Reaffirming the supremacy

The Baltic derby between Estonia and Lithuania opens the World Championship Division Ib in Zagreb, Croatia with the teams on ice aiming for different goals: Estonia wants to repeat the personal “miracle-on-ice” of last year in Eindhoven, when, as underdog and newly promoted from Division II, managed to avoid relegation sending down home team Netherlands, while Lithuania aspires to confirm the bronze medal and – why not? – to battle for the promotion. The last clash ends with an incontrovertible 6-1 for Lithuania, but this season the team coached by German Bernd Haake travelled to Zagreb without key players as Tadas Kumeliauskas, injured, Darius Pliskauskas and the star player, goalie Mantas Armalis, recently earned an entry level contract with San Jose Sharks. Estonia, with possibly almost the best roster, played better in the first period, opening the score with its best player, Robert Rooba, finishing with a one-timer a pass from line mates Aleksandr Petrov and Andrei Makrov. Lithuania feels the punch and goalie Artur Pavliukov  has to work rebounding on Roman Andrejev and Artur Fedoruk, but demonstrates a great scoring efficiency, tying at 14:24 with Mauras Baltukronis and overtaking at 16:43 with Ugnius Cizas, with Estonian defence out of position, leaving the forward to shot without opposition. A shot from the blue by Lahesalu and a personal try by Makrov mark the power play for Estonia that closes the first period.

Lithuania had some great chances after 30 seconds in the middle period but Paulius Gintautas wastes it alone in front of  the cage missing the last touch, differently from his teammate Daniel Bogdzuil, skilled in taking advantage from a pass by Arnoldas Boas on shorthand after another naïve mistake by Estonian power play unit. Lithuania accumulate penalties and finally Estonia manages to use well the power play, scoring the second goal with Rooba after a good save by Pavliukov on Lahesalu.  But if good on attack, Estonia shows all its limits on defence, conceding three more goals before the siren: at 28:06 a missile by Nerijus Alisauskas from the blue lands in the goal with Koitmaa uncertain while at 31:15 goalie can’t do much to stop an unopposed penetration by Paulius Gintautas. Finally at 37:39 for Nerijus Alisauskas it’s a breeze to tap in a rebound on a Kumeliauskas shot. Estonia changes the goalie for the last 20 minutes, with Daniil Seppenen in the cage, already called to an important save on Bosas, once again after a mistake of power play unit. After a 5 vs 3 situation resulting in just a tentative by Makrov, Fursa has a great chance but shoots on Pavliukov at minute 48 and same goalie was great at 50 saving on Sibirtsev, before another shorthanded goal by Lithuania (out Ilija Cetvertak), scored by Gintautas on Baltrukonis’ pass. Seppenen made a great save at 55 on Arturas Laukaitis after an interception while Estonia was setting an attack, practically closing a game that reaffirmed the gap between the teams, despite a good start by Estonia.

MVP: Robert Rooba – Artur Paliukov

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