Korea is back on track

Lithuania and Korea open the day #4 of the tournament with a decisive clash to continue to dream the promotion, both cheering for Netherlands, on ice tonight against leader Great Britain. Coaches have full roster and the game soon does what it promised: speedy actions and a lot of motivation from both sides. After one minute rough charge by Ki Sung Kim on captain Mindaugas Kieras but fortunately, despite a blow to the head on boards, the Energija Elektrenai can come back on ice. Korea is aggressive also when playing shorthanded and this attitude hinders the opponent. At 13 the first real danger for Mantalis: Hui Jin Han resists two charges and shots on goal from the angle, the goalie blocks. Same Mantalis repeats on Sang Hoon, ready to a one-timer in front of him and on a shot from mid-range by Don Ku Lee: on Lithuanian side chances for Cizas, rebounded by a defender’s dive and Bosas, his dangerous shot causes some troubles to goalie Park. At 18 good chance for Bendzius with a deflection on Kulevicius pass, but Park is reactive and blocks with the body. The period ends with a penalty for both teams – Sang Wok Kim and Daniellus Nomanovas – after the reaction of Korean player for a brutal charge on boards.

The second period begins with two saves by Mantalis on shots from long range and again the aggressive start of Korea intimidates Lithuania, supported by a good number of fans on the standings. Park well rebounds a powerful shot from the blue by Alisauskas at 24, before a more difficult save by Mantalis on Radunske. Korea increases the pressure, Swift sees his one-timer from short distance rebound by Mantalis and the Lithuanian goalie is superb in closing the door twice, at 27, on Hyung Shin and Testwuide. Continue pressure, interrupted only by a quick counter-attack by Kumeliuskas, results in the first goal, scored by Jin Hui Ahn with an accurate shot after a puck stolen by Swift during a Lithuanian attack. At 30 Korea has another chance when the shot Sang Hoon passes under the leg of Mantalis but it’s miraculously stopped by the goalie before to cross the line. At 32 Mantalis uses the head to deflect a missile by Ahn from the blue on power-play. Korea has now the game in hand and scores twice in 3 minutes: at 35:49: Mantalis difficulty rebounds a shot by Hyung Shin on Min Ho Cho stick, easy for the center to get in the net and at 37:44 when Swift brilliantly finishes an offensive move by Radunske and Sang Wook Kim. Before the end of period, triple work for Mantalis to save the net from fourth goal.

Lithuania begins better the last period with three chances to score, by Kumeliuaskas e Pliskauskas, all rebounded by Park, earning a power play at 43 without result. At 48 Pliskauskas has a great chance flying towards Park’s net after a wrong pass by Korean attack, but he shots on the goalie before a power play for Korea with a lot of work for Mantalis. With a bit of luck Korea scores fourth goal at 52:01 when Young Jun Lee finished in the net a wrong shot by Hyeok Kim. Lithuania gives up and the fifth goal scored at 54:03 bi Ki Sung Kim on power play closed the game, despite a couple of tentative by Pliskauskas in the last two minutes

Koreans greet the audience with the traditional bow

Korea did its job and now has a last game, easy on the paper, against Croatia for three more points, but Asian team is not the master of its own destiny and have to hope Great Britain will lost some points in last two games. Lithuania says goodbye to dreams of promotion but can still battle for the medals and eventually rains on Great Britain parade tomorrow

MVP: Arturas Visockas – Brock Radunske

Tweets by @eurohockey