Photo by: Dan Sanger
Zelenov helps Austria to bronze at World Junior Championship Division I Group A
December 15, 2025 | Men's Hockey
Badger forward shared second on Team Austria in scoring
BLED, Slovenia – Wisconsin freshman forward Vasily Zelenov put up nine points in five games to help Austria to a bronze medal at the 2025 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Junior Championship Division I Group A tournament that wrapped up over the weekend.
Austria finished 3-2-0 and tied for second, but lost the tiebreak with Kazakhstan due to head-to-head results.
Austria rolled with wins in three of its first four games, losing only to tournament champion Norway. The team also went up 4-0 on Kazahkstan in its final game of the event, but after getting caught at 4-4, Austria pulled its goaltender knowing it needed a regulation victory to keep a chance at the tournament title and a promotion to the main event in 2027. But Kazakhstan scored into the empty net for the victory and the silver medal.
Austria defeated Slovenia, 5-2, beat France, 4-2, and knocked off Ukraine, 9-2. It also fell to champion Norway, 7-3.
Zelenov finished with two goals, seven assists and nine points in the tournament in five games played. He recorded a goal and an assist against Slovenia, two assists against France, one assist against Norway and a goal and three assists against Ukraine for a four-point performance.
Wisconsin posted a road sweep at Notre Dame in Zelenov's absence, but expects to have the freshman back for the upcoming Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off that takes place Dec. 28-29 at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee.
Austria finished 3-2-0 and tied for second, but lost the tiebreak with Kazakhstan due to head-to-head results.
Austria rolled with wins in three of its first four games, losing only to tournament champion Norway. The team also went up 4-0 on Kazahkstan in its final game of the event, but after getting caught at 4-4, Austria pulled its goaltender knowing it needed a regulation victory to keep a chance at the tournament title and a promotion to the main event in 2027. But Kazakhstan scored into the empty net for the victory and the silver medal.
Austria defeated Slovenia, 5-2, beat France, 4-2, and knocked off Ukraine, 9-2. It also fell to champion Norway, 7-3.
Zelenov finished with two goals, seven assists and nine points in the tournament in five games played. He recorded a goal and an assist against Slovenia, two assists against France, one assist against Norway and a goal and three assists against Ukraine for a four-point performance.
Wisconsin posted a road sweep at Notre Dame in Zelenov's absence, but expects to have the freshman back for the upcoming Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off that takes place Dec. 28-29 at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee.
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