Revenge is served.... with the interests

Lithuania - Great Britain represent the first game in the mini-tournament between the three team, including of course Ukraine, that supposedly battle for the promotion. For the British players and the fans, the clash also recalls the at memory the atrocious prank of last year in Eindhoven, when an incredible loss in the last game, with Lithuania out from promotion quest, costed Great Britain the success and donated on a silver plate the final victory to incredulous Korean. This year the teams battle with the quest for promotion still open and a slight advantage for Lithuania after the point conceded to Estonia by British. Plus, coach Russel lost brilliant forward Robert Dowd, the goal-winning scorer of the last complicate match against Estonia, admitted yesterday to hospital with abdominal pains. Before the game two key players, forward Matthew Myers and captain Jonathan Phillips were honoured after reaching cap number 75 with national team in the game against Lithuania, becoming the seventh and eighth players to reach the milestone. Cap number 60 for defender David Phillips. No surprises in Lithuania roster, with the wonder-kid Artur Pavliukov in the net.

The game has a different level, very tactical, unblocked by a blunder of goalie Pavliukov who messes up behind the cage during a power play for his team, allowing captain Jonathan Phillips an easy goal shorthanded at 08:24. The Lithuanian goalie partially redeems two minutes later, deflecting with the mask a powerful shot by Clarke and at minute 15, saving with the pad on Cowley. But Pavliukov has an hand also in the second British goal, scored by Ashley Tait with a not unstoppable shot passing between the leg of confused young goalie. While Lithuania cannot find the way of threatening Bowns cage, Pavliukov makes a difficult save on Farmer at the end of first period. Thirteen seconds in the central period and the stick of Russell Cowley hands over the puck from the board for the merciless one-timer of Ross Venus, with no chances for Pavliukov After a fruitless power play for the Baltic, Myers has a chance face-to-face with the goalie but shots out. Made no mistake four minutes later, instead, Robert Lachowitz bagging in the upper angle a puck crossing all the Lithuanian defensive zone. Lithuania is virtually off-ice and British dominate: at 30:42 Ben O’Connor shots with no opposition finding the angle with Pavliukov again not blameless. Coach Haake changes the goalie and new arrived Donatas Zukovas is immediately urged on dominant British shooting from all positions. He stands less than a minute: at 31:05 Jonathan Boxill finishes a Jonathan Phillips – Robert Lachowitz combination taking the rebound in front of the cage. While colleague Bowns is a simple viewer, Zukovas takes another puck in the cage, sent by Russell Cowley at 36:15 . The British storm not subsiding: Zukovas does what he can facing a team that shoots from all sides while his teammates are literally in shock: at 39:00 Colin Shields completes the massacre of second period scoring on power play for the ecstasy of fans: 27-3 shots on goal just in second period are the proof of an overwhelming superiority. The last period is a consequence of what happened in the second: the game is already decided and teams slow down the pace with few opportunities from both sides. The Great Britain practically eliminated Lithuania from the race to the promotion and now could face Ukraine in decisive match.

MVP: Jonathan Phillips – Arturas Katulis

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