Finland – Germany2 2:1 (end) | Russia – Japan2 6:3 (end)
final
Russia
6:3 (1:0, 3:2, 2:1)
Japan2
Sunday 16.02.2014, 18:00 • Olympics - Women
     
    Thanks for following the game with us! Have a good night! (20:19:42)
     
    Russia has qualified for the game for the 5th spot against Finland who earlier today beat Germany 2-1 in a close match. For Japan the game for the 7th spot goes against exactly these Germans who beat the Asians 4-0 in the group stage already. The loser of the game for the 7th spot will have to play a relegation against the winners of the Division I to determine who plays in the Top Division during the next women's IIHF World Championship!
     
    The Japanese scored early in the third period and it looked like they might start a race to catch up after the 4-3 but then the Russians took over the initiative again and with cleverness defended their small leads in the following minutes before deciding the match with two more power play strikes for a solid 6-3 win! As even as the game often appeared, as deserved is the Russian win still as they won every of the three periods!

    Shots on goal: Russia 13 (32) – Japan 8 (27)
     
    60:00
    Game over.
     
    58:03
    With less than two minutes left to play and a three goal deficit the Japanes pull goalie Nana Fujimoto out for an additional skater! Most likely too late for a race to catch up!
     
    57:26
    Instead of just waiting for counter attacks the Russians take their destiny into their own hands and try it with pressing themselves.
     
    56:34
    Almost the next one for Russia! Olga Sosina had a great solo but was stopped by Fujimoto!
     
    55:42
    Goal for Team Russia!


    The Russians with their third power play goal of the night already, make it 6-3! A shot from the red line by Anna Shibanova was deflected next to the net and the puck came straight to TATYANA BURINA who fired it into the back of the net from short distance! That should be the decisive goal!

    Assisted by Anna Shibanova and Alyona Khomich.
     
    54:22
    Hanae Kubo (Japan) gets two minutes for tripping.
     
    53:40
    Just after the Japanese were back at full strength Smolentseva had another back hand attempt without success.
     
    53:06
    Another shot by Angelina Goncharenko is no danger for Nana Fujimoto who had a very clear view this time.
     
    52:30
    A long distance shot by Anna Sibanova from the blue line caused a bit of trouble for Nana Fujimoto but in the ned she was able to cover the puck up!
     
    51:37
    Haruna Yoneyama (Japan) gets two minutes for kneeing.
     
    51:16
    The home team gets loud support by the majority of the fans in the arena and try to get more going in offense!
     
    50:18
    Japan almost with the quick response! Hirano missed the net with a shot from within the slot though!
     
    49:39
    Goal for Team Russia!


    GALINA SKIBA ends a fast passing combination initiiated by Tatyana Burina and Iya Gavrilova with a shot into the then wide open net from short distance – 5-3 for Russia and maybe the decision in this match?!

    Assisted by Tatyana Burina and Iya Gavrilova.
     
    47:50
    Aina Takeuchi (Japan) gets two minutes for high-sticking.
     
    47:30
    Fujimoto with a big save against a back hand attempt by Gavrilova and then the Russian team mates were not able to get the rebound!
     
    46:20
    Hirano with an unexpected scoring attempt from behind the net but her backhander is stopped by Leskina.
     
    45:00
    Japan is able to keep the game very balanced. They could score at any time. Who would have thought before the game?
     
    42:33
    Goal for Team Japan!


    CHIHO OSAWA's shot from the right wing goes in just below the crossbar and past the glove of Yulia Leskina!

    Assisted by Aina Takeuchi and Yuka Hirano.
     
    42:07
    Smolentseva failed to punish a poor Japanese attack when the puck went straight to the Japanese again.
     
    41:07
    The Russians are back at full strength.
     
    41:10
    A shot by Osawa hits the side netting.
     
    40:27
    Tatyana Burina had no chance against several Japanese opponents and thus only could give a harmless shot towards the net.
     
    40:01
    Start of 3rd period.
     
    The first half of the middle period gave the fans in the arena a series of five goals within just five minutes with the better end for the Russians who twice received the equalizer before they were able to run away with a 4-2 lead!

    Shots on goal: Russia 14 (19) – Japan 12 (19)
     
    40:00
    2nd period finished.
     
    39:07
    Iya Gavrilova (Russia) gets two minutes for slashing.
     
    36:36
    After a Russian attack Fujimoto is there with a stick save.
     
    35:51
    A shot by the Japanese from the middle of the ice hits the plexiglas behind Leskina but she stays calm and the situation is cleared by the defense.
     
    34:55
    A shot by Juka Hirano from within the slot is stopped by Yulia Leskina.
     
    34:07
    The Japanese women are back at full strength after a harmless Russian power play.
     
    32:07
    Miho Shishiuchi (Japan) gets two minutes for an unallowed body check.
     
    31:32
    Goal for Team Russia!


    After a blue line shot OLGA SOSINA gets the puck just in front of the net and laves Japanese goalie Nana Fujimoto no chance at all.

    Assisted by Yekaterina Smolentseva and Anna Shokhina.
     
    30:46
    Kanae Aoki (Japan) gets two minutes for an unallowed body check.
     
    30:00
    The Russians seem to gain controll of the game again.
     
    27:33
    Goal for Team Russia!


    GALINA SKIBA gets the lead back for the tournament hosts. After her team won a face off and fired a blue line shot towards the net she scored from short distance!

    Assisted by Iya Gavrilova and Tatyana Burina.
     
    26:50
    The Russian coaching staff reacts immidiately. Anna Prugova, the starting goalie, is substituted by Yulia Leskina!
     
    26:50
    Goal for Team Japan!


    With a long distance shot from the red line AYAKA TOKO scores the equalizer again for Japan just five seconds after the last goal by the Russians! Prugova didn't look good here despite the puck making a werid bounce in front of her!

    Assisted by Hanae Kubo.
     
    26:44
    Goal for Team Russia!


    The Russians react immidiately! ANNA SHOKHINA scores in a 2-on-1 attack by her team!

    Assisted by Yekaterina Smolentseva!
     
    26:14
    Goal for Team Japan!


    RUI UKITA scores the equalizer for the Japanese! Her shot from within the slot surprised Russian goalie Prugova.

    Without assist.
     
    24:51
    Thanks to a great individual effort by Vafina the puck is again far away from Prugova.
     
    24:20
    A Russian shorthanded rush ends with an offside call against the team.
     
    24:07
    Anna Shibanova (Russia) gets two minutes for tripping.
     
    21:58
    The Japanese forwards appear in front of Prugova but fail to create much danger.
     
    20:42
    An icing call against the underdogs brings the face off back into the Japanese zone.
     
    20:33
    With a tiger-like save Fujimoto stops another dangerous situation in front of her net.
     
    20:25
    A back hand attempt by Inna Dyubanok from the right circle is an easy task for Nana Fujimoto in the Japanese net.
     
    20:01
    Start of 2nd period.
     
    The Russian women weren't able yet to get their game plan working – unlike in the previous matches were they always showed a lot more danger than this evening.

    Shots on goal: Russia 5 – Japan 7
     
    20:00
    1st period finished.
     
    16:51
    Anna Shibanova (Russia) gets two minutes for tripping.
     
    14:03
    The Russians get an icing all against themselves. Head Coach Mikhail Chkanov with a lot of hand signals. The Russians have not yet found into the game.
     
    16:12
    Goal for Team Russia!


    ANNA SHUKINA scores the 1-0 for Russia after a cross-pass by Anna Shokhina into the slot!

    Assisted by Anna Shokhina.
     
    13:10
    A strange deflection from the boards behind the Japanese net forced Fujimoto to pay a lot of attention to make a save!
     
    10:40
    The Japanese goalie Fujimoto allowed a rebound which came to Smolentseva who immidiately went for a shot on goal but couldn't surprise her!
     
    09:30
    The Japanese women are playing with a lot of courage against the home team from Russia.
     
    08:42
    Dergachyova fights for the puck in front of the Japanese net but she can't get a shot on goal.
     
    07:30
    Yekaterina Lebedeva was hit by a Japanese shot and afterwards tried to reach the puck first but the opponents could get it back in time.
     
    05:55
    Veteran player Pashkevich skates into the corner and looks for a team mate within the slot but her pass was not accurate enough.
     
    00:01
    Game started.
     
    Starting lineups:

    Russia: Prugova (Leskina) – Tkachyova, Dyubanok, Goncharenko, Kapustina, Khomich, Shibanova, Shukina – Gavrilova, Burina, Skiba – Smolentseva "C", Sosina, Lebedeva – Vafina, Smolina, Dergachyova – Shokhina, Pashkevich. Head Coach: Mikhail Chekanov.

    Japan: N. Fujimoto (Nakaoku) – Koike, Hori, Toko, Suzuki, Aoki, Takeuchi, Kondo – Osawa "C", Hirano, Kubo – Yoneyama, M. Fujimoto, Nakamura – Adachi, Ukita, Shishiuchi – Yamane, Sakagami. Head Coach: Yuchi Iizuka.

    Referees: Eskola (FIN) – Girard (FRA), Novotná (CZE)
     
    Participating in the round for the 5th to the 8th spot was definately something the Japanese women had expected for the women's hockey tournament at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. The Russians as tournament hosts though had hoped to make it into the semifinals and to fight for bronze at least.

    Both played in group B with the weaker 4 teams of the tournament. There the Russians had a perfect record with wins against Germany (4-1), Japan (2-1) and Sweden (3-1) before losing against the until then winless Swizterland in the quarterfinals (0-2).

    For Japan the tournament was rather disappointing. They twice came very close to surprises against top teams Sweden (0-1) and Russia (1-2) before losing heavily against Germany (0-4) for a last place finish in their group.

    If Russia can make it to the match for the 5th spot by another win against Japan or if the Asians can make the big surprise happen, let's find out!
     
    Welcome. Game starts at 12:00 ET / 18:00 CET / 21:00 MSK which is also the local time in Sochi.
    Commentary by

    Dennis Mende

    Goals & lineups Match log
    Goals and assists: 17. Shukina (Shokhina), 27. Shokhina (Smolentseva), 28. Skiba (Gavrilova, Burina), 32. Sosina (Smolentseva, Shokhina), 50. Skiba (Burina, Gavrilova), 56. Burina (Shibanova, Khomich) – 27. Ukita, 27. Toko (Kubo), 43. Osawa (Takeuchi, Hirano)

    Russia: Prugova (Leskina) – Tkachyova, Dyubanok, Goncharenko, Kapustina, Khomich, Shibanova, Shukina – Gavrilova, Burina, Skiba – Smolentseva "C", Sosina, Lebedeva – Vafina, Smolina, Dergachyova – Shokhina, Pashkevich. Head Coach: Mikhail Chekanov.
    Japan2: N. Fujimoto (Nakaoku) – Koike, Hori, Toko, Suzuki, Aoki, Takeuchi, Kondo – Osawa "C", Hirano, Kubo – Yoneyama, M. Fujimoto, Nakamura – Adachi, Ukita, Shishiuchi – Yamane, Sakagami. Head Coach: Yuchi Iizuka.
    Referees: Eskola (FIN) – Girard (FRA), Novotná (CZE).