The night of talent

The clash between pointless Croatia and Romania is decisive for the fate of both teams, maybe the last and only chance to earn points in the group, assuming Estonia continuing to play with the determination showed until now. Both coach has full roster to align, including star Borna Rendulic, the player who everyone expects to make a difference. Croatia turns up the heat from the beginning and opens the score after 01:06: Mislav Blagus prepares the shot for Igor Jacmenjak: goalie Ruczuj, covered, see the puck too late to give a hint of a save. Romania slow to react so home team rushes into opponent doubling the score at 07:11: Marko Tadic shoots from the distance, Ruczuj rebounds and Matija Milicic finishing with a reverse shot. Romania changes the goalie and wastes a good chance with Moldovan even if Croatia continues to lead the possession and control the game: Jankovic calls Onodi to a difficult save at minute 12. Romania re-emerge with a sudden goal by Levente Lorincz surprising Tomljenovic from the angle, but Croatia lasts 07 seconds to restore the gap: check-in won, puck from Jarcov to Jankovic for the third goal. Before the siren, bad checking by Marko Ljubic and major penalty for Croatian assistant captain. A mistake by Tomljenovic puts Romania back on tracks at 23:50 while his team is on power play: the goalie deflects in his cage a slow pass by Robert Peter intended to reach Lorincz in the centre of defensive zone. Luckily for Croatia another power play and Borna Rendulic on ice make the difference: Colorado Avalanche forward quickly skates past Szabolcs Papp and executes Onodi deserving a standing-ovation of the arena. Two minutes after Croatia seals the contest: Ivan Jankovic stubbornly steals a puck in Romania defensive zone serving Luka Jarcov for an easy finishing. At 30:49 it’s David Brine to leave his trademark: Onodi rebounds a shot from the blue by Tadic and the tap-in of Glumac but has to surrender on second attempt by Canadian – Croat. Despite the predominance of Croatia, Romania finds the third goal with a beautiful finishing of Csanad Fodor without giving the impression to seriously battle on equal terms. The end of period is all for talented Ivan Jankovic: he scores his second goal of the night assisted by Luka Mikulic and hits a post with two minutes to play. A nice save by Tomljenovic on Robert Peter closes a period dominated by home team. Domination continues also in the third: nine second and mike Glumac get in Romania defense with no opposition, skates around Onodi scoring goal number 8 of the night. The game has now a slow pace, favouring the weaker team: Romania scores twice in 50 seconds, both with active collaboration of Tomljenovic: at 48:50 Hunor Csergo shot without opposition but the reaction of goalie is not the quickest possible; even worse the attempt to block a shot by Csanad Fodor at 49:39, resulting in an awkward deflection in the goal. Enough to be replaced by debuting Vilim Rosandic, who takes the ice to see his teammates scoring another two goals: Matija Milicic at 50:23 and Marko Sakic at 50:43 for the joy of chanting fans in the standings and the frustration of goalie Onodi, who takes puck number eleven from the cage at 53:03 in probably the best action of the night: quick slalom by Rendulic and puck served perfect in front of the goalie for the one-timer of Mislav Blagus. 39 seconds after, again Rendulic, at ease in the role of assist man, put also Kenny Macauley in the list of scorers. Rosandic enters in the party with a brilliant save on Csanad Fodor at minute 57. The end is a celebration on ice and in the standing for a convincing victory that means escaping from quicksand of the standing. Romania left a bad impression and will be a tough task not coming back to Division II

MVP: Ioan Timaru - Luka Jarcov

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