Great Britain need overtime to bend Estonia

Last season in Eindhoven Great Britain toiled for earn a victory against newly promoted Estonia, winning 2-1 after a tight game that included a penalty shot missed by Robert Rooba when score was 0-0. In Zagreb Estonia comes with a year more of experience and optimism, despite a not brilliant debut against Lithuania, costing two injured players, defenders Andrei Lukin and Filipp Shvarogin, not aligned today. 26 seconds and it’s 1-0 Great Britain: Russel Cowley bungles the puck near the cage but manages to serve Craig Peacock for an easy deflection. Aleksandr Petrov and Riho Embrich call Bowns to not too difficult saves, more complicate the grip of Koitmaa on Jonathan Phillips. Estonia organizes the reaction with a great opportunity after two consecutive penalties, producing a great chance with Rooba: his shot with cage opened finds the outstanding reflex of goalie Bowns. With teams at full strength, the pad of Koitmaa is providential on a shot by Ben O’Connor. At minute 12 again Bowns decisive on Sibirtsev, served by Titarenko. While in a good moment Estonia suffers the second goal, scored by Cowley with a perfect one-timer after a break of Robert Dowd. Less than 30 seconds after, Baltics reduce the gap with Aleksandr Petrov, reactive in deflecting a shot of Lahesalu. At minute 17 the post of Koitmaa rings out, hit by a powerful shot of Robert Dowd who breaks the stick for the frustration. Estonia closes the period on attack with a man more, calling Bowns to a couple of saves on Makrov. The first-minute-syndrome affects Estonia also in the second period: Russel Cowley finishes a wrap-around move beating a not perfect Koitmaa. Great Britain survives a power play despite a good pressure by Estonia that plays decently in this period but is terribly ineffectual on attack: the only real save by Bowns comes at 30 and it’s a great one on Sibirtsev. Baltics need a positioning error of British defence to restore the hopes: a brilliant pass by captain Lahesalu opens the road to the cage for Petrov: the Valpellice forward doesn’t miss the chance. Teammate Makrov, instead, misses a great chance not hooking a smart pass by Rooba one minute later in the best momentum for Estonia. After a couple of minute quite groggy, Great Britian retakes the lead and threats Koitmaa with Lachowitz, Jonathan Phillips and Dowd closing the period with authoritatively. David Phillips, hit by a puck, goes out lame but seems nothing serious.

David Phillips hit by a puck leaves the ice in the second period

The third period counts a post hit by Weaver and a good chance wasted by Rooba before a sensational save by Bowns on Makrov in the best chance for Estonia until there to tie game at 50. But finally Baltics finds the deserved third goal on power play with the typical move Rooba-Lahesalu-Makrov, finalized by the experienced forward taking advantage from a fall of British intensity. The last minutes are tense: with 43 seconds to play Robert Farmer has the three-points-puck on the stick but shoots on Koitmaa and at the last second Estonia defence manage to stop a solo by Dowd. The vibrant protests cost Ben O’Connor 10 minutes of penalty before the begin of overtime. The first chance in the extra time is on Andrejev stick but his deflection on Rooba pass is weak and Bowns can deflect. On the other side Koitmaa makes a much more difficult save closing the door on Lachowitz. Great Britain has the chance of a power play – interference called to Andrei Makrov – and don’t miss it: Jonathan Weaver prepares the shot for Robert Dowd, he takes the aim and leaves no chance for Koitmaa, with visual covered. An hard-earned victory for the British proves there are no easy game in the journey for the gold. Estonia earns a point that could counts a lot in the battle to stay in Division 1

MVP: Russell Cowley - Aleksandr Petrov

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