.3: 1.2: 0)
3rd place match
January 2, 1998	Helsinki	Czech Republic	-	Switzerland	3: 4 n.P. (0: 2.2: 0.1: 1.0: 0.0: 1)
final
January 3, 1998	Helsinki	Finland	-	Russia	2: 1 n.V. (0: 0.0: 1.1: 0.1: 0)

Best scorer

Abbreviations: Sp = games, T = goals, V = assists , pts = points, SM = penalty minutes; Fat: tournament best

player	team	Sp	T	V	Pt	SM
Jeff Farkas	United States	7th	6th	4th	10	6th
Olli Jokinen	Finland	7th	4th	6th	10	6th
Eero Somervuori	Finland	7th	3	6th	9	2
Ladislav Nagy	Slovakia	6th	6th	2	8th	12
Brian Gionta	United States	7th	5	3	8th	4th
Timo Vertala	Finland	7th	4th	4th	8th	4th
Marián Hossa	Slovakia	6th	4th	4th	8th	12
Marcus Nilson	Sweden	7th	3	5	8th	4th
Andrej Podkonický	Slovakia	6th	3	5	8th	27
Maxim Balmochnych	Russia	7th	2	6th	8th	4th
Kamil Piroš	Czech Republic	7th	2	6th	8th	6th

Best goalkeeper

Source: hokej.sfrp.cz; Abbreviations: Sp = games, Min = ice age (in minutes), GT = goals conceded, SO = shutouts , Sv% = shots saved (in%) , GTS = goals conceded ; Fat: tournament best

player	team	Sp	Min	S.	U	N	GT	SaT	Sv%	GTS	SO
Denis Chlopotnow	Russia	7th	422	4th	1	1	9	169	94.67	1.28	1
Mika Noronen	Finland	5	314	5	1	1	8th	122	93.44	1.53	1
David Aebischer	Switzerland	6th	379	5	0	0	10	203	95.07	1.58	0
Jean-Marc Pelletier	United States	4th	181	2	0	3	5	64	92.19	1.66	2
Johan Holmqvist	Sweden	6th	366	2	0	1	11	135	91.85	1.8	1
Mathieu Garon	Canada	5	283	2	0	3	9	116	92.24	1.91	2
Martin Kučera	Slovakia	5	229	1	1	0	9	98	90.82	2.36	1
Adam Svoboda	Czech Republic	6th	285	2	0	1	13	113	88.5	2.74	1

Final placements

Pl.	team
1	Finland
2	Russia
3	Switzerland
4th	Czech Republic
5	United States
6th	Sweden
7th	Kazakhstan
8th	Canada
9	Slovakia
10	Germany

Title, promotion and relegation

World champion Finland

Timo Ahmaoja , Olli Ahonen , Johannes Alanen , Niklas Bäckström , Toni Dahlman , Teemu Elomo , Niklas Hagman , Olli Jokinen , Tomi Källarsson , Kari Kalto , Niko Kapanen , Marko Kauppinen , Jyrki Louhi , Ilkka Mikkola , Mika Noronen , Pasi Petriläinen , Pasi Petriläinen , Timo Seikkula , Eero Somervuori , Ari Vallin , Tomasz Valtonen , Timo Vertala Trainer: Hannu Kapanen

Silver Russia

Maxim Afinogenow , Vladimir Antipow , Denis Archipow , Maxim Balmochnych , Denis Chlopotnow , Mikhail Donika , Alexei Krowopuskow , Andrei Krutschinin , Oleg Kwascha , Roman Lyaschenko , Andrei Markow , Yegor Mikhailov , Dmitri Mylnikow , Valeri Pokrowski , Andrei , Sergei Schwidakinow , Denis Sidjakrowski , Alexei Tesikow , Mikhail Chernov , Artyom Tschubarow , Vitaly Vishnevsky , Dmitri Wlassenkow coaching staff: Pyotr Vorobyov , Valentin Gurejew

Bronze Switzerland

David Aebischer , Jan von Arx , Marco Bührer , Ralph Bundi , Alex Chatelain , Björn Christen , Flavien Conne , Patrick Fischer , Sven Lindemann , Michel Mouther , Laurent Müller , Marc Reichert , Alain Reist , Michel Riesen , Sandro Rizzi , Mario Schocher , René Stüssi , Julien Vauclair , Marc Werlen , Adrian Wichser , Markus Wüthrich , Thomas Ziegler Trainer: Bill Gilligan

Relegated:	Germany
Newcomers:	Belarus

Awards

Player trophies

Award	player	team
Best goalkeeper	David Aebischer	Switzerland
Best defender	Pavel Skrbek	Czech Republic
Best striker	Olli Jokinen	Finland

First all-star team

Attack:	Maxim Balmochnych - Olli Jokinen - Eero Somervuori
Defense:	Pierre Hedin - Andrei Markow
Goal:	David Aebischer

Second all-star team

Attack:	Michel Riesen - Oleg Kwascha - Timo Vertala
Defense:	Pavel Skrbek - Pasi Petriläinen
Goal:	Mika Noronen

B world championship

in Tychy and Sosnowiec, Poland

Preliminary round

Group A Teams POLE UKR BLR NOR Gates Pt. 1. Poland  7: 3 1: 4 5: 4 13:11 4: 2 2. Ukraine  3: 7 2: 2 8: 1 13:10 3: 3 3. Belarus  4: 1 2: 2 0: 3 6: 6 3: 3 4. Norway  4: 5 1: 8 3-0 8:13 2: 4

Group B Teams HUN LAT FRA JPN Gates Pt. 1. Hungary  3: 2 2: 2 5: 5 10: 9 4: 2 2. Latvia  2: 3 5: 2 8: 5 15:10 4: 2 3. France  2: 2 2: 5 8: 2 12: 9 3: 3 4. Japan  5: 5 5: 8 2: 8 12:21 1: 5

Play-Downs against Relegation (Best of Three)

January 1, 1998	Tychy	Norway	-	Japan	6: 4 (2: 3.2: 1.2: 0)
January 2, 1998	Tychy	Norway	-	Japan	3: 4 n.V. (1: 0.0: 1.2: 2.0: 1)
January 3, 1998	Tychy	Norway	-	Japan	4: 1 (1: 0.1: 0.2: 1)

Final round for places 1–6

Teams	BLR	UKR	POLE	LAT	HUN	FRA	Gates	Pt.
1. Belarus		(2: 2)	(4: 1)	3: 1	8-0	5: 4	22: 8	9: 1
2. Ukraine	(2: 2)		(3: 7)	5: 1	4: 1	9: 1	23:12	7: 3
3. Poland	(1: 4)	(7: 3)		2: 3	8-0	6: 3	24:13	6: 4
4. Latvia	1: 3	1: 5	3: 2		(2: 3)	(5: 2)	12:15	4: 6
5. Hungary	0: 8	1: 4	0: 8	(3: 2)		(2: 2)	6:24	3: 7
6. France	4: 5	1: 9	3: 6	(2: 5)	(2: 2)		12:27	1: 9

Final placement B-WM

RF	team
1	Belarus
2	Ukraine
3	Poland
4th	Latvia
5	Hungary
6th	France
7th	Norway
8th	Japan

Ascent and descent

Junior B World Champion 1998:	Belarus
Promoted to the A group:	Belarus
Relegated from the A group:	Germany
Relegated to the C group:	Japan
Newcomers from the C group:	Denmark

Awards

All-Star Team

goal	Leanid Hrischukewitsch
defense	Serhiy Sadyi			Adam Borzęcki
Storm	Andrei Shevelev		Per-Åge Skrøder		Michał Radwański

C world championship

in Tallinn and Kohtla-Järve, Estonia

Preliminary round

Group A Teams ITA AUT EST GBR Gates Pt. 1. Italy  4: 4 11: 1 5: 1 20: 6 5: 1 2. Austria  4: 4 8: 1 6: 1 18: 6 5: 1 3. Estonia  1:11 1: 8 3: 1 5:20 2: 4 4. Great Britain  1: 5 1: 6 1: 3 3:14 0: 6

Group B Teams THE SLO CRO ROME Gates Pt. 1. Denmark  5: 4 8: 1 13: 3 26: 8 6-0 2. Slovenia  4: 5 4: 1 7: 2 15: 8 4: 2 3. Croatia  1: 8 1: 4 4: 2 6:14 2: 4 4. Romania  3:13 2: 7 2: 4 7:24 0: 6

Finals and placement games

Game for 7th place against relegation
January 1, 1998	Tallinn	Great Britain	-	Romania	7: 5 (2: 1.3: 3.2: 1)
Play for 5th place
January 1, 1998	Tallinn	Estonia	-	Croatia	2: 3 (1: 1.0: 1.1: 1)
3rd place match
January 1, 1998	Tallinn	Slovenia	-	Austria	4: 2 (1: 1.1: 0.2: 1)
final
January 1, 1998	Tallinn	Denmark	-	Italy	6: 4 (2: 2.3: 0.1: 2)

Final placement of the C-WM

RF	team
1	Denmark
2	Italy
3	Slovenia
4th	Austria
5	Croatia
6th	Estonia
7th	Great Britain
8th	Romania

Ascent and descent

Junior C World Champion 1998:	Denmark
Moving up to the B group:	Denmark
Relegated from group B:	Japan
Relegated to the D group:	Romania
Newcomers to the C group:	Lithuania

D world championship

in Kaunas and Elektrėnai, Lithuania

Preliminary round

Group A Teams NED ESP BUL DOOR Gates Pt. 1. Netherlands  7: 1 19: 2 32: 1 58: 4 6-0 2. Spain  1: 7 6: 2 11: 0 18: 9 4: 2 3. Bulgaria  2:19 2: 6 13: 4 17:29 2: 4 4. Turkey  1:32 0:11 4:13 5:56 0: 6

Group B Teams LTU YUG MEX RSA Gates Pt. 1. Lithuania  5: 1 14: 0 14: 1 33: 2 6-0 2nd Federal Republic of Yugoslavia  1: 5 13: 0 9: 2 23: 7 4: 2 3. Mexico  0:14 0:13 3: 1 3:28 2: 4 4. South Africa  1:14 2: 9 1: 3 4:26 0: 6

Finals and placement games

Game for 7th place
January 3, 1998	Elektrėnai	South Africa	-	Turkey	11: 0 (8: 0.1: 0.2: 0)
Play for 5th place
January 3, 1998	Elektrėnai	Bulgaria	-	Mexico	4: 6 (1: 2.1: 1.2: 3)
3rd place match
January 3, 1998	Elektrėnai	BR Yugoslavia	-	Spain	9: 0 (3: 0.4: 0.2: 0)
final
January 3, 1998	Elektrėnai	Lithuania	-	Netherlands	6: 3 (0: 0.4: 0.2: 3)

Final placement of the D-WM

RF	team
1	Lithuania
2	Netherlands
3	BR Yugoslavia
4th	Spain
5	Mexico
6th	Bulgaria
7th	South Africa
8th	Turkey

Ascent and descent

Junior D World Champion 1998:	Lithuania
Newcomers to the C group:	Lithuania
Relegated from the C group:	Romania

Web links

• The Junior World Championship at hockeyarchives.info (French)
• Tournament statistics at hockeycanada.com
• World Junior Championship Pool A, 25.12.1997 - 3.1.1998, Helsinki, Hämeenlinna, Finland at hokej.sfrp.cz

Individual evidence

1. ↑ hokej.sfrp.cz, 1998 World Junior Championship Pool A - Goaltending statistics
2. ↑ ^{a b c} swehockey.se, Media All-Star Team and the Directorate Awards in WJC 1977-2016 (PDF file)