Belgium

Belgium wins in Sofia

The 2024 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division II, Group B, took place in Sofia, Bulgaria, from April 22 to 28, 2024. The tournament featured six teams: Belgium, New Zealand, Georgia, Bulgaria, Chinese Taipei, and Turkey.

Belgium dominated the competition, finishing in first place with an undefeated record. They won all their games, scoring a total of 37 goals while conceding only 4. New Zealand secured second place, with three wins and two losses, showing a strong performance overall. Georgia rounded out the top three, demonstrating solid play throughout the tournament​​.

Bulgaria, the host nation, struggled, finishing fourth. They managed one win and one overtime win but fell short in other matches. Chinese Taipei and Turkey ended in the bottom two positions, with Turkey failing to win any games and Chinese Taipei managing a single win​.

Key individual performances included Jelle Lievens of Belgium, who was the top goalkeeper with a save percentage of 93.33%. Sam Verelst, another Belgian player, led as the top forward, scoring 9 goals and providing 14 assists​. Vadim Gyesbreghs, also from Belgium, was the top defender, contributing 6 goals and 5 assists.