Make way, everyone. Nela Lopusanova is coming.
The 14-year-old Slovakian has been one of the most dominant forces at the U-18 Women’s World Hockey Championship, currently taking place in Sweden. After recording nine points in her first three games, Lopusanova pulled off a highlight-reel goal against Sweden, scoring on a lacrosse-style attempt in the first period of their quarterfinal matchup on Thursday.
It was Slovakia’s only goal in a 6-1 loss but one that tied it up before the halfway point of the first. Lopusanova holds the tournament lead in points with 10, making her one of the favorites for tournament MVP honors.
Slovakia’s medal round hopes are over, but a true star of the game was unleashed on the world. Lopusanova is the only 14-year-old to score at a top U-18 level, regardless of gender, and she can return three more times.
It’s not like she came out of nowhere, either. The 2008-born forward has played in Slovakia’s U-16 men’s league, racking up 31 points in 10 games to lead her team in scoring. She also plays in the top Slovak women’s league with 25 points in just six games.
Lopusanova currently sits 10th among U-15 scorers in that league, but her 3.10 points-per-game average is second behind Onderj Husak, who holds a 3.42 PPG. It’s not uncommon for younger players to dominate the Slovak U-16 division – Ukranian-born Olekssi Kryvonos has 45 points in 19 games as a 13-year-old – but her output is definitely notable.
Slovakia’s senior women’s team hasn’t played in the top division in over a decade, so having a rising star in waiting could be huge, and Lopusanova is just only just getting started. There was some significant hype for her heading into the tournament, but she has exceeded expectations for a program that hasn’t seen much success.
The 2023 women’s U-18 World Championship will conclude on Sunday, with Canada looking to go back-to-back after winning in Wisconsin last year. Canada and USA have combined to win gold every year since the tournament began in 2008, but Finland and Sweden have both showed their muscle in recent years.
