University of Massachusets Athletics
Hrabal And Jencko Begin 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship Competition
December 26, 2024 | Hockey
OTTAWA – University of Massachusetts freshman forward Daniel Jencko and sophomore goaltender Michael Hrabal have both been selected to represent their respective nations of Slovakia and Czechia at the 2025 World Junior Championship, which is under way in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Group play runs from December 26 to December 31 with the quarterfinal round set for January 2 and semifinals scheduled for January 4 before the tournament culminates with the Medal Round on January 5. Czechia and Slovakia are in Group B with Kazakhstan, Sweden and Switzerland.
Jencko, who recently returned to action after an injury sidelined him for seven games, has posted seven points on three goals and four assists over nine contests, including two power-play tallies. The Humenne, Slovakia native has represented his country in various tournaments, totaling 25 points (13g, 12a) in 36 games. He earned a gold medal with Slovakia during the World Junior Classic (WJC D1A) in 2021-22.
Hrabal, who was named Hockey East Goaltender of the Week earlier this month, has appeared in 16 games for the Minutemen thus far this season and holds a 2.49 goals against average and a .949 save percentage over 916 minutes with a record of 8-6-2 with one shutout.
The Prague native played in all seven of Czechia's games at the 2024 World Junior Championship, posting a 3-2 record with a .877 save percentage and a 3.40 goals-against average over 370:13 in net, totaling 150 saves as a part of the Bronze medal-winning squad. He helped the Czechs reach the Semifinal Round with 28 saves on 30 shots in a 3-2 victory over Canada in the quarterfinals. He also had 30 stops against the United States during group play in a contest that Czechia took down to the wire, 3-3, after regulation and overtime, before the squad ultimately fell in a shootout. Hrabal was selected as one of Team Czechia's Top-Three Players of the Tournament by the team's coaches.
In previous international competition for Czechia, Hrabal registered a 3.11 GAA and a .920 save percentage at the 2023 U-18 World Hockey Championship and was named one of Czechia's top-3 players of the tournament. At the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in 2022 he logged a 2.73 GAA and a .917 save percentage over four contests.
Massachusetts hockey has been represented well at World Juniors during Greg Carvel's tenure at UMass with Minutemen earning roster spots at seven of the past eight IIHF World Junior Championships, including Hrabal and current sophomore Dans Locmelis (Latvia) in 2024.
Current junior Kenny Connors and Ryan Ufko earned Bronze with the U.S. National Junior Team at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship. Scott Morrow was named to the U.S. National Junior Team for the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship prior to its postponement. Zac Jones made the U.S. squad in 2020, goaltender Filip Lindberg earned a Gold medal at the 2019 tournament with Finland and Cale Makar won Gold with Canada at the 2018 World Junior Championship. Other past WJC participants from UMass include William Lagesson (2016, Sweden) and Stephen Werner (2004, USA). Werner was a Gold medal winner, as well. Director of Equipment Operations Josh Penn earned a Bronze medal on staff with Team USA in 2018.
Group play runs from December 26 to December 31 with the quarterfinal round set for January 2 and semifinals scheduled for January 4 before the tournament culminates with the Medal Round on January 5. Czechia and Slovakia are in Group B with Kazakhstan, Sweden and Switzerland.
Jencko, who recently returned to action after an injury sidelined him for seven games, has posted seven points on three goals and four assists over nine contests, including two power-play tallies. The Humenne, Slovakia native has represented his country in various tournaments, totaling 25 points (13g, 12a) in 36 games. He earned a gold medal with Slovakia during the World Junior Classic (WJC D1A) in 2021-22.
Hrabal, who was named Hockey East Goaltender of the Week earlier this month, has appeared in 16 games for the Minutemen thus far this season and holds a 2.49 goals against average and a .949 save percentage over 916 minutes with a record of 8-6-2 with one shutout.
The Prague native played in all seven of Czechia's games at the 2024 World Junior Championship, posting a 3-2 record with a .877 save percentage and a 3.40 goals-against average over 370:13 in net, totaling 150 saves as a part of the Bronze medal-winning squad. He helped the Czechs reach the Semifinal Round with 28 saves on 30 shots in a 3-2 victory over Canada in the quarterfinals. He also had 30 stops against the United States during group play in a contest that Czechia took down to the wire, 3-3, after regulation and overtime, before the squad ultimately fell in a shootout. Hrabal was selected as one of Team Czechia's Top-Three Players of the Tournament by the team's coaches.
In previous international competition for Czechia, Hrabal registered a 3.11 GAA and a .920 save percentage at the 2023 U-18 World Hockey Championship and was named one of Czechia's top-3 players of the tournament. At the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in 2022 he logged a 2.73 GAA and a .917 save percentage over four contests.
Massachusetts hockey has been represented well at World Juniors during Greg Carvel's tenure at UMass with Minutemen earning roster spots at seven of the past eight IIHF World Junior Championships, including Hrabal and current sophomore Dans Locmelis (Latvia) in 2024.
Current junior Kenny Connors and Ryan Ufko earned Bronze with the U.S. National Junior Team at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship. Scott Morrow was named to the U.S. National Junior Team for the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship prior to its postponement. Zac Jones made the U.S. squad in 2020, goaltender Filip Lindberg earned a Gold medal at the 2019 tournament with Finland and Cale Makar won Gold with Canada at the 2018 World Junior Championship. Other past WJC participants from UMass include William Lagesson (2016, Sweden) and Stephen Werner (2004, USA). Werner was a Gold medal winner, as well. Director of Equipment Operations Josh Penn earned a Bronze medal on staff with Team USA in 2018.
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