SHANGHAI/VALMIERA – The Danish women’s national team surprised in Latvia. After winning a first-stage event the red-and-white team also won all games in the Olympic Pre-Qualification. Top-seeded China defeated France 4-3 in a shootout to win the other group.

China was trailing 3-0 against France on home ice in Shanghai. Liang Tang scored the game-tying goal with 99 seconds left in regulation time and Baiwei Yu and Rui Sun hit the back of the net in the shootout. China will play the Final Olympic Qualification Group D in Weiden, Germany, against Germany, Kazakhstan and the Czech Republic.

Denmark secured its tournament victory after a 3-1 win over Italy. The Danes are now 6-0 in the Olympic Qualification. In the Final Olympic Qualification Group C in Poprad, Slovakia, they will face Slovakia, Norway and Japan.

The Final Olympic Qualification is played 7-10 February 2013. The tournament winners in Poprad and Weiden will join Sweden and Russia in Group B of the Olympic women’s ice hockey tournament in Sochi 2014. The top-seeded teams Canada, the U.S., Finland and Switzerland will play in Group A.

The Chinese women’s national team sings the national anthem following a win in Shanghai. Photo: Chinese Ice Hockey Association

Denmark – Italy 3-1 (0-1, 3-0, 0-0)

VALMIERA – After defeating favourites Latvia (4-1) and Austria (1-0), the Danish women’s national team also did its job against Italy, beating the Azzurri 3-1 to grab first place and a ticket to the Final Olympic Qualification.

Italy outshot the Danes 28-15, but Denmark was also efficient on both sides in this game. Kamilla Lund Nielsen had another strong day in the net saving 27 of 28 shots. She finished the tournament with a save percentage of 97.5 per cent having conceded only two goals in three games.

On the other side the Danes scored eight goals capitalizing in 9.8 per cent of their shots.

Italy opened the scoring with a goal from Agnese Tartaglione in the first period, but Denmark started the middle frame on a strong note. After surviving 29 seconds of an Italian power play taking over from the first period, Josefine Persson tied the game at 1:20 and 24 seconds later Maria Olausson scored the game-winning goal.

Persson netted her second goal of the game at 13:24 while the third period remained scoreless.

Now the Danes will play their third tournament of the Olympic Qualification next February in Poprad, Slovakia. Will the red-and-whites surprise again?

Click here for scores, stats and photos.

Latvia vs. Austria 2-3 (0-1, 1-2, 1-0)

VALMIERA – Austria secured second place in Group F in Valmiera with a 3-2 victory over the host nation Latvia. Italy finished in third place while Latvia remained winless.

Team captain Denise Altmann brought her team a 2-0 lead with her markers at 5:11 of the first period and on the power play at 8:21 of the second period.

Laila Dekmeijere-Trigubova was assessed a minor penalty for high-sticking when Altmann scored the second goal, which led to Austria’s 3-0 goal on the power play half a minute later scored by Esther Kantor.

Latvia cut the deficit with goals from Iveta Koka and Ieva Petersone later on but didn’t manage to complete the comeback attempt.

Click here for scores, stats and photos.

China – France 4 – 3 (0-3, 2-0, 1-0, 0-0, 1-0)

SHANGHAI – China’s women’s national team has won the Olympic Pre-Qualification tournament Group E on home ice in Shanghai. The Chinese came back from a three-goal deficit to tie France with under two minutes remaining in the game and win in a shootout.

Overwhelmed by a strong start from the French, China was outshot 13-5 and surrendered goals from Emmanuelle Passard, Betty Jouanny, and Marion Allemoz in the first period, prompting a goaltender change from Yao Shi to Dandan Jia.  

But the team underwent a dramatic turnaround following the first intermission, as the Chinese offence ended up outshooting the French 31-12 in the final two periods. First Fengling Jin scored a power play goal 46 seconds into the second frame.

She was followed up less than a minute later by another power play score, this time coming from captain Rui Sun, who easily took home the tournament scoring title with ten points in three games.

The French looked to be able to cling on to a 3-2 victory in the dying moments of the third period, but Liang Tang, on an assist from Sun, tied the game with 1:39 left in the game. The goal meant that the tables were now turned for France, which needed a victory in regulation time to advance but couldn’t get a fourth goal. Yu Baiwei won the shootout for China, scoring twice and Sun Rui once while two French players missed the net.

Click here for scores, stats and photos.

Netherlands – Great Britain 1–2 (0-0, 1-0, 0-2)

SHANGHAI – Though already eliminated from Olympic contention, Great Britain came out and played with pride, earning in a 2-1 victory over the Netherlands in their final game.

Lauren Wilkinson and Katherine Gale scored for the British, who finished the tournament with a 1-2 record. Goaltender Nicole Jackson stopped 32 of 33 shots and was selected Best Player.

Great Britain took third place in the ranking with the victory, with the Netherlands falling to fourth overall.

Click here for scores, stats and photos.

MARTIN MERK
ADAM STEISS