Ukraine gets serious

Both Ukraine and Romania are debutant in Division Ib, coming from a different past: Ukraine as the worst team in Division 1a last year, Romania after a brilliant campaign in Division 2. The troop of coach Aleksandr Savitsky has a clear goal: to come back from where they went, but know the journey won’t be easy in the troubled and dangerous waters of the Division B. Romania has a more modest plan: avoid the hell of Second Division. The yellow-blue team immediately wants to set the record straight: 2 goals in the first ten minutes – scored by Yuri Petrangosky and Vladislav Gavryk – put Romania in a corner, without the chance to build a game of restraint, with few danger situations for goalie Zakharchenko, even in superiority. The goal of Romania is quite incidental - the shot of Szabolcs Papp hit a skate and comes on Robert Peter stick: easy for him to finalize – but unexpectedly gives fuel to the team, that benefits of a power play at the end of period. But in the second the music is not different: Ukraine leads the game, controlling the puck thanks to a superior overall quality and physical presence on ice. Third goal is the natural consequence: at 27:54 Gavryk finalizes a perfectly executed counter-attack.

The third goal, scored by Vladislav Gavryk

Ukraine continues creating a lot of chances, but lacking accuracy to yellow-blue players allowing Romania to stay alive even after the second period and a 9-35 SOG statistic. The last period begins with an acceleration by Ukraine, resulting in the fourth goal, scored by Aleksandr Pobedonostsev after a tic-tac-toe between Yunost Minsk duo Shafarenko-Mikhnov: Pobedonostsev shot is not retained by Ruczuj landing in the goal. Captain Viktor Zakharov fattens the score at 44:02 receiving from Sergei Babinets in front of the cage and finalizing with no chances for Ruczuj. SC Miercurea Ciuc goalie avoids sixth goal with a brilliant save on Roman Blagoy at 47, but cannot oppose to the shot of Artem Gnidenko at 48:07 while his team is with a man more. The last five minutes spend with Ukraine in Romania’s defensive zone, except for a counterattack not finalized by Zoltan Sandor, but without real dangers for Ruczuj, pardoned by Blagoy in a 3 vs 1 situation. The game reflects the gap between the two teams, is not this the game to earn points to avoid relegation for Romania.

MVP: Gellert Ruczuj – Vladislav Gavryk

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