Korean Tsunami

Korea and Croatia open the last day of World Championship in Eindhoven with different feelings: Croatia gained the stay in Division I b also for next year, while Korea absolutely needs to win this game and then cheers for Lithuania stopping Great Britain. Croatia has Dominik Kanaet back in the line-up but still can do without Kostovic, Waugh and Letang.

The difference of motivations and skills is evident in the first minutes of the game: Koreans are faster and more skilled than opponents and early opens the score with a fast move of Testwuide, his assist finds the one timer by Michael Swift.  Croatia has immediately a good chance to equalize but the deflection point-blank of Murray slams on goalie Park. Korea underestimates the danger and is punished at 09:39 when Nathan Perkovich create a wonderful no-look pass between the legs on his back: very easy for Blagus to score. Korea feels the pinch, Sang Hoon Shin incredibly misses the last touch alone in front of Dekanich and Croats well defending during the power play closing the period.

Bad luck continues to haunt Croatia: at 21:45 goalie Mark Dekanich suffered a very bad blow to the head remaining apparently unconscious on the ice. Rescues takes almost 10 minutes to to put him on the stretcher and take off the ice, under the worried looks of players and spectators, replaced by Mate Tomljenovic.

Bad moment: Croatian goalie Mark Dekanich carried out on a stretcher

In a silent arena the game goes on until 22:58 when Croatia surprisingly scores with Ryan Kinasevich tapping in a rebound by Park on Milicic. Korea immediately reacts scoring 3 goals in 2 minutes: ties game at 24:43 with a missile from the blue by Jin Hui Ahn with Tomljenovic not blameless. The goalie has responsibility also at 25:45 when late to get rid of the puck favouring the pass of Sang Wook Kim for Ki Sung Kim goal between the legs. The nightmare start for young goalie is completed at 26:14 when is beaten again from long range by Wonjun Kim. Croatia is completely groggy, Korea totally dominate the ice: Tomljenovic stops Min Ho Cho alone in front of him, then rebounds on Don Ku Lee but can’t do anything at 28:17 when Ki Sung Kim appears again alone in front of him netting the fifth goal. Croatia tries to stop the storm finding a short-handed goal at 30:10: Murray steals a puck during a Korean attack, flies on the wing and centres for the easy finishing of Ivan Brencun. This goal puts the game back on tracks and Croatia has a couple of chances to score again, but the period finishes with the sixth Korean goal, scored by Mike Testwuide finishing a speedy move by attacking line.

Korea starts better in the last period and Tomljenovic has a lot of work from short and long range but the the worst seems passed for the young back-up, well placed in every conclusion and especially reactive at 46 deflecting a precise shot of Sang Hoon Shin. The goalie is beaten at 48:49 guiltless by Won Jun Kim on power play. Also Croatia takes advantage from a superiority to score the fourth goal, a finishing by Igor Jacmenjak from a smart pass from Ryan Kinasevich. Korea restores distances 15 seconds after with Testwuide on Swift assist and one minute later scores ninth goal with Sang Wook Kim with a solo. Game ends lamentably with an aggression of Sasa Martinovic on Jin Hui resulting in a major penalty for Croatian player

Korea does its job, now it’s only waiting for good news

MVP: Igor Jacmenjak – Hyun Soo Kim

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