The fifth and final round of Group A of the I Division I Ice Hockey World Championship in Great Britain was largely decisive for the six teams that participated in the tournament.
In the first game of the day, Romania only needed one point in the match with Poland to maintain their place in the group. The team already achieved a feat in a duel with Lithuania, when it managed to come back, losing 0:2. Furthermore, these were the first points scored by the Romanian team at this level since 2004.
The Romanian team expressed its desire for a positive result in the middle of the first twenty minutes, opening the scoring, taking advantage of the uncertain play of the Polish goalkeeper Maciej Miarka, who for the first time in his career became the goalkeeper of the national team in a official party. It is noteworthy that in the current season he only jumped on the ice four times for his club Katowice. The national team coaches were forced to keep him in goal due to an injury sustained by main goalkeeper John Murrem during the pre-match warm-up.
Polish hockey players transferred to the Romanian national team in the first period 11:2, but failed to level the score. But already in the second the sights were corrected and the 0:1 became 4:1 for the second break. After that, no one had any doubts about the final result of the meeting.
In the third half, the ‘white-reds’ scored twice more, allowing the rival to score only once. The result of the match is 6:2, and Poland wins the right to play in the elite division for the next season for the first time since 2002.
In the second game of the day, the fate of the Lithuanian team was decided, which, in the event of a defeat against South Korea, was relegated to Group B of the I division. It should be noted that both teams are going through a generational change, and playing at a higher level is undoubtedly more useful for young hockey players.
South Korea could only be knocked out of the group if they trailed in regulation time by six goals. Despite the low probability of such an outcome, the Land of the Morning Calm players did not take risks, just like their rivals, who needed a victory like air.
The scoring in the match opened 13 seconds after play resumed in the second twenty-minute period, Shin Sangun scored. But already in the middle of the period, Lithuanian hockey players, thanks to the efforts of Ugnius Sizas, managed to equalize it.
In the third half, the Lithuanian team increased their pressure on the opposing goal, but three minutes before the end of the match, Mantas Stankius received a double light penalty for playing with the high stick, effectively depriving his team of a chance to win. . Despite the desperate situation, the coaches of the Lithuanian national team replaced the goalkeeper with the fifth outfield player and scored an empty goal, which sent them to group B of the 1st division.
Well, the fate of the championship was decided in a duel between the teams of Great Britain and Italy. The teams had a real fight, the intrigue of which continued almost until the end of the third period.
From the very beginning of the meeting, the Italians began to lay siege to the British gates, but a little rudeness led to their removal, which the owners of the ice immediately implemented. The game opened up, the attacks rolled through the gates of both teams in turns, and luck smiled on Squadra Azurra, who managed to equalize the score.
The second half also went by at a great pace, forcing the fans of both teams to hold their heads in unreal moments of their favorites or their hearts after saves by the goalkeepers. The only difference with the first twenty minutes is more goals scored. The British scored three times, their rivals twice.
After the second break, the game calmed down, well, or the hockey players began to give up their forces. The Italian team, forced to recover, removed the goalkeeper and dropped the puck to an empty goal. The British team led the match to victory – 5:3, which caused the ecstasy of the fans gathered under the arches of the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham.
The hosts and Poland will compete next season in the elite group, while bronze medal winners Italy will look to challenge for promotion next season.
Source: Rossa Primavera
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