2018 Olympic Women’s Hockey Day 7 Results

February 17^th was the seventh day of women’s hockey at the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang. This also happened to be the quarterfinals to determine who would get the chance for a medal game. The Olympic Athletes from Russia (OAR) took on Switzerland at 9:10 PM CT on February 16^th our time and then Sweden took on archrival Finland at 1:40 AM CT on February 17^th our time in the Kwandong Hockey Centre.

Olympic Athletes from Russia v Switzerland

It was a penalty filled game, which started when Yekaterina Smolina took a slashing penalty at 5:23 and was soon joined in the box by Yekaterina Nikolayeva. Despite the 5-on-3 three play, it was still the OAR to score first when Anna Shokhina went up the right side on a breakaway and lofted the puck into goal just after she flew past Florence Schelling at 7:22. Shokhina then spent two minutes in the box for high sticking at 10:07. First period ended with two Swiss penalties—Laura Benz and Nina Waidacher, both for tripping at 15:01 and 17:53 respectively—that harmlessly expired.

Just 48 seconds into the second Alina Muller got the puck from Christine Meier, carried it down center ice, and banged it home on Nadezhda Morozova’s doorstep. Angelina Goncharenko made an illegal hit at 10:40, which sent her to the box. On the resulting power play Lara Stalder scored from the slot. Phoebe Staenz and Meier assisted. However, Switzerland didn’t keep the lead for long as Viktoria Kulishova scored on Smolina’s rebound at 13:53. Nikolayeva made another trip to the box, this time slashing at 14:00, which the OAR killed. Then Sara Forster went for holding the stick at 17:19. This turned into another goal when Liana Ganeyeva deflected Shokhina’s left point shot into goal at 18:53.

Yelena Dergachyova got on the board at 7:36 of the third period with a shot from the right side. Shokhina had the lone assist.  Switzerland had to be frustrated with how the game had been going, which may have contributed to Nicole Bullo taking a hooking penalty at 12:04. It was a costly mistake for Switzerland as Shokhina netted a power play goal, assisted by Dergachyova, at 13:25. Schelling was pulled at 17:27 for the extra skater, then Dergachyova took a tripping penalty at 18:30, which made Switzerland immediately use their time-out. It was their only chance to stage a comeback and someone did score—Olga Sosina with an unassisted shorty empty netter at 19:08.

This got Schelling put back in goal for the last seconds of the game, which the OAR won 6-2, outshooting Switzerland 21-19. With these results the OAR moves onto the semifinals where they will play Canada and have a guaranteed medal game, while Switzerland goes to the classification games.

Finland v Sweden

Finland took control of the game early and never let go. Venla Hovi carried the puck into Sweden’s zone and made a drop pass to Petra Nieminen in the slot who effortlessly beat goaltender Sara Grahn and knocked it into goal on the right side at 6:12. Finland didn’t let up and while harrying Grahm, Isa Rahunen shot from the slot into traffic, hit Riikka Valila, and scored at 11:32. Maria Lindh took a tripping penalty at 15:50. This turned into a power play puck cycling and Susanna Tapani scored through Grahn’s five-hole from the right circle at 17:44. Noora Tulus and Linda Valimaki assisted. At 19:53 Anna Borgqvist took an interference penalty, which expired second period.

Sweden started second period with a goaltending change, having Sarah Berglind take over for Grahn. Shortly after killing Borgqvist’s penalty Sweden went on a power of their own at 2:05 when Tanja Niskanen earned a tripping penalty, however, they were unable to convert. Michelle Karvinen scores with a blue line slap shot through traffic at 7:14. Minnamari Tuominen and Ronja Savolainen assisted.

Emma Nordin was the one to break Noora Räty’s shutout when she flew down the left side and squeaked the puck in under Räty’s leg at 8:53. Erika Grahm and Annie Svedin assisted.  Sweden couldn’t enjoy the goal for long though, as Karvinen gets a lateral pass from Tapani and rips one on goal, hits the post, and Valila knocks the puck home at 9:29. Then there was a series of penalties: Tapani for hooking at 11:34, Svedin for roughing at 15:24, and Johanna Fallman for delay of game at 17:22. On the third penalty Maja Nylen Persson fed the puck to Rebecca Stenberg, who scored shorthanded on a breakaway at 19:12.

Emma Nuutinen scored at 4:35 of the third by knocking in her own rebound off Berglind. Tulus and Rahunen assisted. Sabina Kuller took an illegal hit penalty at 5:52 and then Svedin went for holding at 15:31. Sweden killed both penalties. Near the end of the period Finland put the finishing touches on Sweden with Sanni Hakala scoring on the doorstep at 17:47 after receiving a lateral pass from Annina Rajahuhta in the slot. With that Finland destroyed Sweden 7-2, outshooting them 31-21, and will advance to the semifinals to play the US.