hckošice

Things that can happen only in Slovakia A high-risk national league match DAC Dunajská Streda - Slovan Bratislava has been played yesterday...ofc..what was expected happened... first host team fans started "provocations" singing Hungarian anthem and their traditional Ria-Ria-Hungaria and ofc then Slovan Bratislava hooligans started the fiesta atleast it ended better than few years ago

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 2016/2017 AUSTRIA VIENNA CAPITALS 2nd EBEL League Title ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vienna takes historic path Capitals take EBEL without losing a playoff game For the Vienna Capitals, the pressure for something special had been building over the course of several weeks, if not months, and now something very seldom in the world of ice hockey has become their reality. Not only are the Vienna Capitals the new champion of the EBEL by defeating Klagenfurt 4-0 in the finals, they have achieved this by going undefeated throughout the entire playoffs. This is the team’s first national title since the 2004/05 season. “It’s been a simply crazy season in which we improved from game to game, having been at the top of the standings right from the beginning,” said an elatedly exhausted Raffi Rotter, a 10-year veteran of the club, who netted his second goal and 16th point of the playoffs before the five minute mark of the first period. “Winning here with this crowd is just crazy. Of course, it’s not comparable to the crowd in Vienna, but it’s a crazy feeling being on the road and having so many of our fans experience this moment with us. This is just an incredible thing right now.” The two finalists kicked off the fourth and final game by exchanging leads in establishing a 2-2 draw within the first 19:09 of the contest. A second-period goal on a precise wrist shot by defenceman Ryan MacKiernan, his second tally of the playoffs, was then followed by a suffocating defensive display and several friendly posts over the last 34 minutes of the game, sealing off Vienna’s historic run with a 3-2 road victory. MacKiernan’s lethal shot could only be topped by his post-game statement when asked how the team would be spending the night after this victory: “I think we’re going to head back home to get a good night’s sleep. Ah, no way, it’s going to be nuts! Thank you.” But he sure wasn’t the only hero in putting the nail in the coffin. One of the interesting side stories was the play of back-up goalie David Kickert, an unassuming 23-year-old who has been with the organization since the 2009/10 season. Averaging 17 appearances a season over the past three years, he was called to action twice during the playoffs, including tonight’s series-clinching thriller, and only went about recording an astounding 95.2 save percentage and 0.96 goals against average in those two games. This only seemed fitting for an organization that continually got contributions across the board and a young man who is felt to truly be on the rise in Austrian ice hockey, affirmed by his having been named the YoungStar before the playoffs. This award serves to honour the young talent in the league who took the greatest step in development. The fashion in which the Capitals garnered this championship, winning every single one of their 12 playoff games, hasn’t been seen in quite some time, topping the already impressive 12 wins in 13 games achieved by Red Bull Salzburg in the 2014/15 season. The victory also breaks the streak of two straight championships by the Red Bull Salzburg. This streak was actually already discontinued by Klagenfurt, whose march to the finals came somewhat unexpectedly on the heels of a 4-2 semi-final series victory over Salzburg, a team that had gathered 23 more points than Klagenfurt in the course of the regular season and qualification round. The veteran-laden KAC, as they are affectionately known, turned up its game when it mattered most and hoped to magically win their 6th championship in this century. The fairy tale ending would nonetheless belong to Vienna this season. Klagenfurt’s path to the final included 4-0 series victory over Znojmo and then the rough and tumble 4-2 win over Salzburg while Vienna marched over Innsbruck and the Italian Bolzano Foxes undefeated in making the final. Despite a 4-0 series domination, the series was tighter than you’d initially expect. The games themselves ended with scores of 4-1, 5-4 (OT), 7-5, and now 3-2. The 7-5 victory included an empty netter, going to show that Klagenfurt kept itself in every game and never went down without a fight. For both head coach Serge Aubin and assistant coach Craig Streu this season has been quite a wild ride. This time last year, both were wrapping up their seasons in Germany; Aubin with the DEL’s now defunct Hamburg Freezers, Streu with the Neuwied Bears, formerly of the Oberliga. Both hit the offseason already focused on a huge 2016/17 season with their respective clubs, however, still fully in the employ of their respective teams. Both ended up facing a shocking scenario in which their teams completely exited their respective leagues. As widely reported, there is no more Hamburg Freezers. The Neuwied Bears simply pulled out of the Oberliga in what became a shockingly controversial story and are now rebuilding their team in one of Germany’s western regional leagues. In short, neither could have fathomed at this point last spring that they’d be coaching in Austria, much less winning the EBEL championship. “It ended up being a wonderful season right from day one,” stated an elated Serge Aubin. “We went about establishing a new identity and putting together these 12 wins in a row is just unbelievable. We were a family where everyone pulled the line and anything was possible.” “I was part of a fantastic group of people this year. We all worked hard together and it ended up all being worth it." For assistant coach Craig Streu, whose son is currently suiting up for Germany’s U18 entry at the 2017 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Division I Group A in Bled, Slovenia, the experience has been nothing short of a fantastic journey. “I’m just feeling so good right now. I‘ve had to ask Serge if this really happening," recalls Streu. “We are both so happy and proud of this season. For both of us it's our first championship as coaches and will always have a special place in our hearts. This group we had was one of a kind and even early in this season, we had a great feeling that we had the right pieces to go all the way.” A Saskatchewan-native, who is also a former member of the German national team himself, Streu put the events of the past year, and Vienna’s accomplishments, into perspective. “The fact that both our teams dropped out for financial reasons in Germany and Serge and I ended up in Austria together to win a championship is truly amazing. But the situation is also something as a coach you can react to. It is just like being able to change your tactics during a game; you are always prepared for something and in this business we all know anything can happen." “We were able to come together, establish our hockey culture and core values here in Vienna and the group really bought in. If you have a group that believes and you can get some momentum, anything is possible. Everything worked for us and the work everyone put it was rewarded." Of course, this championship story couldn’t have been written without the vast contributions of forward Riley Holzapfel. After three rather mild seasons in the SHL, he pulled a ‘veni, vidi, vici’ of his own this season in Austria. Already named the league’s MVP before the finals, he was also named the Playoff MVP on the strength of 12 goals and 23 points in the 12-game journey. But that naturally was only the icing on the cake. “I was asked about that in the middle of the series. It simply wouldn’t have been a complete or perfect season unless we got this championship. The MVP honour just tops everything off,” explained an elated Holzapfel. “It’s been a special ride all season and I’m just so happy we finished it off the right way.” The former second round pick of the now defunct Atlanta Thrashers concluded the year with 34 goals, 42 assists, 76 points, and a +25 in 65 total games. For the Vienna Capitals organization, there’ll be a good bit of celebrating and surely a variety of recognition events coming from various establishments around Vienna and Austria. Many players will go on vacation while a few others may report to the national team. But all will head into the offseason knowing they made history this spring. As Streu sums up, “This is great group of guys who smashed League records all season and never lost focus on the big prize... and we earned it!” They sure did. And with that undefeated path to the championship, they did so like few have before them.

MEN'S UNDER 18 DIVISION II GROUP A WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2017 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Romania U18s win Earn gold in finale vs. Korea Romania's U18 national team wins promotion to Division I for only the second time in its history. In a winner-take-all game on the final day of competition at the 2017 IIHF ICE Hockey U18 World Championship, Romania edged Korea 2-1 to win gold and promotion to Division I for the first time since 2003. “I’m very proud of what we accomplished here, said captain Eduard Casaneanu. “These guys played with heart and we earned this victory.” Casaneanu, who won the 2016 Youth Olympic Winter Games Men’s Skills Challenge competition, had a goal and an assist in the game. Goaltender Adorjan Ors allowed one goal on 33 shots and played over 45 shutout minutes to help lead the Romanians in the tournament-clinching win. The Koreans, sitting in second place going into the game but three points behind Romania, had to get a win in regulation to be able to claim gold on home ice. Down 2-1 going into the third period, Korea needed a jump offensively to have any chance of moving back up to Division I after being relegated last year. But goaltender Adorjan Ors, who earned the tournament Directorate Top Goaltender award, held them off making a number of big saves throughout the period to hold off the Koreans and seal the gold medal for Romania. The victory capped off a 4-0-1-0 record for Romania, which came into the tournament having languished in the second division for over a decade. The promotion marks only the second time in history that Romania has made it to Division I. “We came into this tournament with zero expectations,” said Casaneanu. “We gained confidence after the first game and it just kept building to the point where we believe that we would win.” Korea meanwhile, needing a regulation win to earn gold, instead gained zero points and was leapfrogged by Estonia and Lithuania for silver and bronze respectively. Great Britain finished in fifth place, while Croatia will be relegated to Group B. Things started out positively for Korea at the outset of the game. The team pressured the Romanian zone early and often, forcing Ors to make some big stops. But the Koreans kept buzzing around the Romanian net, and thirty seconds later forward Gangeung Park jumped on an open rebound in front of the net for the opening goal. Romania answered back ten minutes later, when captain Eduard Casaneanu outmuscled Korean defenceman Sunghyeok Lee on a forecheck against the boards, getting control of the puck and dishing it out to teammate Zsolt Reszegh coming down the slot for the one-timer goal. In the second period Romania went ahead 2-1 with a goal from Casaneanu. The 2016 Youth Olympic Winter Games Men’s Skills Challenge champion gained control of the puck in front and slotted it home into the corner of the net past the pad of goalie Jungmin Lee. Ors shut the door the rest of the way, and the Romanians mobbed their goalie after the game in celebration on the ice of the Guangneung Hockey Centre, which will host the 2018 Olympic Winter Games Men’s Ice Hockey tournament. Results Thread

MEN'S DIVISION II GROUP B WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2017 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DAY 4 Turkey 2 - 7 China Period-by-Period: 1-2, 0-2, 1-3 April 9th 2017, h. 13:00, Paradise Ice Skating Rink Botany Downs, Auckland North Korea 2 - 9 Israel Period-by-Period: 0-1, 1-6, 1-2 April 9th 2017, h. 16:30, Paradise Ice Skating Rink Botany Downs, Auckland New Zealand 4 - 2 Mexico Period-by-Period: 2-0, 1-2, 1-0 April 9th 2017, h. 20:00, Paradise Ice Skating Rink Botany Downs, Auckland Round-Robin Provisional Standing After Day 4 Nation P W(OTW) L(OTL) GF GA +/- Pt. China 4 4(0) 0(0) 25 9 +16 12 New Zealand 4 3(0) 1(0) 15 10 +5 9 Israel 4 2(0) 2(0) 19 14 +5 6 North Korea 4 1(0) 3(0) 17 25 -8 3 Mexico 4 1(0) 3(0) 9 12 -3 3 Turkey 4 1(0) 3(0) 7 22 -15 3

WOMEN'S DIVISION II GROUP A WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2017 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Korea women take gold Win last major tournament before Olympics Korea’s women’s national team finished its season on a high note and now will prepare to host the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, after winning the 2017 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship on the final day with a 2-0 victory over the Netherlands. Forward Soo Jin Han scored both of Korea’s goals in the game, and goaltender Do Hee Han made 11 saves for the shutout. “I can’t believe this experience,” said Han after the game. “Last year we weren’t able to win the tournament, because of that we discussed how to prepare and how to be better in every game. We began by focusing game-by-game and kept this focus that’s why we are here now.” The championship victory means that Korea will compete in Division I next year – the highest level that the women’s program has ever reached in 14 years of IIHF competition. Gaining promotion on home ice in the Olympic venue of Kwangdong Arena, which will host the women’s ice hockey tournament next year, the emotion was visible as the team celebrated. "I’d be lying if I wasn’t a little nervous going into this tournament,” said Randi Griffin, who played college hockey before joining the national team after a few years away from hockey. “Getting used to be back in high pressure situations took some time but it’s really exciting to be with this group at this stage in the development of the program, because there’s so much passion and this team is overwhelmed right now, you can see girls crying with joy and it’s great to see.” Korea came into the game riding high and atop the standings after wins over Slovenia (5-1), Great Britain (2-1), Australia (8-1), and DPR Korea (5-0). Meanwhile the Netherlands also held an undefeated record in four games and was counting on their offensive star Julie Zwarthoed (3G+5A=8 points) to lead the team to a return to Divison I after being relegated last year. But the Dutch weren’t able to figure out goaltender Do Hee Han, who had allowed just three goals in four games, and was playing in front of a Korean defensive corps that gave up just 60 shots on net total. Following a scoreless first period, the Dutch began to put the pressure on Korea in the second, while limiting the number of quality scoring chances on their own end. Still the best chance of the period came on a breakaway from Korea, which passed under the goalie but rang off the post. “I think in the first period the girls were really stressed and were gripping their sticks really tight,” said head coach Sarah Murray. “It’s the first time since I’ve been coaching that we went into a final game not needing to score three goals to win a tiebreaker. We had to win the game to win the championship and I think the girls were stressed out a bit.” “They knew that the Netherlands was a big, fast team and that this would also be the hardest game of the tournament.” It would be Korea that broke the deadlock with 3:56 left in the second period, following a point shot from 24 that caused a scramble in front on the net. Han was there to put away the rebound in front of the net for the 1-0 lead. Up 1-0 after two periods, the Koreans added an insurance goal early in the third period after having one called back for a kicking motion. On the power play Jongah Park held the puck behind the Dutch net and found Han with a crisp pass for the 2-0 lead and Han’s second of the game. Great Britain defeated Australia 5-3 in its final game, giving the team enough points to leapfrog DPR Korea for the bronze medal. DPR Korea avoided relegation with a big 4-2 win in the final day against Slovenia, eventually finishing ahead of Slovenia and Australia, who lost out in the tiebreaker with the Slovenes and will move down to Group B. Results Thread

Mens Division II Group A World Championships 2017 in Galati (ROU) Day 5 Schedule (9th April 2017) GMT +3 Last Day 13:00 Belgium vs Australia 16:30 Serbia vs Iceland 20:00 Romania vs Spain *Romania currently leading the tournament with 9 pts, Australia with 8 pts, Here the possibilities * Romania is in the best situation, will qualify - if they win tomorrow they will autmatically advance, they will qualify also if they lose and Australia and Iceland will not win their matches. **Australia will qualify - if they win in regular time and Romania will not win in regular time, or if they win tomorrow after OT/GWS and Romania lose in regular time. *Serbia and Spain 2 of the pre-tournament favorites surprisingly battle for the maintain. Here the possibilities *Serbia has everything in its own hands, they will stay in this division - if they win any single point tomorrow against Iceland. but also if Spain doesn´t win against Romania in regular time. **Spain has only 1 possibility to avoid the relegation - if they win in regular time against Romania and Serbia lose in regular time with Iceland. Livestream Mens Division II Group B World Championships 2017 in Auckland (NZL) Day 4 Schedule (9th April 2017) GMT +12 13:00 Turkey vs China 16:30 North Korea vs Israel 20:00 New Zealand vs Mexico The matches are livestreamed on the New Zealand Ice Hockey Federation Facebook Profile Womens Division I Group B World Championships 2017 in Katowice (POL) Day 2 Schedule (9th April 2017) GMT +2 13:00 Latvia vs China 16:30 Slovakia vs Italy 20:00 Kazakhstan vs Poland Livestream

Friendly Matches 8th April 2017 Mens Road to World Championships Denmark - Slovakia 0-2 Latvia - Belarus 0-3 France - Switzerland 3-4 Norway - Germany 5-2 Other Matches Poland - Slovakia "B" 5-1 Road to Under 18 World Championships Slovakia U18 - Czech Republic U18 4-5 Switzerland U18 - Belarus U18 2-1

Mens Under 18 Division I Group A World Championships 2017 in Bled (SLO) Day 2 (8th April 2017) GMT +2 13:00 Germany vs Norway 5-6 After OT 16:30 Kazakhstan vs Hungary 2-1 20:00 Denmark vs France 2-4

Womens Division I Group B World Championships 2017 in Katowice (POL) Day 1 (8th April 2017) GMT +2 13:00 Italy vs Latvia 1-4 16:30 China vs Kazakhstan 2-0 20:00 Poland vs Slovakia 2-7

Latvia and yes

@Pavlo Poland won 5-1 today so what about those different worlds ? http://pzhl.tv/polacy-rozbili-slowacje-51-udany-rewanz-bialo-czerwonych/

So after a very bad first period, our team improved their play much more and we won again 0-2. 2 wins in Denmark both 0-2. Great sign especially in the goaltender post. 2 shutouts of Július Hudáček are very very cool. In general really satisfying first pre-worlds training camp. 2 wins in denmark this is not a really easy task at all. but there still some things that we must improve and work with it, especially the shooting efficiency. it is so poor, we have troubles in the offensive part, we eagerly need some strikers to come. also it seems we make too much stupid fouls in the offensive zone, very dumb penalties and since our disastrous penalty killing play (I can not imagine to see more static positions in PK than we do ) we really need to work on it.. so gonna be interesting to see how many players will be cut off, and who will be invited for the second camp next week. At this moment I really don´t know how many players from this camp will go to the worlds. next week 2nd pre-worlds stage with 2 matches against Switzerland

Thanks for the nice words dude and thanks for your amazing work. Congrats sorry to have destroyed your perfect top 4 Dolby I hoped for his medal so much after he was 1st .. so sorry dude and about me, Bronze is great. very happy with this, I count him even higher than the gold from the rugby 6 nations, because that gold was really just about some incredible and hardly repeatable random luck but this one was harder, because it was more in my knowledge. I have to say that my personal goal was a medal. so I´m happy and satisfied by my job

Womens Division II Group A World Championships 2017 in Gangneung, PyeongChang (KOR) Day 5 (8th April 2017) GMT +9 Last Day 12:00 North Korea vs Slovenia 4-2 16:30 Netherlands vs South Korea 0-2 21:00 Great Britain vs Australia 5-3 South Korea won home tournament with perfect 5-0 record (15 pts) and advance to next years Division I Group B world Championship. Silver medals went to the Netherlands. The dutch team collected in this tournament 12 points but the lose with the host team will cost them another year in this division. Bronze medals went to Great Britain with 7 points. all 4 teams behind South Korea and Netherlands played until the end for the maintain and 3-6 places, and it´s GB who managed the best finish resulting in bronze medals. North Korea finished their first ever ice hockey tournament in South Korea in the 4th position with 5 points. PRK had the worst position before last day they were in 6th position but hopefully for them it ended in the best way with the win over Slovenia. Slovenia finished 5th with 3 points and survived in this division also for the next season. Only 1 win was enough for them. Netherlands, Great Britain, North Korea and Slovenia will play the womens Division II Group A tournament also next year. Tough Luck for Australia. Last 6th place means the relegation to the Womens Division II Group B next year. where they will replace Mexico promoted team from this years Division II B played few weeks ago in Iceland. Australia finished the tournament also with 3 points but they lost to Slovenia 3-0, which is the reason of the Australian relegation.

Mens Under 18 Division II Group A World Championships 2017 in Gangneung, PyeongChang (KOR) Day 5 (8th April 2017) GMT +9 Last Day 12:00 Great Britain vs Croatia 6-3 16:30 Lithuania vs Estonia 1-3 21:00 South Korea vs Romania 1-2 Romania won the tournament with 13 points and gain promotion for the Mens Under 18 Division I Group B. Silver medals surprisingly went to Estonia with 9 points, Estonia was 4th before the last day but thanks their win in the baltic derby and help of Romania, the young Estonians will return home with silver medals. Lithuania fighted until the last day for promotion but after todays lose with their Estonian neighbors they finished the tournamet with 8 points in 3rd rank and will bring the bronze home. Host South Korea also battled until the very last second of the tournament for 1st place and gold medal but the lose dropped them even behind the podium to finish 4th with 7 points. 5th finished Great Britain also finished with 7 points but worst head to head match with the hosts. Team GB fought during the last day for the maintain and they reach their goal beating their main rivals and sends Croatia down to the lower category. Estonia, Lithuania, South Korea and Great Britain will play the U18 Division IIA also next year. Last 6th place for Croatia. The young Croatian team finished last with only 1 single point. earned after the overtime lose with Estonia. btw this is a extremely awful year for Croatian ice hockey so far, because the same thing (fact of relegation) happened also to the Croatian U20 team few months ago, Croatia will have to play the mens Under 18 Division II Group B next year, where they will replace Australia, promoted team to this U18 Div. II A from this years U18 Div IIB tournament played a couples of weeks ago in Serbia.

womens C1 ....bunch of morons

WOMEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2017 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gold Medal Match United States OT3 - 2 Canada HIGHLIGHTS

WOMEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2017 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bronze Medal Match Germany 0 - 8 Finland HIGHLIGHTS

WOMEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2017 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Relegation Round - Match 3 Switzerland - Czech Republic 3-1 Serie Final Standing 2-1 HIGHLIGHTS

So the womens world championships finished with a first home gold (the 8th title overall) for the United States. What a season for USA hockey so far...3 World championships ended this season 2016/17 the mens U20, womens U18 and now the womens category, and in all 3 USA won gold and in all 3 they won the gold medal matches against Canada winning their 5th consecutive silver in womens world championships top division. Bronze went to Finland their 12th consecutive bronze. Finland next years host also reached this time a big milestone becomming the first non North American nation to win a match against a North American national team, defeating Canada in the preliminary round. 4th place for Germany is the major surprise of this years tournament, the newly promoted team surprisingly won the preliminary round group and eliminated Russia in the quarterfinals, but the cinderella story came to an end in the final four against the womens ice hockey top teams. 5th finished Russia and 6th Sweden, 7th Switzerland survived among the elite after a extremely close relegation round battle, they even lost the first game and were down 0-1 in the best of 3 serie, but the Sochi 2014 olympic bronze medalists managed to win next 2 games and survived in top division. 8th and last finished Czech Republic, the czechs are relegated to the lower Womens Division I Group A world championships next year, but they still might hope for miracles, apparently there huge chances that the womens top division will be increased to 10 teams, the final decision will be made this summer, if it will be approved CZE will stay among the elite and 2 teams will be promoted from this years womens Division I A which will be played later this month in Austria.

WOMEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2017 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Decker named MVP Tied for scoring, gold medal winner U.S. forward Brianna Decker was a triple winner. She was awarded MVP and Directorate Award trophies and was named to the All-Star Team as a forward. Decker tied for the scoring lead with teammate Kendall Coyne, each recording 12 points in five games. Decker led all players with nine assists while Coyne was leader in goals with five. Most Valuable Player Brianna Decker Directorate Awards Best Goaltender: Noora Raty Best Defenceman: Jenni Hiirikoski Best Forward: Brianna Decker Media All-Star Team Goal: Noora Raty Defence: Jenni Hiirikoski Defence: Monique Lamoureux Forward: Marie-Philip Poulin Forward: Brianna Decker Forward: Kendall Coyne Total attendance for the 21 games at USA Hockey arena in Plymouth was 20,034 for 22 games The 2019 IIHF Ice Hockey Women's World Championship will be held in Finland.

WOMEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2017 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gold Medal Match United States OT3 - 2 Canada Period-by-Period: 1-1, 0-0, 1-1, OT: 1-0 April 7th 2017, h. 19:35, USA Hockey Arena 1, Plymouth USA wins first gold at home Knight blasts overtime winner at 10:17 Hilary Knight blocked a shot inside her blue line, moved the puck up to Kendall Coyne, and converted Coyne's drop shot to give the U.S. a 3-2 win over Canada. The goal came midway through an exhilarating overtime. It's the eighth gold for the Americans in the last ten Women's Worlds but the first ever on home ice. Canada has not won gold now since 2012 in Burlington, Vermont. Knight also scored the overtime winner in 2011 in Switzerland. "The last time we played at home we lost to them in Vermont, and we didn't want that feeling again," said defenceman Kacey Bellamy, who scored the Americans' two goals in regulation. "The support we've had the last few weeks has been incredible, so we wanted to win this for the fans." "I was just thinking, 'I have to block this shot,' and then I was thinking, 'I have to get it to Kendall,' because she's fast as hell," Knight described. "She created a lot of separation for me, so I just kind of filled in behind her and took the shot." "She got the puck up to me and I just rushed in with speed," Coyne said. "I knew Hil was right behind me. When you have the best player in the world behind you, you get her the puck." The 5-on-5 overtime period was nothing short of heart-pounding. Canada killed an early penalty and made a goal-line clearing earlier, and had its own chances to score, but in the end it was a mistake at one end and a great shot at the other that won the game. "We're both great teams," Knight continued. "You have to try to cut the odds in your favour, but at the end of the day you saw a great hockey game." Has there ever been a faster women's hockey game than that played tonight in Plymouth? The Americans and Canadians tore up and down the ice all night long. USA Hockey arena was packed, and it pretty evenly represented the two nations as chants of "USA! USA" were offset by "Go, Canada, go!" "I heard the Canada chants, and then was thinking, 'Come on! Let's get the U.S. chants!' It was an awesome atmosphere," Knight added. "To get the fan support was amazing. We often play in places we're getting booed, so cheers were great." "I thought we played really well," offered Canada's Meghan Agosta. "I think the biggest thing we can take out of this is to get more quality shots on net. It's tough right now, but we need to bounce back." Canada scored just 61 seconds after the opening faceoff when Jennifer Wakefield collected a loose puck in her end. At that moment, Agosta tore up ice, and Wakefield fed her as they skated in over the blue line on a 2-on-1. Agosta ripped a wicked shot over the glove of Nicole Hensley to stake Canada to an early 1-0 lead. The goal assuredly woke up the Americans, who won the first meeting a week ago by an impressive 2-0 score. Canada might have added to its tally on a power play soon after, but soon after the hosts tied the game. A faceoff win in the Canada zone got the puck back to Kacey Bellamy, and her hard shot was screened, making its way into the goal without Shannon Szabados having much of a chance on it. That goal came at 4:34, and both teams were now fully into what was clearly going to be another battle. The period was back and forth, up and down, the Americans having the better chances, but Szabados steady all the while. Canada's Natalie Spooner made a great rush alone against two defencemen in the final minute, but her shot rang off the far post and it remained a 1-1 game through 20 minutes. The looseness of the opening period wasn't quite there in the second, a period in which Canada had the upper hand. The team was more intense on the puck and pressured the American puck carrier at every touch. But the goalies were letter perfect, Hensley and Szabados stopping everything shot their way, though the former with far more difficult and plentiful shots. A tie game after two, and the seeming certainty of another one-goal victory either way, seems so common we sometimes take for granted how exciting this rivalry is. The game took a huge turn in the opening minute of the third when Bellamy snuck down to the top of the crease and knocked in a quick pass from Knight just 42 seconds in. After that, the Americans swamped Canada, but they couldn't get that third goal. Resilient Canada finally tied the game on the power play. Poulin drove down the right wing and got the puck in front where Brianne Jenner knocked it over the goal line at 9:44. The game felt like overtime after that, but Canada had to kill off two late penalties to get to a fourth period, which it did expertly. The Americans had plenty of puck movement and several great chances, but Szabados was there to hold the fort. That set up another dramatic conclusion in extra time. The Americans are world champions, but once players from both teams return home, they'll all have only one thing on their minds--PyeongChang.

WOMEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2017 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gold Medal Match United States OT3 - 2 Canada Period-by-Period: 1-1, 0-0, 1-1, OT: 1-0 April 7th 2017, h. 19:35, USA Hockey Arena 1, Plymouth

WOMEN'S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS 2017 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bronze Medal Match Germany 0 - 8 Finland Period-by-Period: 0-3, 0-5, 0-0 April 7th 2017, h. 15:35, USA Hockey Arena 1, Plymouth Finns take bronze Germans finish best-ever 4th despite 8-0 loss Finland's remarkable run of consistency continues with its 12th bronze at the Women's Worlds. It has never finished lower than fourth. Finland scored early, pressured the Germans throughout, and skated to an impressive 8-0 win over Germany in the bronze-medal game of the Women's Worlds. The win caps an excellent tournament for Suomi which earlier defeated Canada for the first time and later railled from a 3-1 deficit against the United States before losing, 5-3. For the Germans, the 4th-place finish is their best ever at this event, all the more impressive given that they were in Division I last year. "We started pretty well in the tournament, but as you can see on the ice against Canada, the United States, and Finland, the gap is big," acknowledged Germany's coach Benjamin Hinterstocker. "We don't have to talk about which team is the better one, but overall, we should be happy for the team and women's hockey in Germany. I think we represented German women's hockey well." Such was the joy the Germans felt for their efforts here in Plymouth that after the game they took a team photo on ice, not a common practise after a lop-sided medal loss. Noora Raty earned the shutout for the Finns today, stopping just 11 shots. The Finns put 38 shots on the German goal. Captain Jenni Hiirikoski had a goal and two assists for the Finns while Petra Nieminen had two goals to lead the balanced attack. "I think this was a big step forward," Hiirikoski said, "especally looking to next season and the Olympics. We're going to be playing and practising with boys next year, and that will help us get to the next level." "It's a good ending," said Raty. "I think we made a good statement here that we might have separated from the rest of the Europeans and actually have a real chance of playing in the finals one day." Today, though, Finland was too much. It scored just 53 seconds after the opening faceoff. Hiirikoski hit Linda Valimaki with a great outlet pass, and Valimaki skated around the German goal and tried a wraparound. Jennifer Harss was there to block the shot, but Petra Nieminen pushed home the rebound. The Finns had the better of the puck all period and scored two late goals to put the game out of reach for the low-scoring Germans. Ronja Savalainen got one at 16:17 on a scramble, and 73 seconds later Venla Hovi also banged in a shot from close range after some fine digging behind the net from Valimaki. Hinterstocker opted to give Ivonne Schroder some time in goal, so she started the second. Unfortunately, the Finns were firing on all cylinders and put five pucks behind her. Hiirikoski started the onslaught with a slapshot from the point on a power play. She then got an assist on the next goal, by Noora Tulus, when Tulus knocked in the rebound off a high shot from Hiirikoski. By the end of the second, it was 32-6 in shots for Finland, and the Germans were simply trying to gain some experience from their second straight bad loss. "We just wanted to play for each other," Hiirikoski said. "We wanted to have fun and focus on winning."