From the beginning, it was projected to be the game to decide first place in Group B and through each team’s first two games, things seemed right on target. Japan beat Sweden and Denmark, while Czechia conquered China and Sweden. The third games complicated things just a bit. In Sunday’s late game, Japan lost to China 2-1 in a shootout. The following afternoon, the Czechs fell 3-2 to Denmark.

Earning a point clinched a spot in the quarter-finals for Japan. The loss in regulation exposed Czechia to the possibility of missing out; however, the later result of Sweden beating China rescued the Czechs, assuring that they will also be among the final eight.

Heading into the final day of the group stage, Japan leads Group B with seven points, followed by Czechia with six, China with five, and Sweden and Denmark with three each. It should be noted that China is out of games and, although they have a slim shot at advancing, cannot catch either of the two teams in front of them. Denmark could potentially finish second and knock the Czechs down to the number eight seed with two favourable results.

Sweden needs a win to advance at the expense of China, Denmark a win in regulation time. If Denmark wins in overtime or shootout, China will stay third and make the quarter-finals.

That means first place is still in play for both Japan and the Czechs and that’s a big thing – the top team in Group B draws the third-placed team in Group A in the quarter-finals. In other words, not Canada or the USA. To finish first, the Japanese same as the Czechs simply need any kind of win in their head-to-head game today.

History

As this is the first time the Czech women have ever qualified for the Winter Olympics in ice hockey, they have never faced Japan under the five rings. However, the two teams have been very evenly-matched in recent international competition.

In the 2019 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship in Espoo, Finland, Czechia beat Japan 3-1. Last August in Calgary, they met twice. The Czechs won 4-0 in the group stage but Japan got revenge in the placement round, prevailing 2-1.

“I expect it’s going to be pretty much the same thing,” said Japanese head coach Yuji Iizuka. “I think both teams are better now than they were last August. It’s going to be a really great battle and we’re expecting the players to come out hard and try to clinch first place.”

“They are very fast, skilled, and very well coached,” Czech head coach Tomas Pacina said about the Japanese team in the wake of his team’s recent loss. “You pay for any mistake with a quick counterattack. It’ll be a harder game than against Denmark, but if we get back to our game, we have a great chance to win.”

In both of last year’s games, the goaltending match-up was Nana Fujimoto against Klara Peslarova, and that will almost certainly be the case again today, as the pair have the two best save percentages and two of the three best goals-against averages of all goalies that have played in the Olympics so far. Fujimoto has started and finished all of Japan’s first three games, stopping 66 of 69 shots. Peslarova has played two complete games for Czechia and entered Monday’s game against Denmark in relief. Overall, she has stopped 43 of 45 shots against. So don’t expect a goal-fest on Tuesday.

Through three games each, both teams have had balanced scoring, with the teams being led by Tereza Vanisova and defender Shiori Koike with four points each.

Coming off losses, both teams are perhaps better grounded and ready to come back with their A-games in this all-important encounter with top spot still up for grabs.

“We haven’t lost anything yet,” said Czech captain Alena Mills. “We have to learn from today and return to our game. The Japanese are a quality opponent, they have fast transitions, so indecision and inconsistency could cost us a lot.”

“We just want to keep playing our game,” said Japanese defender Akane Hosoyamada. “When the play isn’t coming our way, we’ve just gotta keep it simple and play off each other.”

The motivation to finish on top in the group could possibly best summed up by Czech backup goalie Viktorie Svejdova, who offered: “We can’t choose who we face in the playoffs, but we don’t want to play Canada because they're such a great team.”