International Ice Hockey Federation

Rehearsal for Russian girls

Rehearsal for Russian girls

U18 women’s team wins tournament on home ice

Published 15.08.2018 10:47 GMT+5 | Author Martin Merk
Rehearsal for Russian girls
Russian forward Oxana Bratisheva scored two goals in the deciding game against Sweden. Photo: Steve Kingsman / HHOF-IIHF Images
Two months before hosting the 2018 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women’s World Championship Dmitrov, Russia won a Four Nations tournament also on home ice.

Like the U18 Women’s Worlds, the tournament took place in the Moscow Region, this time in the town of Stupino. It ended with the same ranking like one year ago and Russia winning against all its European opponents.

The first game was the most difficult one for Russia, which outshot Finland 30-21. The Russians broke the deadlock at 8:15 of the second period when Alina Orkova opened the scoring on a power-play marker. Daria Beloglazova made it 2-0 at 13:25 of the third period but the Finns were not beaten yet as Ida Kuoppala answered with the 2-1 goal just 31 seconds later. However, two late penalties didn’t make the task easier for the Finns and Ilona Markova scored the 3-1 marker during a 5-on-3 advantage.

It was the last time the Russians conceded a goal. The next day they blanked Germany 3-0 and then beat Sweden 4-0. The Swedes were undefeated after having beaten Germany 4-2 and Finland 1-0 with Josefin Bouveng scoring the only goal.

480 fans in Stupino saw the Russians dominate the game against Sweden with 34-14 shots on goal. Oxana Bratisheva opened the scoring at 9:22, Arlina Orlova and Maria Alexandrova scored in the middle frame and with 4:57 left in the game Bratisheva had her second goal to make it 4-0.

Russia will host the 2018 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women’s World Championship during the Russian Christmas holidays. The event will take place in Dmitrov in the Moscow Region from 6th to 13th January 2018.

Swiss dominate in Asiago

Switzerland dominated a Four Nations tournament in Asiago, Italy, with three wins and a 22-6 goal record. The Swiss blanked neighbouring country Austria 7-0 with hat tricks from Rahel Enzler and Lara Zimmermann.

In front of 200 fans in Asiago the Swiss also dominated in another neighbouring clash against host Italy and Zimmermann had another hat trick in the 8-1 win.

The last game against Slovakia became a tighter affair. Oona Emmenegger gave Switzerland the lead at 3:22 but Julia Matejkova tied it one minute later. Then Switzerland’s top forward line was red hot again. Enzler scored two goals and Jessica Schlegel added another one to make it 4-1. The Swiss managed to defend the lead and eventually won 7-5 with Enzler getting another hat trick.

Host Italy, which is ranked behind the three opponents in the U18 Women’s World Championship program, had a good showing on home ice and won the other two games. In a defensive match-up Nadia Mattivi scored the only goal to help Italy edge Slovakia 1-0. And on the last day the Azzurri secured the second spot in a 2-1 win against Austria thanks to first-period goals from Rebecca Roccella and Mattivi.

The second-place finish was a good omen for the Italian girls as Asiago will also host the 2018 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 Women’s World Championship Division I Group A from 8th to 14th January 2018.

Enzler was the top scorer of the tournament with 18 points (8+10) before her linemates Zimmermann (7+6), Schlegel (4+4) and defender Sina Bachmann (0+6). Italy’s Roccella was the first player from another country with two goals and an assist and her teammate Sara Belli was the most successful goaltender with a 97.4 save percentage in two games.

Japan’s sunrise in the Czech Republic

Japan, which was relegated to the Division I, travelled to the Czech Republic for a three-game series with the Czechs. Mahiro Yamamoto scored the first goal of the series but the Czechs won the first game 2-1 after markers from Nikola Dyckova and Aneta Zachova.

It was a different story in the next games. After Miyuru Ogawa’s opening goal it was again Dyckova, who made it 1-1. But this time the Japanese won 2-1 after Kaho Suzuki’s power-play marker midway the second period.

On the last day the Japanese were more dominant with 30-20 shots on goal. Yuki Ito scored at 1:48 but the Czechs tied it with a Sabina Matouskova goal. Second-period goals from Yumeka Wajima and Suzuki gave the Japanese a 3-1 win.

Hungary wins in Granada

More U18 women’s games in an international break were played than ever also thanks to Spain hosting a tournament in Granada. For some players it was a return since the arena hosted the IIHF Women’s Goaltending Development Camp in summer.

Hungary was the tournament favourite and had a comfortable start with wins against Great Britain (4-1) and Spain (3-1). Poland also started the event undefeated with a 6-0 blanking of Spain and a 5-0 win against Great Britain but wasn’t able to score that much in the final game against Hungary.

After Ewa Podracka opening the scoring at 7:50, Dora Boglarka Szick tied it up for the Hungarians.

Five penalty calls against Hungary gave Poland the chance to regain the lead in the second period but the frame remained scoreless. Hungary had to start the period shorthanded after a major penalty for tripping against Katinka Sandor-Szekely but the Poles didn’t capitalize on the situation and took two minor penalties. With 4-on-3 players on ice Mira Seregely gave Hungary its first lead in the game at 2:43 of the third period and ten minutes later Dominika Bonita Horvath made it 3-1. The Poles reacted with an Iga Schramm goal two minutes later to make it 3-2 but didn’t manage to tie the game.

Host Spain surprised on the last day in the game between the winless team. Playing against Great Britain, which normally competes a tier above in the U18 Women’s World Championship program, the Spaniards managed to keep the game close and Marta Martin Echave gave the yellow-and-red team the lead at 12:13 of the second period. Great Britain outshot the hosts 23-19 but had trouble scoring into the net guarded by Ione Oyanguren. With 7:07 left in regulation time Charlotte Edgar tied the game for Great Britain and eventually a shootout had to decide. Andrea Merino Ibanez scored the game-winner for Spain.

Hungary’s Szick ended as the tournament’s top scorer with six points (3+3) followed by Polish forward Wiktoria Gogoc (1+4). Poland’s Klaudia Kaleja and Hungary’s Imola Horvath followed with three goals and an assist.

Four Nations Tournament in Russia      
9 Nov.   Stupino (RUS) Germany Sweden 2-4
9 Nov.   Stupino (RUS) Russia Finland 3-1
10 Nov.   Stupino (RUS) Sweden Finland 1-0
10 Nov.   Stupino (RUS) Germany Russia 0-3
11 Nov.   Stupino (RUS) Finland Germany 6-1
11 Nov.   Stupino (RUS) Russia Sweden 4-0
           
Standings: 1. Russia 9, 2. Sweden 6, 3. Finland 3, 4. Germany 0.
           
Four Nations Tournament in Italy      
10 Nov.   Asiago (ITA) Switzerland Austria 7-0
10 Nov.   Asiago (ITA) Italy Slovakia 1-0
11 Nov.   Asiago (ITA) Austria Slovakia 0-4
11 Nov.   Asiago (ITA) Italy Switzerland 1-8
12 Nov.   Asiago (ITA) Slovakia Switzerland 5-7
12 Nov.   Asiago (ITA) Austria Italy 1-2
           
Standings: 1. Switzerland 9, 2. Italy 6, 3. Slovakia 3, 4. Austria 0.
           
Series in the Czech Republic      
8 Nov.   Litomerice (CZE) Czech Rep. Japan 2-1
10 Nov.   Lovosice (CZE) Czech Rep. Japan 1-2
11 Nov.   Lovosice (CZE) Czech Rep. Japan 1-3
           
Four Nations Tournament in Spain      
10 Nov.   Granada (ESP) Great Britain Hungary 1-4
10 Nov.   Granada (ESP) Poland Spain 6-0
11 Nov.   Granada (ESP) Poland Great Britain 5-0
11 Nov.   Granada (ESP) Hungary Spain 3-1
12 Nov.   Granada (ESP) Hungary Poland 3-2
12 Nov.   Granada (ESP) Spain Great Britain 2-1 SO
           
Standings: 1. Hungary 9, 2. Poland 6, 3. Spain 2, 4. Great Britain 1.

 

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