Forward Kim Hee-won scored the overtime winner on a power play as South Korea edged out Italy 2-1 to open the third-tier women’s world hockey championships on home ice Monday.
Goalie Huh Eun-bee stood on her head, making a series of key saves to send the game into the extra session and set the stage for Kim’s heroics at the opening game at the International Ice Hockey Federation Women’s World Championship Division I Group B.
Forward Lee Eun-ji scored South Korea’s first goal and assisted on Kim’s winner at Suwon Ice Rink in Suwon, some 35 kilometers south of Seoul.
This is the third-highest level of women’s world championships, below the World Championship and World Championship Division I Group A.
There are four other countries in action this week in Suwon: Britain, Kazakhstan, Poland and Slovenia.
Earlier Monday, Britain defeated Kazakhstan 1-0, and Poland shut out Slovenia 2-0.
The winner of this six-nation tournament after round-robin play will be promoted to the Division I Group A tournament for next year. South Korea has never made it past the Division I Group B.
South Korea will next take on Poland at 7:15 p.m. Tuesday, followed by Slovenia at 7:15 p.m. Thursday, Britain at 3:45 p.m. Saturday and Kazakhstan at 3:45 p.m. Sunday.
Italy is the highest-ranked team in this tournament at No. 17. South Korea checks in at No. 19, followed by Poland at No. 20, Kazakhstan at No. 21, Slovenia at No. 22 and Britain at No. 23.
South Korea failed to convert a power play opportunity in the opening moments of the game and later had to kill off three straight penalties. South Koreans often got hemmed in their own zone for extended stretches against the physical Italians.
After a scoreless opening frame, the game opened up a bit in the second period, with the teams trading chances and odd-man rushes.
Forward Lee Eun-ji opened the scoring for South Korea 2:49 into the second period. After winning the puck battle along the boards, Lee emerged with the puck and was allowed to walk in untouched toward the net. When goalkeeper Martina Fedel went down early to guard the lower part of the net, Lee roofed the puck to the top shelf for the 1-0 lead.
However, South Korea allowed the tying goal just 1:35 later. Matilde Fantin secured the puck behind the South Korean net and fed it to the front of the net for Chelsea Furlani, who beat goalie Huh Eun-bee through the five-hole to tie the score. Two South Korea defenders were caught puck-watching and failed to close in on Furlani before the Italian forward got her shot off.
Huh atoned for her miscue midway through the period, when she stoned Anna Caumo on a breakaway opportunity. Lee nearly got her second goal, but Fedel stood tall in her net.
Huh shined through the third period, as Italy took firm control of play.
During the second Italian power play of the third period, Huh came up with a series of huge saves to keep the game tied, including on a shot by Furlani from the slot.
With 5:43 left in the game, Huh denied Caumo on a rush chance, as Italy kept knocking on the door that wouldn’t open.
South Korea’s best chance in the third came midway through the frame, when Park Jong-ah unleashed a low wrister turned aside by Fedel.
South Korea got a power play with 26 seconds remaining in regulation but failed to convert, as the game went into overtime.
And as the power play neared the end, Lee Eun-ji grabbed the puck in the right faceoff circle and teed it up for Kim, whose one-timer beat Fedel for the winner.
Source: Yonhap News Agency