Russia finish fourth at the 2016 women's U18 World Championship

The bronze medal match of the women’s 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship took place today between Russia and Sweden.

Both teams came into this game having lost their semi-finals 0:4 to the USA and Canada respectively, and it was Sweden who started the better. A powerplay wrister got the better of our starting netminder Valeria Tarakanova glove side, and minutes later a tame shot from the high slot got through the five hole. That shocked our girls somewhat, however Daria Beloglazova had a great chance to halve the deficit. Some clever Fanuza Kadirova play set Daria up on the doorstep, but the latter couldn’t find the net.

The second half saw Sweden control proceedings, and Valeria Tarakanova was the busier goaltender. She made seventeen saves in the frame overall, as she refused to let the Swedes pull away completely. Russia had to force the issue moving on into the third stanza, and after a prolonged amount of pressure the Swedish goaltender was finally beaten. Fanuza Kadirova’s close range effort was denied, and Daria Beloglazova whacked home the rebound to get our team within one. Valeria Tarakanova made an amazing glove save as Swedish forward burst clean through moments after that marker, but that proved to be the final action of note as our U18 women fell to Sweden 1:2 to take fourth place at the tournament.

Russian head coach Alexander Ulyankin:

- We couldn't show our hockey in the first two periods. In the third we cut the deficit, but failed to get level. The team's leaders didn't do well.

Russia captain Fanuza Kadirova:

- The Swedes took advantage of our poor start. We passed up on our goalscoring chances, scoring only at the end.

Match protocol:

Sweden – Russia – 2:1 (2:0, 0:0, 0:1)

Goals:

1:0 Tedenby (Adolfsson), 05.01

2:0 Hjalmarsson, 13.03

2:1 Beloglazova (Kadirova), 55.33

Goalkeepers: Tarakanova – Soderberg

Shots on target: 26 – 32

Penalty minutes: 10 – 4

16.01.2016. Meridian Centre, Saint Catharines, Canada.