Ruthless Ukraine routed Estonia

World Championship Division Ib is back after the day off opening the third day with the interesting match between Ukraine and Estonia. Baltic are now optimistic about the second consecutive escape from relegation after the point earned against Great Britain, while Ukraine confirms its favouritism until now and can consider this game as the last “easy one” before the key clashes against Lithuania and Great Britain. Roster complete for coach Savitsky, while Estonia has defender Krupin back in the third line, but can’t count with Filipp Shvarogin, injured after the first match, and Riho Embrich. Despite the good performance against British, coach Jussi Tupamaki replaced goalie Koitmaa with back up Seppanen. The young goalie has immediately a lot of work, facing Zakharov and Blagoy attempts in the then a minute. Such a great pressure from the beginning results in the logical first goal, scored by Vladislav Gavryk after five minutes, easily finishing an assist from Shafarenko. After a modest reaction from Estonia, resulting in a couple of easy saves for Zakharchenko, Zakharov hits the post with an angled shot and Seppanen is reactive on Tymchenko and Gavryk and fantastic in blocking with a dive a shot without fail by Bondarev. But Estonian goalie has to yield to a beautiful solo by Roman Blagoy at 14:12 before to shut the door with another important save on Mikhnov. In the second period a different Estonia is back on ice, more determinate and ready to fight for every puck. Zakharenko, part of audience in the first period, has to work on Petrov and Rooba before to succumb to a classy penalty-shot by same Rooba at 22:57.

Robert Rooba scoring the lone Estonian goal, on penalty shot

Seppanen is reactive on Bondariev one minute after before two mistake in sequence, by Fedoruk and Kutznesov, both missing the net for inches. At 29 a gigantic mistake by Petrov, shooting out after a great action by Rooba, denies once again the deserved second goal for Estonia. For the first time in the tournament is in trouble and suffers the aggression of opponent, knocking on Seppanen’s door in the central part of period just with Babinets. The Estonian biggest mistake is to not give the final blow to an opponent in trouble, especially if the opponent is stronger than you, thus Ukraine, even without shining, doesn’t forgive the inaccuracy of Baltic: at 36:25 Mikhnov scores collecting a rebound of Seppanen and 31 seconds after Tymchenko finishes an attempt by Gavryk, saved but not blocked by the goalie. The statistic of Shoots on goal for the second period speaks for itself: Ukraine manages to score 2 goals shooting 5 times, Estonia finds the net once in 14 attempts. Same plot for the last period: Estonia assaulting Zakharchenko cage, with a collection of various mistakes, Ukraine taking advantage from the chances allowed: Petrangovsky finished classy a counterattack outlined by Romanenko at 44:34. While Estonia seeking desperately the goal, the cynic team of Savitsky bites twice before the final siren, with Mikhnov on power play at 50:18 and Bondariev, well served by Babinets, at 55:08. Back-up Mikhail Shevchuk replaces MVP Zakharchenko with two minutes to play but Estonia is out of gas. An enjoyable game won by the most expert and effective team.

MVP: Eduard Zakhachenko - Roman Andrejev

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