Australia wasn’t expected to pose much of a threat to elite division candidates Slovenia and Kazakhstan but was hoping to trouble Japan and Lithuania and beat Croatia to stay in Division I.

Croatia may have underestimated Australia at first as the Aussies put in a fearsome effort in the first 5-10 minutes, but short on depth and missing two of their top players from injury in the first game, the ‘Mighty Roos’ couldn’t put a puck by Croatian star goalie Belic, hitting the post at least once.

The Croatians did eventually score in the first period, and added another two in the second before Newcastle’s Rob Starke scored late in the period to give the green and gold a spark coming back for the final period.

Croatia, however, were undeterred and stepped their game up a notch, putting it out of reach in the first minute of the period and finishing out the game as 5-1 victors.

While on the surface the losses to Slovenia (6-0), Japan (7-1), Lithuania (9-3), Kazakhstan (13-2) and Croatia (5-1) could been seen as embarrassing, the reality is that Australia is closer to being a Division I team than the other countries, who have recently attempted the same feat.

South Korea had a chance in 2008, but China, Israel and Romania were all far more soundly beaten than the Aussies in their participation in Division I.

The Australia team are expected to return from Lithuania this week, many returning to their Australian Ice Hockey League teams to start their season this weekend.