2024-04-29 07:26:15
After this victory, the Lithuanians, together with China and Ukraine, are the leaders of the tournament. On Monday, there will be a break in the championship, and on Tuesday, our team will play against the Dutch team, which has not tasted victory yet.
“We accelerated. In the beginning, it was back and forth, but it got better every half. We looked really good. The Estonians tried to provoke while losing, but the coaches said that one should not indulge in the “wars” they suggested.
After all, they had nowhere to retreat – they lost… That’s why you saw – as soon as the whistle blew, we retreated, and the Estonians still tried to hang us, but we remained calm”, testified national team player Ugnius Čižas.
Lithuanians already in the first half 38 sec. scored a goal, and then forced the Estonian goalkeeper to pull the puck out of the net twice more.
“Those quick goals were very important for our team. That good start gave us confidence. We always have derbies with the Estonians and we try not to lose to them in the world championship matches – believe me, the motivation is really enough for the duels with Estonia“, said U. Čižas, whose pass led to the sixth goal in Estonia’s goal.
“That first goal was really necessary and motivating. The start was very solid. After all, you know how difficult it is to drive in at home and show a good game.
But today everyone in the team got into the game. Everyone took the initiative, everyone fell under the puck if necessary. It can be said that that practice, that homework helped us in the fight against the Estonians”, – legendary national team player Mindaugas Kieras, the assistant coach of the national team in the duel.
In the second half, Estonian players cut our Laisvydas Kudrevičiis’ lip and blood spilled on the ice. The hockey player rushed to the locker room after a while, but returned.
“He’s cool. He had his lip stitched up. In the locker room? I don’t know… He showed me while already sitting on the bench that everything is fine and he can be useful to the team,” explained M. Kieras.
The coach was happy that the team looked impressive this time: “There were also difficult moments and we said that it was necessary to withstand them and it was the work of the whole team.”
“We all rejoiced at the victory. To tell the truth, we already celebrated joyfully in the locker room – now we already have such a tradition of singing Stasios Povilaitis’ “Light, light for me again…”, said the coach of the national team.
Now there will be a one-day break in the championship and the national team plans to take a joint team photo.
“We are still thinking about what outfit to use for this photo,” said M. Kieras with a smile.
2024-04-29 07:26:15