By Andy Potts | 08 OCT 2021 IIHF
A nerve-jangling clash in Nottingham saw Slovenia grab a narrow victory over Great Britain thanks to goals from its prolific top line. Despite falling behind late in the opening frame, the Slovenians rallied to turn the game around on two goals midway through the second period. And some brave defence, coupled with big goaltending from Pia Dukanic, ensured the victory.
The first period was a fast-paced, sometimes frantic affair. Slovenia jumped out of the blocks and almost caught the host nation cold with two efforts against the post in the opening minutes. Juliya Blazinsek and Tamara Svetina rang the iron as Britain took early penalties and ceded the initiative.
By the midway stage, though, the game had stabilized. There was more evidence of the ‘sticks-in-lanes’ play talked up by head coach Mike Clancy and the home offence began to create some opportunities. However, the Slovenian power play remained a threat and Sara Confidenti forced a big double save from Nicole Jackson to keep the game deadlocked.
It was helter-skelter stuff at times and there was a growing sense that the player who could demonstrate a touch of composure would fashion the breakthrough. Charlotte Harris came close with a blast that drew a great save from Pia Dukaric in the Slovenia net. But the opener had to wait until the final minute of the frame when Britain got its first power play of the night. After the win over Iceland, GB talked about its ability to punish teams on the PP and tonight that came true once again. Lucy Beal, who worked so hard on the penalty kill early on, was the scorer. She picked up on a broken play, turned away from Pia Pren, and circled to the right-hand dot and produced a quick release wrist shot to get past the 21-year-old netminder.
If Britain hoped that a goal so close to the hooter would prove to be a game-breaker, Slovenia had other ideas. The second period was as intensely contested as the first but this time it was the Slovenian power play that made the breakthrough. Perhaps inevitably, it was captain Pren who got the all-important goal, squeezing a shot inside Jackson’s near post after the British goalie robbed Blazinsek with a superb glove save.
And within two minutes, Slovenia had the lead. Confidenti’s solo rush saw her get away from two defenders before Jackson shut the door. However, the puck remained live and Blazinsek was the first to react, lifting it over the goalie’s outstretched pad and over the goal line. Moments later, Eva Dukaric attempted a repeat of Confidenti’s surge but this time Britain got the loose puck to safety after another good stop from Jackson.
The talk from the GB camp was defiant at the second intermission but Slovenia showed resilience of its own in the third period. An early British penalty was efficiently killed and later the home nation failed to make a 5-on-3 advantage pay. In between, Slovenia too enjoyed a two-player advantage but both goalies remained obdurate and the game stayed on a knife edge until the dying moments.