Women’ s Final Olympic Qualification Group D Tournament

Women’ s Final Olympic Qualification Group D Tournament For 2022 Winter Olympics

Germany took care of business in its second game of the Womens’ Final Olympic Qualification Group D, defeating Italy 4-1 to remain in contention for an Olympic spot.

Forward Lily Welcke scored a goal and added a couple of assists as the Germans outshot Italy 39-11.

“We stayed calm and just played out game, focused on our style,” said Welcke.

Both teams came into the game badly needing a victory after coming out of their opening matchups without a point in the three-game tournament.

The Germans especially were smarting from their 3-0 shutout at the hands of Austria, having come into the tournament as the highest-ranked team and the favourites to win on home ice. They would need a win agianst Italy, and avoid a regulation victory by the Austrians against Denmark in the late game to have a chance to reach the Olympic Games.

“Whatever happens tonight, we will do what we can do tomorrow and play our best to win the game,” said Nicola Eisenschmid.

Germany started fast with a goal less than five minutes into the games. After defenceman Tabea Botthoff blocked a clearing attempt from Italy’s Amie Varano, the loose puck came to Tanja Eisenschmid. She passed it off to her sister Nicola Eisenschmid, who slotted it home stick-side past goalie Elisa Biondi for the 1-0 lead.

The Italians answered early in the second frame, when during an Italian power play Germany’s Laura Kluge attempted to get the puck out of the German zone but had it blocked near the blue line. Defenceman Nadia Mattivi pounced on the puck and got a shot off against Albl. Albl made the initial save but could not collect the rebound and Chelsea Furlani was there to clean up, tying the game and giving Italy its first goal of the tournament.

But the Germans would go back on top midway through the second. Italy cleared the puck out of its zone where it was collected near the German blue line by German captain Julia Zorn, who then made a fantastic pinpoint pass right onto the stick of Lilli Welcke, setting her off on a breakaway where she finished the play with a forehand deke to go up 2-1.

Welcke together with Nicola EIsenschmid would later combine to set up Marie Delarbre for an insurance score, and Katerina Jobst-Smith added another in the third period as Germany improves to 1W-1L.

With the victory, Germany keeps its hopes for Olympic qualification alive, pending the results fo the late game betwee Austria and Denmark. Tomorrow the Germans play the Danes on the final day of the tournament, while Italy takes on Austria.

Women’ s Final Olympic Qualification Group D Tournament For 2022 Winter Olympics

by Adam Steiss 11 NOV 2021

With just three games to earn a historic milestone and reach the Olympics for the first time ever, Austria’s women’s national team seized the moment and kicked off the Women’s Final Olympic Qualification Group D tournament with a massive 3-0 upset of Germany.

Theresa Schafzahl scored short-handed in the first period and Anja Trummer added a pair of goals in the second and third period to give Austria a big three points in their opening game in Fussen.

“The team really made it easy for me to be in net,” said goaltender Selma Luggins who made 20 saves and earned the shutout despite Austria taking eight penalties in the game. “We’re really happy with the end result but we know we have two more games left so we are concentrating on that.”

Germany came into the game as the highest-ranked team in the group, and playing on home ice was looking to cement that status with an opening-day win over their southern Alpine neighbours.

“I think we were prepared for our game plan, we tried to follow it and it really worked for us” said Austrian forward Janine Weber.

Austria didn’t do itself any favours early on, taking two consecutive penalties that kept them from mustering any attacking pressure on the German net. But midway through the first the Austrians started to get a few odd-man rushes to keep German goalie Sandra Arbstreiter on her toes.

Then with the Germans on their third straight power play, the puck ricocheted off the boards and past forward Laura Kluge in the Austrian zone, allowing Theresa Schafzahl to take off with teammate Anna Meixner with no one in front of them but the German goalie. Schafzahl slotted the puck home on a give-and-go from Meixner to put the Austrians up 1-0 going into the second period.

Penalty trouble continued for Austria in the second frame, but the Austrian penalty kill effectively shut down Germany’s attack and kept its forwards outside penned along the boards and unable to get any clear scoring opportunities.

“Too many penalties, that’s definitely something we need to improve in the next games,” said Austria head coach Jari Risku.

“Power play opportunities, we missed a lot of them and we weren’t able to put enough pressure on the Austrian goalie and weon offence weren’t dangerous enough even on 5-on-5,” said Germany head coach Thomas Schadler.

Germany’s best chance to equalize came at 9:15 of the second period when a German shot from the high slot trickled between Austrian goalie Selma Luggin’s pads and was about to cross the goal line when it was stopped by the blade of defender Charlotte Wittich and cleared from danger.

Then the momentum swung to Austria as the Germans took consecutive penalties, the first leading to a penalty shot that was stopped by Arbstrieter. But on the second Austrian forward Anja Trummer got off a shot on Arbstrieter from the middle of the right circle that the Germany goalie was unable to freeze, leading to a rebound from Janine Weber that went through to give Austria a 2-0 lead with five minutes to go in the frame.

In the third period, the Austrian defence held the fort and kept Germany off the scoresheet while Trummer added her second of the game to seal the victory.

Both team now get a day off before resuming play on Saturday, with Austria facing Denmark and Germany taking on Italy.