Siovanija and Teusland national hockey team

The Siovanija and Teusland national hockey team represents Siovanija and Teusland in senior and junior international ice hockey competition. It is governed by Hockey Siovanija & Teusland, the largest athletic body in the country, which oversees the entire national hockey program. The team are known within their national fanbase and in foreign media as 'The Goldhorns,' and in their time have quickly risen to become one of the best teams in the world. The Goldhorns debuted in World Cup of Hockey 35 and made a remarkable run to the Quarterfinal stage. The Goldhorns have participated in every single World Cup of Hockey since then, and have made the playoffs in all but one of their appearances. The national team are the current reigning world champions, having captured the title in World Cup of Hockey 40 and 41.

In addition, Hockey Siovanija & Teusland has submitted a national team to compete at the junior level. The under-20 national team captured the gold medal at the 14th World Junior Hockey Championship. The senior national team has participated in other competitions such as the Coupe Jacques IX and the Odin Cup. A national team made up of the best senior amateur players participated in the Atlantian Oceania Hockey Championship, while there are plans for Olympic participation in the future. For records-keeping purposes, only official World Cup of Hockey games are counted in the team's overall record, which currently stands at 43-3-15 (W-D-L) throughout its history. In addition, the Goldhorns are currently on a 30-match unbeaten stretch, with a record of 27-3-0.

Pre-WCoH
Hockey was first introduced to the Teus Empire in the mid-1800s, and various towns and cities claim to be the birthplace of the game. The generally accepted history is that the game developed on the frozen-over canals of the city of Stelburg, and that the first game was officially played in 1867 at the outdoor skating centre of the Imperial Gardens. Other towns that claim to be the 'birthplace of Teus hockey' include Rotmunde, Launitz and Marlesee. The game rapidly spread across the Teus Empire, and into Siovanija as well, and gained quick popularity. Up until around 1880, cricket had been the most popular sport in Teusland. It was overtaken by first hockey and later football, while in Siovanija, the game competed with football before eventually overtaking it around 1900.

The first club teams were developed in both countries at this time, and in 1880 a Siovanija against Teusland game was contested between the two governing bodies in the different countries. This game is viewed today as the original roots of the modern national team. Teusland won the game 1-0. Over the next few years, various games were organized between the countries, but this exchange ended in 1888, when the Great War broke out. Hockey was put on hold - although it was still played by civilians at home on dark winter nights, and soldiers at the front on break. In all years of the War (1888-95), truces were recorded as taking place around Christmas and the New Year. During these truces, bands of Siovanijan and Teus soldiers would play hockey games against each other. By the later years of the war, these events were mostly put to a halt by commanders who did not want their soldiers mixing with the enemies, however, in many places the games continued.

After the war, hockey returned to prominence within the country. At the time, Hockey Siovanija & Teusland organized amateur competitions on the local level, with the highlight of the season being selecting the Siovanijan representative team and the Teus representative teams to play against each other. There was no formal trophy on the line other than pride, and the games were always played on New Years' Day to symbolize the brotherhood between the two countries. At this time, there was no official national club championship.

In 1917, Chancellor Ewald M. Strauss donated a trophy to be awarded to a national champion by Hockey Siovanija & Teusland. The Ehrenliga ('honour league') was created by HST at this point, and consisted of 6 professional clubs: 3 in Siovanija, and 3 in Teusland. The league continued the tradition of the Siovanija against Teusland game with its annual all-star game, always held on January 1. The Ehrenliga continued to expand throughout its history, and today has 20 top-level clubs. The all-star game also continues, and is a source of pride for people in both sides of the country.

For years, however, Hockey Siovanija & Teusland did not sanction international play. Different rules in international play regarding some penalties, as well as different size ice surfaces, were the main points of dispute for the nation. This meant that legendary players such as Wolf Bleich, Stanislav Slezak, Anatol Weisz and Radoslav Kucar never got to experience international play. In 2017, 100 years after the founding of the Ehrenliga, Hockey Siovanija & Teusland announced its intention to reverse this policy as part of the wider opening to the world, and announced they would participate in World Cup of Hockey 35.

The Early Years: WCoH 35-37
There was some worry in the country when participation in World Cup of Hockey 35 was announced. Hockey was treated as a national obsession, bordering on a religion. But the game in Siovanija & Teusland had developed isolated from the world. Fans had many questions - how would we stack up? Would we be in for a harsh blow to our national pride? The Goldhorns, however, would prove to be a great addition to the international lineup. They placed second in a warm-up tournament, the Odin Cup, before beginning group stage play with an immediate test: Quebec, a former world champion and a top-ten team in the world. In that first game, however, the Goldhorns would shock the world with a 1-0 victory in Stelburg. That win set the tone for the rest of the group stage, as the Goldhorns went 8-0-2 to win their group and advance to the playoffs for the first time in their history. In the playoffs, there was another magical moment as the team knocked out Neu Engollon in the Round of 16, 6-5. The match stands as historically significant as the first and only (to date) meeting between two teams who would come to have massive roles in the dawning era of international ice hockey. In the Quarterfinal, however, the luck would run out, and the Goldhorns fell to Mercedini 5-2.

Going into World Cup of Hockey 36, then, the nation had expectations on the national team to live up to their incredible success in their first go-around. However, the tournament, hosted by Anthor, would prove to be the worst result for a national hockey team in its history. The team finished 6-0-4, losing all of its games to higher seeds Novaya Zemlya and Quebec, who were keen on some revenge from the previous tournament. Good results came against lower ranked sides, however, including an 8-0 win over Maryloupe that still stands as the all-time highest win. The Goldhorns finished third in their group, and missed World Cup of Hockey 36's playoff stage.

That meant, at World Cup of Hockey 37, that the team was looking to redeem themselves and prove that they were not just a one-hit wonder. Before the tournament, the team played in a warm-up 'Super Series' against Quebec. Quebec, as the team the Goldhorns faced first and have faced most often at the World Cup of Hockey, is a special rival for the team. The series would go to the Goldhorns, 2-1-1, as despite losses in Stelburg and Borograd they won both games on the road to win the series. World Cup of Hockey 37 saw the Goldhorns drawn into a tough group that included hockey powers Savojarna, as well as the Free Republics. The Goldhorns did quite well for themselves, however, defeating Savojarna 5-3 in Savojarna as well as getting a 4-0 win on the road over the Free Republics. The second half of the campaign was a bit trickier, however. The Goldhorns lost at home to Savojarna, could only draw with the Free Republics, and suffered a 4-3 loss at home to unknowns Pachenstein. To date, the Pachenstein loss remains the only time the Goldhorns have ever lost a game to a team ranked below them. The Goldhorns finished 2nd in their group and advanced to the playoffs against host nations Equestria. Despite a win in Game 1 of the best-of-three series, the Goldhorns would fall flat in games 2 and 3, being knocked out of the tournament by the hosts.

Becoming Contenders: WCoH 38-39
The heartbreak of World Cup of Hockey 37's playoff loss loomed large over the team heading into World Cup of Hockey 38, hosted in Savojarna. For the first time in the Goldhorns' participation, the tournament would be a single round-robin group stage. The Goldhorns were again handed a difficult task, up against some new nations that looked strong as well as 3-time world champions Elejamie. The Goldhorns, however, would go 4-0-0, including a spectacular and shocking 7-2 win over Elejamie that secured the team's passage into the playoffs. In the first round of the playoffs, the Goldhorns were drawn against Lorenthia, who they had faced in the group stage. Siovanija & Teusland won the game 8-2 and advanced to play neighbours Valanora in the Quarterfinal. The game was the first-ever meeting between the nations in international hockey, and the Goldhorns defeated the six-time world champions 7-2 in another shocking result to advance to their first-ever semifinal. There was a great feeling of hope in the nation, that perhaps this time it was our year. In the end, however, the team lost the semifinal against Abanhfleft 2-1 in overtime. To this day, Goldhorns fans will tell you that a high-sticking penalty should have been called minutes before the end of the game that would have sent the Goldhorns to the power play, however, the team went on instead to finish 4th, losing the third place game against Mercedini.

In World Cup of Hockey 39, hosted in Kelssek, there was a motivation to avenge that difficult defeat. Again facing a single round-robin format, the team were drawn in a group with rivals Savojarna, setting up a final day contest that would determine the group. Despite an early goal by Razvigor Tsvetanov, Savojarna would rally in the final ten minutes to win the game. However, due to seeding, the teams met again just days later in the Round of 16. This time, the Goldhorns held onto a 1-0 victory to knock out their rivals and advance to the Quarterfinals, where they would again meet Mercedini. The Goldhorns lost 3-2 in overtime, ending their World Cup of Hockey dreams for another edition.

Champions: WCoH 40-41
Back to back heartbreaking defeats can do many things to a team. It can break you down and beat you, or it can cause you to fight even harder. Going into World Cup of Hockey 40, it was clear the Goldhorns were prepared to fight. The older generation, the players who brought the team into the world at WCoH 35, were still going strong - Gunter Pfenning, Razvigor Tsvetanov, Jorg Gottschall and more. In addition, the newer generation of younger, talented stars including Timo Schlager, Edwin Ranger and Toni Mihelic now had key roles to play as well. In a warm-up tournament, the Coupe Jacques IX, the Goldhorns won the tournament, including a win over favourites Neu Engollon in the final. World Cup of Hockey 40 saw a return to the double round-robin home and away group stage, and was hosted in the Royal Kingdom of Quebec for the playoff rounds. In the group stage, the Goldhorns were clearly a team on a mission. They defeated challengers including rising powers like Huelavia, and posted an undefeated 9-1-0 record.

In the Round of 16, the team faced off against Delaclava. Making their return to the international hockey scene, the Delaclavs had posted an excellent defensive record in the tournament and were expected to be a real challenge for the Goldhorns, who would win a tight game 3-1. That set up a group stage rematch with Huelavia in the Quarterfinals. The Goldhorns had gone 2-0-0 against them in the groups, but the second game had been a tight 4-3 win and Huelavia had clearly improved since then. Two early goals, however, paved the way for a 2-0 win and a return to the Semifinals, where the Goldhorns were drawn against rivals Savojarna.

The semifinal against Savojarna is considered one of the best international hockey games in recent memory, and is a contender amongst Goldhorns fans for the best game in national team history. It was a back and forth contest that saw Savojar sniper Johan Bryzhnev help fire his team to a 3-1 lead midway through the game before Edwin Ranger scored two goals of his own to bring things back. Tied 5-5 in the final minutes, the Goldhorns would score with just 1:26 on the clock after an excellent play from the core of Schlager-Ranger-Mihelic to win the game and advance to their first-ever World Cup of Hockey Final, where they would face six-time champions and neighbours Valanora.

The final would be a best-of-three series, making the task for the Goldhorns all the more difficult. The talk before the series dealt with how the Goldhorns' physicality and speed would match up with the Vanorians' speed and skill, and in game one it was the Goldhorns doing most of the talking as they took a 4-2 win to put themselves one game away from taking home the Cup. In game two, the Goldhorns would play a tightly-fought match that was tied late in the third period 2-2. Gunter Pfenning then wrote his name in the history books with a goal with just under three minutes remaining that would secure the win, and the first World Cup of Hockey title for Siovanija & Teusland.

World Cup of Hockey 41 stood as a massively important tournament for the national team. Ranked number 1 in the world before the tournament, the team entered as favourites to take back the title, but would get off to a tough start in the group stage, with draws against Terre Septentrionale and old rivals Quebec. However, the team would rally to win their last seven games in a row, including an 8-4 win over Quebec, to win their group and qualify for the playoff stages. In the first round, the team would face off against hosts Taeshan, and defeated them 4-3 to advance to the second round.

The second round saw the Goldhorns face a spirited challenge by Gyatso-kai, former world champions looking to re-assert their position at the top of international hockey's pantheon. The underdogs would force the Goldhorns to a shootout, but an Edwin Ranger goal secured the win for Siovanija & Teusland, as they advanced to the next round to face subregional rivals Banija. Despite close ties between the two countries, and countless international football matches between them, the Goldhorns had only faced their Banijan counterparts at the senior level on ice twice: both times in World Cup of Hockey 35, and both times won by Banija. This time, however, the Goldhorns would win the game 3-2 and advance to the semifinals, where another rival was waiting for them.

For the second straight cup, it was a semifinal showdown between the Goldhorns and Savojarna. Once again it was an extremely tight and hard-fought game, but the Goldhorns would prevail with a 3-2 win to advance to the final. Many of the tournament favourites, including nations like Neu Engollon, Cassadaigua and Valanora, had been knocked out early. This left the Goldhorns to face Ko-oren, a team on an incredible underdog run, and one of the most skilled defensive teams in the world.

In the final, that defensive skill would shine through. 60 minutes left nothing solved, as the score remained 0-0. The first and second overtimes saw no scoring either, and the Ko-oren goaltender Aiane Alacia had 72 total saves in the game. Siovanija & Teusland's David Wagner stopped 52 of his own in the game. With both teams tiring in the first half of triple overtime, the Goldhorns finally managed to break through. An opening for just a second in front of the net gave Timo Schlager a great chance, and he scored the goal that won the Goldhorns their second straight Cup. The goal, in the 107th minute of hockey played on the day, quickly became arguably the most famous moment in the history of Siovanija & Teusland sport, not just hockey, and went down as one of the latest World Cup of Hockey winning goals ever scored. The Goldhorns were champions for a second straight tournament.

Junior Team
Hockey Siovanija & Teusland also fields a team in international junior (under 20) hockey, and in recent years has served as the main organizing body for the World Junior Hockey Championship. The Goldhorns first participated in World Junior Hockey Championship 14, which was hosted by Hockey Siovanija & Teusland in Stelburg and St. Jakob. Amidst heavy pressure to perform, the Goldhorns won a group that featured teams like Abanhfleft, Jeckland and regional rivals Banija. With great pressure on the team to bring home a gold medal on home ice, they needed to live up to expectations in the playoff round.

The Goldhorns responded immediately, defeating North Quadana 7-1 in the Round of 16. They then faced off with Sarzonia in the Quarterfinals, a team who had arguably the best player in the tournament in Brett Tanguay Jr. The Goldhorns, however, got the best of Tanguay and the Stars, defeating them 3-1 to set up a semifinal rematch with Banija. The Banijans fought hard, but a goal by Leon Goss in overtime gave the Goldhorns a place in the finals against Donnacona. The final was an incredible back-and-forth contest between the two teams, each desperate to win the medal. In the end, Benedikt Ressel's goal with just 2:26 left would secure a 6-5 win for the Goldhorns, who won the gold medal on home ice.

The national team sent a less competitive team to WJHC 15, hosted by Fluvannia. In a very difficult group, the Goldhorns failed to qualify from the group stage, despite having 7 members returning from the gold medal team. Hockey Siovanija & Teusland has started a new program, the 'Program of Excellence,' to ensure that stronger junior squads are put out at every tournament, with a particular focus on those hosted at home.

Currently, Hockey Siovanija & Teusland serves as the administrative body for the World Junior Hockey Championship, and former Ehrenliga player Ruslan Derikov leads the World Juniors Organizing Committee.

Savojarna
Arguably the Goldhorns' biggest rivals from a competitive standpoint, Siovanija & Teusland and Savojarna always seem to meet each other on hockey's biggest stage. The first meeting between the teams was a 5-3 win for the Goldhorns in Savojarna, but the Northlights won the next two games between the sides, including the return match in Stelburg and the group stage game in World Cup of Hockey 39.

Since then, however, the teams have met in 3 playoff games, each of which was won by the Goldhorns. World Cup of Hockey 39's Round of 16 saw the teams meet again, and David Wagner posted a great goaltending performance, making 36 saves in a 1-0 shutout win for Siovanija & Teusland. World Cup of Hockey 40's semifinal saw the teams instead play a high-scoring shootout, that was won on an exciting winner by Edwin Ranger with just moments remaining as the Goldhorns won the game 6-5 and advanced to the Final. In World Cup of Hockey 41, the teams meet again in the semifinals, and with everything on the line once more the Goldhorns were able to get the job done and take the victory 3-2.

The rivalry between the teams features a contrast of styles (skill vs physicality), political systems (communism vs capitalism) and features some historic background, as the Teus Empire and the Savojar Empire fought multiple wars against each other in the 1800s. When mixing in how popular hockey is in both countries, it is clear this is perhaps the best hockey rivalry at the moment, and maybe one of the best in all of sports.

Banija
There are a great deal of ties between the Kingdom of Banija and the United Republics of Siovanija & Teusland, making them great friends on the international stage. On the ice, however, there is also a great rivalry developing between the sides. Hockey is the number one sport in Siovanija & Teusland, but is far down on the list in Banija. As a result, Hockey Siovanija & Teusland has worked to develop the game in Banija, including supporting a professional team (the St. Jakob Crusaders) to play in the Banijan league. Many of Banija's national team players come from the Banijan diaspora in Siovanija & Teusland, including Antou Sene, and some, like Sene, have gone on to play in the Ehrenliga.

On the ice, the teams first met at World Cup of Hockey 35, where they were drawn in the same group during the Goldhorns' international debut. The first game between the sides was a thrilling 6-5 win for Banija that served as the first-ever loss for the Goldhorns, in their third international game. A few weeks later, in Banija, the home side would win again, 5-4 over the Goldhorns. The teams would not meet again until the third round of the World Cup of Hockey 41 playoffs. With the Goldhorns defending champions looking to repeat, the Banijans were determined to stop their neighbours from doing so. However, a 3-2 win for the Goldhorns saw off the Banijans, and Siovanija & Teusland would get their first win over the Southwestern Atlantian Oceania partners.

The teams have also met at the junior level, in the group stage of World Junior Hockey Championship 14 (a 1-0 win for the Goldhorns) and in the semifinals of the same tournament - a 3-2 overtime victory for the Goldhorns. With hockey on the rise in Banija, many have pegged this rivalry as one that could grow into something truly special in the near future.

Quebec
The definition of 'friendly rivals,' Quebec are the team Siovanija & Teusland have played the most on the world stage - 6 times in the World Cup of Hockey, and 10 total when counting the Super Series. Quebec were the team Siovanija & Teusland played in their first-ever international match, which was a 1-0 win for the Goldhorns in a shocking upset. The Goldhorns would later win the return leg 3-1, securing their first place position in the group. In World Cup of Hockey 36, Quebec would get some revenge, as they themselves swept the Goldhorns.

Following the tournament, the sides organized the 'Super Series,' a warmup for World Cup of Hockey 37. The first two games in Stelburg and Borograd saw Quebec dominate the Goldhorns, including a 7-4 win in game 2. However, in Quebec, the Goldhorns would recover to win both of the last two games and the series. The teams did not play each other again until World Cup of Hockey 41's group stage. In the first game, the teams would draw 0-0, while the Goldhorns would defeat Quebec 8-4 later in the tournament en route to their second world title. The Goldhorns' oldest rivalry, games against Quebec are always something the fanbase looks forward too.

Valanora
It's very hard to reach a point where the six-time world champions, the most in the history of international hockey, consider you a rival. But the Goldhorns get a special exception to that rule - that is, being the neighbours of Valanora in the Glorious Southwest. The teams did not meet until the Quarterfinal of World Cup of Hockey 38, in a game that was much-hyped within Siovanija & Teusland as being a gauge of what level the Goldhorns had truly reached on the international stage. The Goldhorns would dominate the game and win 7-2 in what became a memorable playoff run for the team.

The Valanora rivalry really developed a few years later, however, when the teams faced off in the World Cup of Hockey 40 Final. The Vanorians were looking for their seventh world title, the Goldhorns their first. Two close, hard-fought games later, the Goldhorns had won the series 2-0 and become champions for the first time. It was only the third time in nine trips to the final that Valanora had been defeated.

Each time these nations meet, there's a battle for Southwestern supremacy on the line - and at the moment, the GSW might just be the powerhouse region in the hockey world, with both finalists in WCoH 40 and 3 Quarterfinalists and the eventual winner in WCoH 41. No matter how many wins the Goldhorns get, however, you get the sense that they'll always be in the shadow of their neighbours until they can at least match that magic number 6.

Triple Gold Club
According to Hockey Siovanija & Teusland, the 'Triple Gold Club' is defined as a player who has won the World Junior Hockey Championship, the World Cup of Hockey, and a Strauss Cup title in their career. No player has earned membership in this club yet. Numerous players have won the World Cup of Hockey and the Strauss Cup, however due to age will never have the opportunity to win the World Juniors. Three players have won the World Juniors and World Cup of Hockey, but are yet to win the Strauss Cup. They are three of only four players in history to win both tournaments, and are listed below. Between the three, the first to win the Strauss Cup will be considered a Triple Gold Club member.

Major honours

 * World Cup of Hockey: Winners (40, 41)
 * Fourth place (38)


 * World Junior Hockey Championship: Winners (14)

Minor honours

 * Coupe Jacques IX: Winners (1)