Klara Miuller had first boosted Lithuanian promotion hopes with a sensational individual dash when roaring back to beat newcomers Thailand 2-1 in overtime.
Fifth-placed Croatia then stepped out to edge arch-rivals and promotion hopefuls Serbia 1-0 in a high-octane closing game securing Lithuania´s women´s team a first World Championship gold medal. Mauras Baltrukonis´s team now advances to next year´s Division II Group B.
Three teams – Lithuania, Thailand, and Serbia – entered the final round in Belgrade tied on nine points in the hunt for gold.
The Lithuanians stepped out in the first game of the final day versus Thailand knowing that a win in regulation would clinch promotion, no matter the outcome in Serbia´s closing clash versus Croatia.
Instead, it was fellow promotion hopefuls Thailand that went ahead at 9:08. Suwipa Panyamaneerat held off three Lithuanian players along the right boards and skilfully served Rinrada Poka alone the slot who netted high on the blocker side of netminder Vilte Belicenkaite.
Gabija Petrauskaite got Lithuania´s revival underway thumping home a close-range equalizing goal on the powerplay eight minutes into the final frame. Any hopes for the required Lithuanian regulation-time win were thwarted as the Baltic nation got into penalty trouble in the closing stages of the game with Thailand pressing for a winner.
In the end, Lithuania secured the vital extra point with a shorthanded overtime winner as Miuller thundered past the last line of the Thai rearguard to convert past Thamida Kunthadapakorn at 62:37.
But all was still left to play as the puck was dropped in the closing game between Serbia and neighbours Croatia.
Eager to topple their fierce rivals on their home patch, the Croats got rewarded on their fourth straight attempt on the powerplay. Selected as the tournament´s top defender, Diana Stolar unleashed a wrister from the point at 42:12 to break the deadlock past the outstanding netminder of the tournament, Ana Ilic. A disciplined defence limited the Serbs to only 14 shots as the Croats held out for a memorable 1-0 victory. Heartbreak for third-placed Serbia, unbridled joy for the Lithuanians.
Lithuania got their promotion campaign underway when breezing past South Africa 10-3 with Viltaute Jasineviciute enjoying a six-point afternoon. It…
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