BEIJING (Reuters) – Finland rolled into the ladies’s ice hockey semi-closing spherical in Beijing on Saturday, with a hat-trick from assistant captain Petra Nieminen serving to them crush Japan 7-1.
Nieminen drew first blood, changing on an influence play likelihood early within the first interval, and Viivi Vainikka added to the lead minutes later, setting up a Monday rematch of their Pyeongchang semi with defending champions the United States.
“There was a second that Japan was getting nearer however due to the gamers, they turned it to our staff and so they performed rather well,” head coach Juuso Toivola informed reporters after the sport at Wukesong Sports Centre.
Japan obtained on the board with 5 minutes left within the first interval, as Akane Shiga despatched the puck between the legs of the Finnish goalie to chop the lead.
But the three-time bronze medallists refused to cede momentum, providing a livid rebuke within the second with assistant captain Michelle Karvinen scoring off the rebound and Nieminen sending one other one in shortly after.
Nieminen, who helped Finland to the rostrum 4 years in the past, wanted solely 18 seconds within the third body to finish her trifecta, and returning Olympians Susanna Tapani and Sanni Hakala additionally added targets within the third.
The night was a return to kind for the Finnish, perennial contenders who nonetheless misplaced their first three preliminary video games in Beijing – together with a 5-2 defeat by the U.S. of their opener.
“It can be an enormous problem for us. Obviously Team USA has accomplished a very good event thus far and we should be actually good in our zone, and once we get the puck we have to make proper choices on the ice,” captain Jenni Hiirikoski mentioned of Monday’s semi-closing.
(Reporting by Amy Tennery in Beijing; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
