photo: @ International Ice Hockey Federation / Andre Ringuette
Natalie Mlynkova's hat trick was the difference as Czechia ended the preliminary round with a win at the 2024 IIHF Women's World Championship in Utica, New York. The team defeated Switzerland 6-1 on Tuesday afternoon.
For Switzerland, the team was hoping to secure their first win of the tournament. Saskia Maurer got her first start in net at Women's Worlds.
Czechia took an early lead, only 37 seconds into the game. Tereza Vanisova was on the far side of Switzerland's zone. She made a cross pass to captaiin Aneta Tejralova. Alina Mulller could not catch up to the defender, who shot the puck past Switzerland goaltender Saskia Maurer's right leg and into the net for the goal.
On a 5-on-3 powerplay, Switzerland seized the opportunity to get the equalizer with 3:29 remaining in the first period. The team was creating a lot of action and traffic deep in Czechia's zone. Muller and captain Lara Stalder were passing the puck back and forth. Muller fed the puck to Stalder and the forward blitzed it pass the glove of Czechia goaltender Klara Peslarova to go top shelp for the score.
Switzerland had a couple of good chances early in the period. Stalder launched the puck a couple of times, but Peslarova was there for the saves.
With over 6:00 gone by in the second period, Czechia had a couple of great opportunities to regain the lead. On a 2-on-1 play, Klara Hymlarova passed the puck over to Natalie Mlynkova who hustled to the net and shot the puck. Maurer made huge save to deny Mlynkova for the goal.
Seconds later, defender Andrea Trnkova tried a power drive to the net, but again Maurer was focused and stopped the play.
Czechia's offense got rolling with two goals 1:06 apart. After Switzerland forward Laura Zimmermann's shot was blocked, Chezchia grabbed the puck and skated down the rink. As Denisa Krizova went towards the back of the net, she made a nifty move to get the puck to Tereza Vanisova who got it past Maurer with 5:57 remaining in the period.
However, Czechia was not done. Adela Sapovalivova got the puck off the boards and put the shot on the net. While Maurer made the save, Mlynkova had to quickly react and backhanded the puck into the net for the score.
In the third period, Switzerland went on the powerplay as Karolina Kosinova was handed a penalty for roughing. The team was not able to seize the opportunity to tie the game.
Czechia added some assurance as they went on a powerplay at 7:55 of the third perioud as Naemi Herzig was sent to the penalty box for tripping. The team would be successful as Daniela Pejsova blasted the puck past Maurer for Czechia's first powerplay goal in the tournament.
“We just have to work a little bit to improve our powerplay," Vanisova says. "It's different when you play powerplay against Canada, US and then Switzerland. No offense, but it is what it is. We don’t have the powerplay so far, but just keep going and I'm sure it's going go.”
Mlynkova sealed the victory as she ripped a shot and the goal past Maurer's legs with 4:55 remaining to net her second goal of the game.
With 3.5 seconds left, Mlynkova scored her third goal of the game, a shorthanded goal.
“We played good," Vanisova says. "We knew we it was going to be a tough game. Every game is a hard game and we knew we were going to have to come up strong and play our best. We are pretty happy with our performance for sure.”
Czechia's top line has been arguably one of the most dynamic ones of the tournament.
"The biggest key was to just be able to play our game, keep possession of the puck," Vanisova says. "That's our biggest strength, and I think in this game, it was very important to drive to the net and keep shooting like it wasn't really about a nice play and nice passes. We did that and then we got to a few goals there, so it was good.”
For Switzerland, Stalder scored her second goal of the tournament and Maurer faced 36 shots on net.
“Unfortunately, there are not that many positive things we did and, we weren't ready from the start," forward Sinja Leemann says. It's hard to get one early and when we just have to keep fighting, and just move on now and look ahead.”
Leemann is inspired to help Switzerland get their first win of the tournament after playing her 100 international game for her country.
"I love to play the game. I love to play for the Swiss National Team and it's an honour," she says. "It would be great if we could get a win but I don't know, it just came as it did and we have to move on now.”
Switzerland is now focused on the quarter-finals and hoping to secure a victory to continue their path in Utica.
“We just have to like look at our mistakes," Leemann says. "We have to work on them. We have to find more and just go from the start. When you don't always get an early goal, it's pretty hard so focus on that, work as a team and go hard until the end. This will be the point to make the difference.”
For Switzerland, the team was hoping to secure their first win of the tournament. Saskia Maurer got her first start in net at Women's Worlds.
Czechia took an early lead, only 37 seconds into the game. Tereza Vanisova was on the far side of Switzerland's zone. She made a cross pass to captaiin Aneta Tejralova. Alina Mulller could not catch up to the defender, who shot the puck past Switzerland goaltender Saskia Maurer's right leg and into the net for the goal.
On a 5-on-3 powerplay, Switzerland seized the opportunity to get the equalizer with 3:29 remaining in the first period. The team was creating a lot of action and traffic deep in Czechia's zone. Muller and captain Lara Stalder were passing the puck back and forth. Muller fed the puck to Stalder and the forward blitzed it pass the glove of Czechia goaltender Klara Peslarova to go top shelp for the score.
Switzerland had a couple of good chances early in the period. Stalder launched the puck a couple of times, but Peslarova was there for the saves.
With over 6:00 gone by in the second period, Czechia had a couple of great opportunities to regain the lead. On a 2-on-1 play, Klara Hymlarova passed the puck over to Natalie Mlynkova who hustled to the net and shot the puck. Maurer made huge save to deny Mlynkova for the goal.
Seconds later, defender Andrea Trnkova tried a power drive to the net, but again Maurer was focused and stopped the play.
Czechia's offense got rolling with two goals 1:06 apart. After Switzerland forward Laura Zimmermann's shot was blocked, Chezchia grabbed the puck and skated down the rink. As Denisa Krizova went towards the back of the net, she made a nifty move to get the puck to Tereza Vanisova who got it past Maurer with 5:57 remaining in the period.
However, Czechia was not done. Adela Sapovalivova got the puck off the boards and put the shot on the net. While Maurer made the save, Mlynkova had to quickly react and backhanded the puck into the net for the score.
In the third period, Switzerland went on the powerplay as Karolina Kosinova was handed a penalty for roughing. The team was not able to seize the opportunity to tie the game.
Czechia added some assurance as they went on a powerplay at 7:55 of the third perioud as Naemi Herzig was sent to the penalty box for tripping. The team would be successful as Daniela Pejsova blasted the puck past Maurer for Czechia's first powerplay goal in the tournament.
“We just have to work a little bit to improve our powerplay," Vanisova says. "It's different when you play powerplay against Canada, US and then Switzerland. No offense, but it is what it is. We don’t have the powerplay so far, but just keep going and I'm sure it's going go.”
Mlynkova sealed the victory as she ripped a shot and the goal past Maurer's legs with 4:55 remaining to net her second goal of the game.
With 3.5 seconds left, Mlynkova scored her third goal of the game, a shorthanded goal.
“We played good," Vanisova says. "We knew we it was going to be a tough game. Every game is a hard game and we knew we were going to have to come up strong and play our best. We are pretty happy with our performance for sure.”
Czechia's top line has been arguably one of the most dynamic ones of the tournament.
"The biggest key was to just be able to play our game, keep possession of the puck," Vanisova says. "That's our biggest strength, and I think in this game, it was very important to drive to the net and keep shooting like it wasn't really about a nice play and nice passes. We did that and then we got to a few goals there, so it was good.”
For Switzerland, Stalder scored her second goal of the tournament and Maurer faced 36 shots on net.
“Unfortunately, there are not that many positive things we did and, we weren't ready from the start," forward Sinja Leemann says. It's hard to get one early and when we just have to keep fighting, and just move on now and look ahead.”
Leemann is inspired to help Switzerland get their first win of the tournament after playing her 100 international game for her country.
"I love to play the game. I love to play for the Swiss National Team and it's an honour," she says. "It would be great if we could get a win but I don't know, it just came as it did and we have to move on now.”
Switzerland is now focused on the quarter-finals and hoping to secure a victory to continue their path in Utica.
“We just have to like look at our mistakes," Leemann says. "We have to work on them. We have to find more and just go from the start. When you don't always get an early goal, it's pretty hard so focus on that, work as a team and go hard until the end. This will be the point to make the difference.”