In the winner-takes-all clash with host Serbia for promotion, the Netherlands came out on top with a hard-fought 3-1 victory. A perfect record at the Pionir Ice Rink flies the Dutchmen straight back to Division I Group B in 2026.
“Our goal coming here was to go up and when we got our best team available the Netherlands belongs in Division I Group B,” said the Netherlands head coach Doug Mason after collecting a maximum 15 points with a goal difference of 25-4.
“Tactically we are very solid in our zone, penalty killing has been good, we are attacking with speed all the time and going hard to the net,” said Mason.
Such qualities were on display as the Netherlands battled the Serbs for top spot on Monday night. With both teams entering the contest with full points, Mason´s crew temporarily silenced a fervent home crowd with an early opener.
D’Artagnan Joly, one of four debutants on the Dutch roster, finished off a flying move just 2:40 into the contest.
The pair´s most recent meeting dates back to a Division I Group B clash in Tallinn just over two years ago. Serbia then rallied back to celebrate a 3-2 shootout win. With both teams aspiring a return to those heady heights, Serbia´s Mirko Djumic got the Belgrade crowd on their feet to tie the game at one at the mid-way mark of the first frame.
An evenly matched second frame finished goalless to become the only period of the tournament when the Dutch failed to score.
With the Serbs pressing hard to go in front in the third period, the Netherlands broke loose on a rush with Joly cooly converting his second of the evening.
With 39 seconds left of the third frame, Delaney Hessels hit the nail in the coffin with his 3-1 goal as Joly added his third point of the evening. At the other end, goaltender Cedrick Andree played at his first World Championship tournament for the Netherlands and stopped 31 shots versus the Serbs.
Andree, Hessels and Joly were among a dozen changes made to the Dutch roster compared to last year´s winless team in Division IB. Tilburg Trappers, the Dutch flagship team skating in Germany´s Oberliga exit at the semi-final stages in early April bolstered Mason´s roster ahead of their latest promotion push.
“When Tilburg started the play-offs I was out on the ice with 28 guys, then slowly started to cut…
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