Andrei Makrov sends Holland to Division II

Estonia and Netherlands fight for surviving in Division Ib in the last game of the tournament even if in a different situation: Estonia, still pointless, needs to win to reach the home team for which could be enough to grab a point to stay at the third level of hockey.

Estonian coach Jussi Tupamaki chooses Roman Sumikhin in the net, Holland has Ian Meierdres after the positive performance against Great Britain. Stands aren’t packed as in yesterday game mainly for the drab tournament played by the “Oranje” that has yielded just a victory against Croatia so far.

Game is enjoyable in the first period, with chances for both sides and a slight predominance of Netherlands but without capital chances until minute 17 when Estonia has a double power play and Meierdres becomes the key figure with a couple of great saves before to succumb to Makrov’s precise shots: at 17:27 assisted by captain Lahesalu and at 18:49, served by Aleksei Sibirtsev, the most experienced player leads Estonia to a comfortable 2-0 after first period.

In the second, as expected, Netherlands take the lead trying to recover the deficit, facing a concentrate Estonia, always dangerous with Makrov and Rooba. Sumikhin has no many problems until 28:55 when the shot from long-range by Erik Tummers passes in the traffic  in front of the cage to land in the net. Home side now hearten but risk a lot at 37 when a good counter-attack by Estonia makes room for the finalization of Jastrebov, well deflected by Meierdres. Same Jastrebov gives work to Dutch goalie 30 seconds before the siren.

Referee trying to cover the small hole on center-ice causing a delay of the game

Also the third period, as the previous, begins with some delay due to a bothersome hole formed in the center-ice, probably during the invasion of Lithuanian fans in the afternoon. When the game begins, Netherlands rushes in Estonia side and has two capital chances, with Kevin and Mitch Bruijsten, both slamming on a fantastic Sumikhin. As time passes Netherlands loose its nerve and the lucidity to attack with a tactic different from to throw the puck forward. Van den Heuvel misses a deflection for inches in the best chance for Dutch. Meierdres is pulled out in a desperate final assault but again Makrov is today the executioner scoring the empty-net goal that sends Holland in the hell of Division 2

MVP: Andrei Makrov – Erik Tummers

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