Russia are the 2016 Women's World Championship bronze medallists!

The third place play-off at the 2016 IIHF Women’s World Championship took place today against Finland. A few changes were made by head coach Mikhail Chekanov, as Nadezhda Morozova begun between the pipes, and Lyudmila Belyakova dropped to the fourth line.

If our players lacked confidence after the heavy loss to the USA yesterday, they didn’t let it show. Our girls made a positive start in Kamloops, and Alevtina Shtaryova failed to make clear contact when placed with an empty net to aim at. Russia were dictating the pace, however as time rolled on, the Finns grew into the game. The puck was spending a lot of time in our zone, and with our defensemen struggling, only Nadezhda Morozova was keeping it level. She made a stunning double glove stop at point blank range, and she was happy to see a Finnish forward hit the left post with the net gaping.

Russia had to change the flow of the game, and in the second period, our team appeared the stronger. The Finns were losing energy, and as they began to get into penalty trouble, we had golden opportunities to break the deadlock. Elena Dergachyova hit the right post with the Finnish goaltender beaten, and Angelina Goncharenko and Anna Shibanova had huge slap shots denied.

The tension was high moving into the third frame, and Finland look to have regained their energy. The game was flowing back and forth, and after Michelle Karvinen backhanded off target when clean through, Yekaterina Smolentseva passed up a clear opening by the Finnish net. Chances dried up as the final few minutes approached, and after Valeria Pavlova took a late hooking call, we had to fend off a dangerous Finnish powerplay.

Ten minutes of overtime were announced, and during that time. Russia had a clear advantage. We were catching Finland out on the break on a number of occasions, and had glorious chances to win it. Yekaterina Smolentseva hacked wide when clean through, and Olga Sosina was shut down on the slot. It ended up going all the way to penalty shots, and that is where our players came good. Captain Anna Schukina and Olga Sosina found the net, and Nadezhda Morozova kept her shutout safe. Russia are the 2016 IIHF Women’s World Championship bronze medallists!

Match protocol:

Finland – Russia – 0:1 SO (0:0, 0:0, 0:0, 0:0 – 0:1)

Goals:

0:1 Sosina, 70.00

Penalty shootout: 0:2 (Schukina, Sosina)

Goalkeepers: Raisanen – Morozova

Shots on target: 32 -23

Penalty minutes: 10 – 4

04.04.2016. Kamloops, Canada.

Russian Ice Hockey Federation