Russia defeats Slovakia 4-2 in women’s hockey classification game

Svetlana Terenteva scored the game-winning goal as Russia beat Slovakia 4-2 at the UBC Thunderbird Arena insuring they will play Switzerland for 5th place at the 2010 Olympic Games.

A two many players on the ice penalty against Russia would put the Slovaks on the power play but it would be the Russians that would take advantage. Alexandra Kapustina passed the puck to Terenteva, who broke away on a breakaway and beat Slovakia goalkeeper Zuzana Tomcikova with a backhand to put Russia up 3-1 at the 13:45 mark of the second.

Tatiana Sotnikova opened the scoring for Russia at the 7:34 mark of the first period after beating Slovakia’s Tomcikova with a low shot.

Edita Rakova of Slovakia was called for interference at 17:19 sending Russia to the power play. Russia took advantage as Iya Gavrilova scored after Tomcikova allowed a rebound off a Marina Sergina shot that Gavrilova quickly shot into the net at the 18:16 mark of the first.

Russia out shot Slovakia 17-5 in the first period but Tomcikova’s strong goaltending kept Slovakia in the game.

Slovakia would find themselves on the power play early in the second after Russia’s Ekaterina Smolentseva was called for interference at the 2:25 mark of the second period. Russian goalkeeper Irina Gashennikova was unable to clear the puck from the goal crease and Slovakia’s Petra Pravilokova quickly shot the puck in off Gashennikova’s goal stick to cut the Russia lead to 2-1.

The Slovaks started the third period quickly and were amply rewarded. Gashennikova turned away two shots but was unable to stop a third effort in close by Jana Kapustova, to cut the Russia lead down to 3-2 at the 31 second mark of the third.

Rakova’s second penalty of the game at 9:11 of the third for slashing would again prove costly to the Slovaks. Russia’s Gavrilova once again beat Tomcikova this time with a low shot on the stick side while the Slovak goalie was caught out of position to restore Russia’s two goal advantage and give Gavrilova a two goal game.

Tomcikova stopped 39 of 43 shots for Slovakia while Gashennikova stopped 17 of 19 shots for Russia.

Both teams power play units did well with Slovakia going 1-for-4 while Russia was 2-for-4.

Team Russia will play Switzerland on Monday, February 22 at 7:00 pm PST.

Slovakia will play China on Monday, February 22 at 2:00 pm PST in the 7th/8th place classification game.

About this article

By: Igor Henriques
Posted: Feb 21 2010 1:03 am
Edition:
Filed under: Winter Games
Topics: