Germany2 – Japan2 3:2 (end) | Finland – Russia 4:0 (end)
final
Finland
4:0 (2:0, 0:0, 2:0)
Russia
Tuesday 18.02.2014, 13:30 • Olympics - Women
     
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    In the end it was a fair easier task for Finland to conquer the 5th spot of the women's hockey tournament in Sochi than expected. A double late in the first period and early in the third one let the Fins beat a disappointing Russia with the score of 4-0! For Noora Räty in the Finnish net it was her first shutout of these Olympic Games – and most likely the last of her international career as she said during the Olympics this would be the last time she plays for the Finnish national team.

    Shots on goal: Finland 10 (25) – Russia 5 (18)
     
    60:00
    Game over.
     
    59:18
    Linda Valimaki receives a cross-pass at the left post of the Russian net but fails to get the puck past the last defender!
     
    59:00
    The last minute started. Will we see another goal?!
     
    57:39
    The Fins are back at full strength after the most recent Russian power play. It wasn't really a disadvantage for them though as they even had the better opportunities in the last 2 minutes.
     
    57:01
    After a horrible misdirected pass by a Russian inside the neutral zone Linda Valimaki had a break away when she deked out the last defender but coming from the right circle she failed to deke out Anna Prugova from short distance! While slipping to the ice and laying on the ground she managed to push the puck over the goal line with her stick though as Prugova failed to cover up the puck! A lot of luck for the Russian goalie that the referees had made a call in between!
     
    56:21
    Icing against Russia after a long pass towards the Finnish blue line couldn't be stopped by them.
     
    55:39
    Michelle Karvinen (Finland) gets two minutes for holding an opponent.
     
    55:19
    Venla Hovi from the right circle with a cross-pass towards the left post but her team mate Emma Nuutinen misses the net from short distance to fire the puck past the right bottom corner!
     
    54:28
    After stopping a long pass at the Finnish blue line Russian forward Alexandra Vafina twice tried it with a shot on goal but eaach time a defender went in between to block the puck.
     
    53:33
    Iya Gavrilova comes over the left wing, skates towards the net but fails to get a shot on target under huge pressure by a defender. The Fins immidiately went for a counter attack but couldn't score either.
     
    52:30
    As you can imagine the game has lost a lot of its tension after Finland went away with a four goal lead. The Northern Europeans are defending their lead easily while the Russians try to get the consolation goal.
     
    50:48
    Michelle Karvinen receives a pass inside the Russian third and from the left circle she imiidiately tries it wtih a shot towards the right top corner – caught by Anna Prugova!
     
    49:13
    After a shot from the second row one of the Russian forwards had the puck on her stick just right to the goalie craese and despite the goalie being out of position she didn't score but missed the net!
     
    48:37
    Russia's Olga Sosina tries it with a shot from short distance, no danger for Noora Raty.
     
    47:51
    Svetlana Tkachyova (Russia) gets two minutes for slashing and the Russian power play is already history. We'll see a long 4 on 4.
     
    47:22
    Emma Terho (Finland) gets two minutes for tripping.
     
    47:02
    Huge triple chance for the Russians from short distance. Noora Räty was already out of position but even then the Russian women missed the net!
     
    45:09
    2-on-2 shorthanded counter for Russia but they don't get more than a harmless shot on target immidiately after crossing the blue line.
     
    44:32
    Angelina Goncharenko (Russia) gets two minutes for interference. Already the second power play in this period for Finland – the first one they were able to use!
     
    43:31
    Goal for Team Finland!


    After a blue line shot hit the left goal post the Fins tried to battle the puck in with several rebounds and finally MICHELLE KARVINEN was able to score from just right to the net with a sharp angle! 4-0 Finland in power play and game over for Russia!

    Assisted by Riikka Valila and Minttu Tuominen.
     
    42:52
    Tatyana Burina (Russia) gets two minutes for interference. This could become painful if Finland use the power play!
     
    42:30
    Goal for Team Finland!


    After a rush over the right wing Riikka Valila gave a cross-pass to the left and MICHELLE KARVINEN deflceted the puck into the wide open net from just in front of the goalie crease as the puck hit her left skate – no intended kicking motion though and the goal counts! 3-0 Finland – is that already the decision?

    Assisted by Riikka Valila and Saija Tarkki.
     
    40:01
    Start of 3rd period.
     
    In an even game with few scoring opportunities Finland seemed to have everything under controll until the Russians became stronger in the second half of the period. Still the 2-0 for Finland stands after 40 minutes.

    Shots on goal: Finland 6 (15) – Russia 6 (13)
     
    40:00
    2nd period finished.
     
    38:44
    Finland's Annina Rajahuhta steals the puck inside the neutral zone and goes for a break away but the last defender can stop her.
     
    38:30
    Tea Villia (Finland) gets two minutes for high-sticking!
     
    36:58
    Anna Prugova stays calm during a 1-on-1 situation and blocks a shot from short distance!
     
    36:19
    The Russians win an icing at the left face off circle and immidiately get a shot on goal but easy pad save for Nooa Räty!
     
    35:41
    Yekaterina Smolina revceives a long pass at the Finnish blue line and is almost through with a break away but under pressure of a defender her back hand attempt from short distance stays without danger for Noora Räty in the Finnish net!
     
    33:36
    After a nice passing combination by the Russians deep inside the Finnish third it was Iya Gavrilova who wasn#t able to score with a powerful shot from within the slot!
     
    32:24
    A Russian attack through the middle lane ends with a harmless distance shot into the gloves of Räty.
     
    31:49
    On the other side of the ice a shot by Olga Sosina is deflected wide by a defender.
     
    31:08
    After a blue line shot Anna Prugova allows a rebound but Karollina Rantamäki fails to score with a back hander from just right to the net afterwards!
     
    30:00
    The best chance of this period comes when Jenni Hiirikoski hits the crossbar with a shot from close to the left circle!
     
    29:32
    The Russians are back at full strength.
     
    29:27
    A blue line shot by Anna Kilponen is just deflected wide in front of the Russian net!
     
    28:50
    The Fins failed to get their power play formation working and now the Russians make a long clearance deep into the Finnish third.
     
    27:32
    Yekaterina Smolentseva (Russia) gets two minutes for an unallowed body check. The team captain sits down in the penalty box.
     
    27:09
    The Northern Europeans almost with a big scoring opportunity but a pass from behind the net goes wide and leaves the Russian third.
     
    26:48
    A shot by the Fins from within the slot just misses the left bottom corner.
     
    25:25
    In the bigger Bolchoi Ice Dome the Russian men's national team just scored the 1-0 against Norway and now the Shayba Arena is exploding after the arena crew told the fans! Maybe this goal by the men will motivate the women to invest even more in this game!
     
    24:44
    Both teams are back at full strength. Russia had the better start into this period but couldn'f find a way past Noora Raty yet.
     
    22:44
    Emma Terho (Finland) gets two minutes for hooking – 4 on 3 power play now for Russia!
     
    21:47
    Anna Shibanova (Russia) gets two minutes for roughing.
     
    21:47
    Emma Nuutinen (Finland) gets two minutes for holding the stick.
     
    20:01
    Start of 2nd period.
     
    The Russians had a good start with several dangerous shots on goal but failed to use one of them. In the middle of the period the Fins became stronger and stronger and were rewarded with a late double by Linda Valimaki and Riika Valila for a comfortable 2-0 lead after 20 minutes.

    Shots on goal: Finland 9 – Russia 7
     
    20:00
    1st period finished.
     
    19:19
    A harmless shot by Russia's Yekaterina Smolina from the left wing is easily blocked to the side by Noora Raty.
     
    18:52
    Icing against Russia.
     
    18:06
    On the other side of the ice Noora Raty stops a harmless Russian shot from the right wing.
     
    17:28
    Goal for Team Finland!


    Now it's getting bitter for the Russians as the Fins get a double! After a fast rush over Susanna Tapani via the left wing where she deked out several opponents, she found her team mate RIIKKA VALILA who waited to the right and scored the 2-0 from short distance!

    Assisted by Susanna Tapani and Jenni Hiirikoski.
     
    16:37
    Goal for Team Finland!


    The Fins take the somewhat surprising lead late in the first period! Karoliina Rantamaki twice had the opportunity to get her colours in front from short distance but Pruova stopped her each time. The puck stayed with the Fins though and a blue line shot was deflected below the glove hand of Anna Prugova by LINDA VALIMAKI!

    Assisted by Karoliina Rantamaki and Venla Hovi.
     
    15:33
    Double chance for Russia from behind the Finnish net but they don't get a shot on target.
     
    14:32
    Dangerous pass by Finland's Karoliina Rantamaki from the right circle, stopped by a defender in the last moment just in front of the goalie crease.
     
    13:59
    Icing call against Russia.
     
    13:39
    Prugova deflects a shot from the left wing to the right side with a pad save!
     
    13:04
    The Fins are back at full strength.
     
    12:07
    Venla Hovi with a long shorthanded solo for Finland, is stopped by the two defenders just before she appeared in front of Prugova!
     
    11:19
    A blue line shot by the Russians goes just wide past the left bottom corner of the Finnish net.
     
    11:04
    Annina Rajahuhta (Finland) gets two minutes for holding the stick.
     
    09:59
    Anna Prugova throws her body into a shot from short distance to block it!
     
    09:14
    The Russian offense wins the puck inside the Finnish third but from within the slot Yekaterina Smolentseva fails to beat Noora Räty.
     
    08:36
    The Russians are back at full strength after a harmless Finnish power play.
     
    07:23
    A shorthanded attack by Iya Gavrilova only ends after almost 20 seconds of the Finnish power play have gone off the clock and the Fins needed three players to stop her behind the net!
     
    06:36
    Galina Skiba (Russia) gets two minutes for interference.
     
    04:54
    Yekaterina Smolina gets the puck close to the left circle after a cross-pass from the right side and tries it with a shot from just left to the Finnish net but can't surprise Räty with her back hander!
     
    04:41
    Russia's Olga Sosina catches the puck out of the air just in front of the blue line before it could leave the Finnish third and then tries it with a shot herself from within the slot but her shot goes straight into the glove hand of Noora Räty.
     
    03:42
    The Russians had several dangerous shots on goal already but couldn't use their two minute power play. The Fins are back at full strength.
     
    03:32
    Alexandra Vafina leaves the ice injured and gets further treatment by the Russian medical staff. She was hit in the neutral zone and then crashed into the boards.
     
    01:42
    Jenni Hiirikoski (Finland) gets two minutes for hooking. This penalty very early in the match gives Russia the first power play.
     
    01:00
    The Russian hosts start very aggressively into the game, want to show their fans a good performance in their last appearance of the tournament.
     
    00:01
    Game started.
     
    Starting lineups:

    Finland: Räty (Räisänen) – Hiirikoski "C", Tarkki, Kilponen, Villilä, Terho – Välilä, Karvinen, Tapani – Hovi, Välimäki, Rantamäki – Rajahuhta, Tuominen, Nuutinen – Tanskanen, Tikkinen. Head Coach: Mika Pieniniemi.

    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.

    Referees: Blair – Johnson (both USA), Gagnon (CAN).
     
    The game for the 5th place at the women's hockey tournament of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi is only a small compensation for Finland and Russia who both had high expectations before the tournament and hoped for at least a bronze medal before disappointing in the quarterfinals.

    After Finland showed their competitiveness in the group A with the higher ranked teams against USA (1-3), Canada (0-3) and Switzerland (4-3 OT), they were beaten by underdogs Sweden (2-4) in the duel of two neighbours and archrivals.

    Today's opponents and tournament hosts Russia had a perfect record in the weaker group B after beating Germany (4-1), Japan (2-1) and Sweden (3-1) before they lost against a till then winless Switzerland (0-2) in the quarterfinals.

    In the semifinals for the 5th to 8th spot both teams showed the right reaction. While Finland beat Germany 2-1, the Russians left Japan chanceless in a 6-3 defeat.

    A completely open game with the Fins having slight advantages can be expected!
     
    Welcome. Game starts at 07:30 ET / 13:30 CET / 16:30 MSK which is also the local time in Sochi.
    Commentary by

    Dennis Mende

    Goals & lineups Match log
    Goals and assists: 17. Valimaki (Rantamaki, Hovi), 18. Valila (Tapani, Hiirikoski), 43. Karvinen (Valila, Tarkki), 44. Karvinen (Valila, Tuominen)

    Finland: Räty (Räisänen) – Hiirikoski "C", Tarkki, Kilponen, Villilä, Terho – Välilä, Karvinen, Tapani – Hovi, Välimäki, Rantamäki – Rajahuhta, Tuominen, Nuutinen – Tanskanen, Tikkinen. Head Coach: Mika Pieniniemi.
    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.
    Referees: Blair – Johnson (both USA), Gagnon (CAN).