Sweden2 – Japan2 1:0 (end) | Russia – Germany2 4:1 (end)
final
Sweden2
1:0 (1:0, 0:0, 0:0)
Japan2
Sunday 09.02.2014, 09:00 • Shayba Arena, Sochi • Olympics - Women
     
    Japan have run out of time, and in a nervy encounter Sweden have claimed a vital 1-0 victory! Jenni Asserholt grabbed the only goal of the game midway through the first period, and despite heavy Japan pressure later on they managed to hold out to claim the three points. Thanks for following the game with us, and join me again in just under three hours for the second of today's games between Russia and Germany! (11:10:15)
     
    60:00
    Game over.
     
    59:10
    Empty net for Japan with just 50 seconds left!
     
    58:56
    Icing is committed by Japan, and they have called a timeout
     
    58:36
    Dangerous pass into Fujimoto on the crease, but she just can't make contact
     
    57:17
    Ukita cleverly makes the goalkeeper cover for a faceoff in the attacking zone with a wrister from outside the blue line
     
    56:06
    Lina Backlin from the point makes the goalkeeper cover up
     
    56:03
    Icing from Japan. With just under four minutes left until the final buzzer can Japan force home the equaliser or will Sweden hold on?
     
    54:31
    The puck goes over Fujimoto's shoulder and just before it rolls over the line Osawa pokes it wide!
     
    54:08
    Sweden have once again survived only just on the penalty kill
     
    53:30
    Osawa! Another glorious chance goes begging for the Japanese! Open at the right post she hits the puck into the goalkeeper's pads!
     
    52:20
    Sakagami! Rasping slapshot from the point which takes a slight deflection and the goalkeeper reacts really well!
     
    52:08
    Powerplay again here now for Japan, Olofsson for tripping has put her team on the penalty kill
     
    51:31
    Uden Johansson at the right post unmarked goes for the near post but it's blocked well!
     
    50:11
    Yet another hard and fast counterattack from Sweden but from a tight angle the puck hits the outside of the net! The game is really opening up
     
    49:31
    Three on one rush for the Swedes, but Maria Lindh can't control the puck at the final moment!
     
    48:47
    Kubo! How didn't she score! She completely strips the Swedish defender, charges through one on one with the goalkeeper and puts the puck wide!
     
    47:54
    Sweden are trying to keep Japan in their own zone, and Fujimoto has to cover up following a wrist shot from the boards
     
    45:06
    Borgqvist, one of the most dangerous players today, sends the puck across the crease but no one can get a decisive touch at the far left hand post
     
    44:35
    Sweden are again back to full strength
     
    44:27
    Koike from the blue line tries her luck, but it isn't powerful enough to cause the goalkeeper problems
     
    43:39
    Hirano! Toko makes a great skate around the net, picks out Hirano free on the left but from a fantastic position she fires only into Wallner!
     
    42:35
    Japan have a big powerplay opportunity coming up here, Wester for slashing is off to the penalty box
     
    42:03
    Nakamura finds an opening just in front of the crease, wrists it looking for the top left hand corner but Wallner turns it round
     
    40:56
    Fujimoto! Big save from the goalkeeper! Borgqvist picks the puck up from a pass from behind net and just can't stuff it home!
     
    40:01
    We're underway in the third and vital period, and it's looking as though it's going to do down to the wire
     
    40:01
    Start of 3rd period.
     
    Statistics after the opening 40 minutes of play-

    Shots on target- 17-11
    Penalty minutes- 4-4
    Saves made by the goalkeeper- 11-16
     
    40:00
    2nd period finished.
     
    39:30
    It's now the final 30 seconds of the second period
     
    38:28
    Sweden are once again starting to control the puck well, the Japanese defence is looking anything but solid
     
    36:25
    Asserholt! Almost right on the goal line she finds the puck after another defensive mistake by the Japanese, and Fujimoto somehow manages to deny her!
     
    35:13
    Osawa! She manages to tip the puck on a pass into the crease and with an excellent reaction pad save Wallmark keeps the shutout going!
     
    34:27
    The Swedes have survived that moment of heavy pressure and are back at full strength
     
    34:10
    Great chance for Japan! Yuka Hirano creates mayhem in the crease with a pass from behind the net, and then the puck trickles over the goalkeeper's shoulder and only just wide of the right post!
     
    33:41
    The Russian fans in the arena are really getting behind the Japanese, they want to see a close game!
     
    32:27
    Fujimoto covers up to ease some of the pressure. And now for roughing Cecilia Ostberg has been penalised and Japan suddenly have a powerplay chance to get back into the game
     
    30:51
    Olofsson is picked out brilliantly by Winberg open on the left, but she can't get the puck through a crowd of bodies on the crease!
     
    30:30
    And now icing from Japan
     
    29:57
    Icing from Sweden
     
    29:31
    Japan really are getting in a mess at the back, the puck bounces around the crease but no one could get a solid touch!
     
    28:54
    Rare attack form the Japanese, but the shot is taken too early from the right hand boards and it's no trouble for Wallner
     
    27:16
    Borgqvist! Excellent drive right to the net, but Fujimoto manages to poke the puck away at the vital moment!
     
    26:26
    Sweden are controlling the match well, but with the score still only at 1-0 they know they need to kill off this game soon
     
    25:26
    Suzuki makes a terrible mistake in giving away the puck in her own zone, but her fellow defenders get her out of jail
     
    24:56
    Icing from the Japanese, they were happy to just clear the puck to relieve the pressure there
     
    24:40
    Sweden are really moving the puck well today, Eliasson twice can't find the target from open positions!
     
    22:45
    Nakamura makes a pacy skate into the Swedish zone, wrists it with power but it's right down Wallner's throat
     
    20:57
    Borgqvist! Japan once again lose the puck by their own net, Borgqvist finds herself all alone on the crease but instead of finding the net she hits only Fujimoto!
     
    20:13
    Strong early attack from the Swedes, Asserholt with a clever pass feeds Wester who is denied well by the goalkeeper
     
    20:01
    Start of 2nd period.
     
    Statistics after the first period-

    Shots on target- 10-5
    Penalty minutes- 2-4
    Saves made by the goalkeeper- 5-9
     
    20:00
    1st period finished.
     
    19:40
    The puck bounces all the way through to Michelle Lowenhielm who snaps the puck wide of the target
     
    19:00
    We're now already into the final minute of the first period
     
    18:09
    Eliasson once again has a long attempt deflected, but this time it's weak and Fujimoto catches it in her glove
     
    16:27
    Japan cough up the puck right by their net and only just get away with it!
     
    15:30
    Fujimoto covers her near post well on a close range backhand attempt
     
    15:02
    Good skate to the net form Borgqvist, but she can't find her attacking partner with a killer pass
     
    13:30
    Shishiuchi! Right on the doorstep she picks up a big rebound but she can only put the puck wide!
     
    12:38
    Goal for Team Sweden! Eliasson fires it in from the blue line and JENNI ASSERHOLT expertly tips the puck into the net, powerplay goal and it's 1-0! Assists- Emma Eliasson and Erica Grahm
     
    12:28
    Toko for tripping has now given Sweden a powerplay opportunity to put the pressure on again
     
    11:25
    Hori tries to create something on the crease, but the puck finds only the pads of Wallner
     
    11:18
    Olofsson is now back on to the ice for Sweden
     
    10:05
    Kanae Aoki shields the puck brilliantly away from the defenders, goes for a cute wrist shot into the far post but Wallner saves with ease
     
    09:18
    Out of nothing now Japan have their first powerplay, Olofsson for body checking has been sent to the penalty box
     
    09:03
    Ami Nakamura skates hard into the zone, but instead of driving on she shoots early with the backhand and it comes to nothing
     
    08:42
    Japan are now back to full strength
     
    07:54
    Good puck movement from the Swedes, Eliasson fires in a dangerous looking slapshot but it gets deflected over
     
    07:04
    Scramble in the crease and somehow Fujimoto manages to freeze the puck!
     
    06:42
    The pressure is building and the Swedes now have a powerplay, Yamane for holding has been called
     
    06:26
    Fujimoto is being made to work harder now, and on the second attempt she manages to dive on the puck following a slapper from the point
     
    06:23
    Olofsson! She finds herself in space on the left, wrists it in on goal but it goes only into the goalkeeper's chest
     
    05:44
    The puck is sent dangerously across the Japanese crease, but it gets deflected out of harm's way
     
    05:31
    Japan go offside
     
    05:21
    Erica Uden Johansson twists on the left hand boards and goes for the near post, but the goalkeeper covers well
     
    05:10
    Icing from Japan. Although they're not seeing much of the puck they are looking solid defensively
     
    03:38
    Japan finally have their first attack, but the eventual shot from distance is weak and is blocked by the defenders
     
    02:56
    The first offside of the game is committed by the Swedes
     
    02:05
    Sweden are keeping possession of the puck well straight away, Japan are struggling to get out of their own zone
     
    00:18
    Andersson has the first shot of the game from just in front of the blue line, but it drifts far wide of the post
     
    00:01
    Game started.
     
    The teams are now emerging out on to the ice, in just a few moments we will be getting underway!
     
    Starting lineups:

    Sweden: Wallner (Martin-Hasson)- Backlin, Andersson, Asserholt, Wester, Winberg- Backman, Eliasson, Borgqvist, Grahm, Nordin- Olofsson, Holmgren, Ostberg, Lindh, Lowenhielm- Engstrom, Rask, Uden Johansson

    Japan: Fujimoto (Konishi)- Koike, Hori, Yoneyama, Osawa, Fujimoto- Toko, Suzuki, Hirano, Sakagami, Kubo- Aoki, Takeuchi, Adachi, Ukita, Shishiuchi- Kondo, Yamane, Nakamura

    Referees: Blair, Girard, Svobodova.
     
    Group B is made up of four teams, Sweden and Japan, the host nation Russia, and Germany. Russia are favourites to go ahead and win the group, and they will kick off their campaign against the Germans a little later today.
     
    Sweden sit in the 6th in the IIHF world rankings, with Japan not far behind in 10th. Without a doubt the Swedes are still big favourties to get their campaign off to a flier, but Japan will be willing to show the whole world just what they can do.
     
    Good morning everyone, and welcome to coverage of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games from Sochi, Russia. The first game we have for you today is the opening match of group B of the women's ice hockey tournament, where Sweden meet Japan. Japan may not be the most typical hockey nation, but we should be in for an intriguing encounter.
     
    Welcome. Game starts at 09:00.
    Commentary by

    Shaun Nicolaides

    Goals & lineups Match log
    Goals and assists: 13. Asserholt (Eliasson, Grahm)

    Sweden2: Wallner (Martin-Hasson)- Backlin, Andersson, Asserholt, Wester, Winberg- Backman, Eliasson, Borgqvist, Grahm, Nordin- Olofsson, Holmgren, Ostberg, Lindh, Lowenhielm- Engstrom, Rask, Uden Johansson
    Japan2: Fujimoto (Konishi)- Koike, Hori, Yoneyama, Osawa, Fujimoto- Toko, Suzuki, Hirano, Sakagami, Kubo- Aoki, Takeuchi, Adachi, Ukita, Shishiuchi- Kondo, Yamane, Nakamura
    Referees: Blair, Girard, Svobodova