After a one year break, China will return to Division IIB for the 2016 World Juniors after defeating New Zealand on Sunday for the tournament championship.
The task was simple: win and you’re in. For both competitors, a victory would mean advancement, but after heading to the finals with a perfect 3-0 record, including a 13-0 win over South Africa in their previous game, the odds were laying in the hands of the pre-tournament favourites. Frazer Ellis had New Zealand’s only goal in the final match, but Qing Liu led the way with two goals from the point to help the Chinese win 4-1, securing gold.
With the victory, China will replace Iceland in Division IIB for the 2016 edition of the tournament. It all signifies the end of the World Junior hockey season, with all division of the U20 event officially completed. For news from every single event, click here.
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