Italy takes control with a second win, Latvia demolishes Slovenia and Great Britain suffers a gut-wrenching overtime loss to Korea.
It was another frustrating outcome for Great Britain as they slipped to successive defeats to begin the tournament. Korea chipped away at an early two-goal deficiency and slowly but surely earned themselves a come-from-behind victory.
“Today was tough, we were up 2-0 and ended up leaving with a loss. I thought we played really well, there were a lot of positives to take out of it. We dominated for large parts of that game there are just times as a team when we need to focus and make sure we are playing our systems.” – Rachel Cartwright.
Great Britain 2-3 Korea OT
FIRST PERIOD
For the most part, the opening frame was a low-event affair in which Great Britain dominated possession and zone time.
Although the hosts dictated the pace of play, Korea kept them to the perimeter and no high-quality scoring chances were created at 5v5.
Ella Howard was an interested onlooker until called upon at the nine-minute mark. The netminder made a sharp double save after GB had been caught down low following a needless icing.
Great Britain broke the deadlock ninety seconds later on the power play. Aimee Headland did the hard graft using speed to gain the zone before rounding the net. Louise Adams sniped from the top of the left circle to score the opening goal of the tournament for the hosts.
The lead was doubled in a somewhat bizarre fashion. With line changes being made, Ellin Rees made a nuisance of herself in the Korea zone, denying two zone exits. She duly calmed down a bouncing puck before slapping home from between the circles.
It was far from pretty at times but the scoreline was just what the doctor ordered for Great Britain.
SECOND PERIOD
Korea began to tilt the ice in the middle frame, as GB’s breakouts and transition game faltered.
The hosts were fortunate not to be punished after giving up an early 3v1 but Korea would strike inside five minutes.
It was a nicely worked power play goal, however GB will be disappointed that they left Sojubg Lee unattended in the slot to receive a pass from below the goal line. Howard got a piece of the resulting shot with her glove but the puck had enough momentum to cross the line.
Korea almost went 2-for-2 on the power play as they toyed with Great Britain. Howard produced key saves to keep the lead intact as GB escaped to the dressing room with their narrow lead intact.
THIRD PERIOD
Great Britain produced a far better showing in the final frame and deserved a better fate.
Three penalties in eleven minutes turned the first half of the frame into a special teams battle.
Neither nation could capitalise on the power play, Great Britain did go close on two opportunities with the extra skater.
Headland, Beth Hill, Lucy Beal and Jodie Alderson-Smith were all denied from the slot as GB did a far better job of creating Grade-A scoring chances.
Twenty seconds after killing a second penalty, Korea scored off a practised play.
Sojung Lee’s slap pass into the slot was redirected expertly by Siyun Jung to tie the game at 2-2.
OVERTIME
In a game in which power plays dominated and featured curious calls or lack thereof by the officials, it was almost inevitable the result would be decided in such a fashion.
Korea earned the extra point with an extra skater as Eunji Lee struck on the rebound after Howard had denied Jiyoon Park. It was rough justice on Howard, who had performed admirably in difficult circumstances.
POSTGAME NOTES
Ellin Rees scored her first senior goal which was also her first point.
Ella Howard turned aside thirty shots to earn GB a point.
Players who impressed include Chamonix Jackson. Although she features in the bottom six, Jackson is a fireball of energy and the first to the last second of every shift. Her endeavours broke up breakout plays and a couple of turnovers. Lucy Beal had a solid game from the blue line and was an ever-present threat offensively. Aimee Headland is at her best when utilising her speed and long strides to gain the zone and is a thorn in opponents’ sides when doing so.
Italy 2-0 Kazakhstan
FIRST PERIOD
The tournament favourites found Kazakhstan a tougher proposition than Slovenia in the opening twenty minutes.
The lower seeds drew the first penalty just 43 seconds in. They weren’t able to make the extra skater count and almost conceded as Aurora Abatangelo had a short-handed chance from the high slot.
The dangerous Abatangelo forced a fine right pad save from the Kazakhstan netminder shortly after as Italy began to find its feed at 5v5.
Italy showed how it was done on the power play with a quick and decisive strike. Kristin Della Rovere rifled the puck top shelf from the right face-off dot to break the deadlock.
Kazakhstan is nothing if not feisty and went close to providing an immediate response.
Munira Sayakhatkyzy deflected a shot narrowly wide and on the follow-up play had an effort blocked from the slot.
Goalmouth action was at a premium thereafter but for a scramble in the dying seconds where the Italy net lived a charmed life as Kazakhstan threatened to tie the game heading into the intermission.
SECOND PERIOD
Italy imposed themselves territorially in the middle frame but didn’t make it pay on the scoreboard.
A 2v1 rush was generated just twenty seconds into the second period. Maltide Fantin found Manuela Heidenberger waiting at the backdoor, but the finish lacked a killer touch.
Two minutes later Kazakhstan created its best chance of the period. Anastassiya Orazbayeva was the recipient of a giveaway in the slot but contrived to miss the target.
Italy was left frustrated on the power play as Anna Cuomo struck the post after Arina Chshyokolova had made three successive desperation saves.
The Kazakhstan netminder continued to hold down the fort as Italy out-shot their lower-ranked opponent 13-6.
THIRD PERIOD
Italy never looked in danger of giving up their lead despite its precarious nature.
Chshyokolova kept Kazakhstan in the first with a left-toe save to rob Samantha Gius and an even better blocker stop to turn aside Nadia Mattivi.
Italy completely shut Kazakhstan down offensively, restricting them to four shots in the final frame with Fedel untested between the pipes.
The tournament favourites scored an insurance marker with five minutes remaining to wrap up the points. A drive to the net by Della Revere resulted in a scramble in the crease with a Kazakhstan player kicking the puck into their own net. Abatangelo was credited with the final Italian touch of the puck but it was rough justice on the Khazakhstan netminder who had excelled.
Fantin had an impressive game but could not score for love or money.
After striking the post following a withering drive to the net, Fantin was chosen to take a penalty shot.
It was a nice move by the Italian forward but an even better save as those wearing blue jerseys had to be content with a 2-0 victory.
Latvia 11-2 Slovenia
FIRST PERIOD
It’ll be a miracle if Slovenia avoids relegation. Not only are they overmatched against most nations, but individual mistakes and some odd coaching decisions are making their job even more difficult.
This outing was another horror show as they found themselves facing a healthy deficit after twenty minutes.
A chance inside the opening twenty seconds was as good as it got for Slovenia as Latvia struck two minutes later.
Linda Rulle was allowed to skate down the heart of the slot and comfortably finished on the blocker side.
It was 2-0 inside six minutes as Latvia struck on the power play.
Anna Kublina’s shot struck the post and rolled along the goal line before gently falling into the cage.
Krista Nicole Yip-Chuck feasted on a giveaway to score a third on a wraparound as Slovenia looked downtrodden with only thirteen minutes played.
Karina Silajane struck the iron on a delayed penalty but the reprieve was short-lived for Slovenia.
Rulle scored a carbon copy of her first goal to make it 4-0.
Emilija Jakovleva rounded off the scoring with five seconds remaining on a feed from Rulle.
SECOND PERIOD
There was no let-up from Latvia although Slovenia would get on the board for the first time in the tournament.
Anna Lagzdina made it 6-0 with assistance from Rull and Silajane who continue to impress in this tournament.
Slovenia responded within sixty seconds. Julija Blazinsek scored with a low shot that trickled through the Latvia netminder, who had been impenetrable the previous night against Great Britain.
The best goal of the game was an individual masterpiece from Liga Miljone who scored the first short-handed goal of the tournament.
Elizabete Lukasevica rounded off the scoring in the period to give Latvia an 8-1 lead.
THIRD PERIOD
Rulle completed a well-deserved hat-trick and her tally was quickly followed by Yip-Chuck hitting double figures for Latvia.
Slovenia scored another consolation goal through Gaja Pezdir but Latvia had the last word with a late goal for Alina Sardina.
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