PHF Roundup: Season Eight, Week Eleven
Recapping a PHF game where the Boston Pride shut out the Metropolitan Riveters 5-0, with other news, notes & highlights from around the league.
Elena Gaberell and Leoni Balzer each had a goal and an assist, but the standout of the game was Swiss goalie Talina Benderer. Japan dominated the opening frame, but Benderer kept them off the board and Naemi Herzig scored in the final minute of the opening period to put Switzerland up 1-0. After a scoreless second, Switzerland pulled away in the third to win the first game of the series.
Sweden won the game handily, but all anyone was talking about after this game was the absolutely jaw-dropping "Michigan" goal that Slovakia's Nela Lopušanová scored on the power play in the first period.
MICHIGANNNNNNN🔥🇸🇰
— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) January 12, 2023
Of course it had to be Nela Lopusanova! @HockeySlovakia #U18WomensWorlds pic.twitter.com/kronTWtjDE
Lopušanová was already turning heads at this tournament with her confidence and stellar moves with and without the puck, but this really cemented the young player as a star whose name people will remember. When she scored the jaw-dropping goal, it was a tie game.
But Sweden was able to separate itself from there, as Jenna Raunio returned to the line up after a game off to recover from an injury sustained during the game against Canada. Six different Swedes scored in the game and 11 registered at least a point.
Sweden advances to play the US in the first semifinal on Saturday. The two teams met on the first day of the tournament with the Americans separating themselves in the third period and putting the game out of reach. The Swedish team has improved in each game since and believe they can turn out a full 60 minute outing to give USA a tougher game.
"It was a great game. We did our best and we really fought hard until the end. It's going to give us much experience in the next games." – Slovakia F Nela Lopušanová
"My dad motivated me to do it. He knows I can do it and he pushed me to do it on the power play and go behind the net." – Lopušanová on her "Michigan" goal
"I don't really know. I just kind of do it. I'm not scared. All of the players are the same regardless of their age. I'm doing the best I can and doing whatever I find that can work." - Lopušanová
"Once I see she has the puck, I'm like ok, we have time. It's obviously really good to have somebody on the team that can go score." – Slovakia F Lily Stern
"We've got the female Connor Bedard on the team. She [scored]. She's better." – Stern
"We all want revenge. On both teams [USA and Canada]." – Sweden D Linnea Natt Och Dag
"I like being both offense and defense. Sometimes the coach tells me to go on my feeling. I really trust my teammates and they really help with that. I go on my feeling and I trust that there is someone who sees that and covers on defense." – Natt Och Dag
After an abysmal preliminary round showing where they managed two goals in three games, hadn't scored on the power play and left their coach speechless on how to describe what was going on with her team, Finland showed up on Thursday looking like the team that won bronze last June. It apparently took the threat of dropping to group B and no chance for a medal to shake them up and help them come together as a team. Pauliina Salonen scored twice on the power play and Sanni Vanhanen scored two minutes after Salonen's second extra-attacked goal in the third to help Finland come from behind to edge Czechia.
The Czech players were devastated by the loss, feeling they’d beaten themselves and allowed the game to slip away from them. It was a 1-0 game heading into the third, but Tereza Plosová scored just 44 seconds in to tie the game. Six minutes later, Linda Vocetková added a power play goal to give Czechia the 2-1 lead. Goalie Michaela Hesová said the team lost focus and got too comfortable after taking the lead and mental mistakes allowed Finland back in the game.
Finland F Pauliina Salonen – I've talked about this during the college season, but there are certain players that, when their back gets pushed against the wall, respond with abandon and proceed to play like they refuse to let their team lose. That was Pauliina Salonen on Thursday. In the third period, she seemed to be everywhere at once. She was involved in nearly every play on offense and defense, was on the boards and in front of the net and just generally looked like she was going to carry the team to victory herself if she had to.
Czechia F Adéla Šapovalivová – She led the team in faceoffs, was second in shots, and had an assist. But most importantly, she was a calm presence in the midst of a game that was all over the map emotionally. Honorable mention to Tereza Plosová and Michaela Hesová, both of whom were solid and commanding in the game.
"We talked last night for a long time. We used our time to do some things as a group and now they showed that they are a team on the ice." – Finland coach Mira Kuisma
"[Pauliina Salonen] and [Sanni] Vanhanen and [Tilli] Keranan, the flames just burned in their eyes." – Kuisma, about how her top line seemed determined to will the team to win
"I’m always a calm player. I'm that kind of player. Today I tried to be even more so to help the team." – Finland D Nella Berg
"It means everything. It's so awesome that we get to play in the semi-final." – Finland F Pauliina Salonen
"We know that we lost due to our own mistakes, so we're kind of pissed off. We made stupid mistakes and let them score two goals, which is unforgivable in a game like this." – Czechia G Michaela Hesová
"It's hard because it's the second time. We lost to Sweden in the quarterfinals in 2022 by one goal." – Czechia coach Dušan Andrašovský
"We lost confidence and stopped believing that we can win. After that it was very hard." – Andrašovský
(Photo: Nicole Haase)