Women’s Hockey Update: December 17th, 2018

The Russian Under-18 women’s national team prepares to take on Finland in Stupino this past weekend. (Image Source)

Lots to cover in this update, as we look back on a weekend of international hockey, along with a number of games in the amateur Russian women’s league!  It was mixed fortunes for the Russian “B” national team and the U18 side in their tournaments, but some history was made in the League of Women’s Hockey — read on!  

As mentioned, there were two Russian women’s national teams in action this past weekend, and first of all we turn to the senior “B” team which had made its debut against Shenzhen KRS Vanke Rays a week earlier.  This time, the team was on its way to Czechia for a 4-Nations tournament that would also feature the hosts along with France and Norway.  An interesting series of match-ups for Russia’s second squad, and, once again with Agidel Ufa head coach Denis Afinogenov behind the bench, they named this roster for the tournament:

Goalies:

• Yelizaveta Kondakova (Tornado Moscow Oblast)
• Nadezhda Morozova (Biryusa Krasnoyarsk)
• Valeriya Tarakanova (SKIF Nizhny Novgorod)

Defenders:

• Tatyana Chizhova (SKIF Nizhny Novgorod)
• Alexandra Gandzyuk (Agidel Ufa)
• Irina Kulagina (Tornado Moscow Oblast)
• Mariya Kuznetsova (Gorny St. Petersburg)
• Anastasiya Medvedva (SKIF Nizhny Novgorod)
• Alina Orlova (Gorny St. Petersburg)
• Darya Zubok (Tornado Moscow Oblast)

Forwards:

• Mariya Alexandrova (Tornado Moscow Oblast)
• Darya Beloglazova (Tornado Moscow Oblast)
• Oxana Bratishcheva (SKIF Nizhny Novgorod)
• Yekaterina Dobrodeyeva (Biryusa Krasnoyarsk)
• Landish Falyakhova (SKIF Nizhny Novgorod)
• Viktoriya Kulishova (SKIF Nizhny Novgorod)
• Anastasiya Letovaltseva (Biryusa Krasnoyarsk)
• Yelizaveta Rodnova (Agidel Ufa)
• Alyona Starovoitova (Tornado Moscow Oblast)
• Mariya Tyugankina (Agidel Ufa)
• Alyona Zubkova (Agidel Ufa)

It was a similar roster to the one that faced KRS Vanke Rays, with the addition of a handful of players (goalie Morozova and forwards Starovoitova and Kulishova in particular) who have seen significant time with the “A” squad in recent tournaments.  And it was with Morozova in goal that Russia opened their tournament against Norway, who compete in the second women’s international division.  Things looked good early on, as Mariya Alexandrova gave Russia a 1-0 first-period lead.  But Norway found an equalizer, through Lene Tendenes, in the second period, and when Line Bialik put the Scandinavians ahead in the third period, Russia could not muster an answer.  2-1 it finished in Norway’s favour, although no blame could accrue to Morozova, who made 29 saves in the game.  

Game 2 of the tournament saw France, who won Division IA last season and so will be playing in the women’s top division World Championship for the first time this coming spring, as the opponent.  Valeriya Tarakanova got the start in goal.  As they had in Game 1, Russia took the lead, Tatyana Chizhova finding the net mid-way through the second period.  But the remainder of the script would be all too familiar to coach Afinogenov’s troops.  Chloé Aurard got France level early in the third, and a few minutes later she struck again to put her team ahead.  Again, the Russian offense failed to answer, and an empty-netter from Betty Jouanny in the final minute completed a 3-1 French victory.  In addition to Aurard, French goalie Caroline Baldin had a good game, making 26 saves; Tararkonova was also strong, making 23 stops.  

Oxana Bratishcheva. (Image Source)

The Russian team now sat at 0-2, with just two goals scored and a very tough test on hand in the final game against the host Czechs.  But in this one the goalscorers finally broke through.  For the third straight game, the opening goal was Russian, Darya Beloglazova making in 1-0 in the second period.  This time, however, Russia extended the advantage, as Oxana Bratishcheva doubled the lead at the halfway point of the middle frame.  In the third, Team Russia secured the result; Irina Kulagina’s goal made it 3-0.  Though Pavlína Horálková did get Czechia to 3-1 with six minutes left, a tally shortly thereafter from Viktoriya Kulishova restored Russia’s three-goal advantage.  It would finish 4-2, Samantha Kolowratová scoring a consolation marker for the hosts with just one second left on the clock.  Kulagina finished with a goal and an assist in the game, while Alyona Starovoitova had two assists and Morozova contributed another 29 saves to the cause.  

Despite the loss to Russia, the Czechs took top spot in the tournament, beating out the Norwegians on goal difference.  Russia would take third, again on goal difference ahead of France.  A 1-2 record was obviously not what the coaching staff would have been hoping for, even with the “B” squad, and the first two games of the tournament suggested that scoring depth is lacking outside the forwards on the “A” team.  However, that closing victory against Czechia will calm some worries on that issue, and we should keep in mind that the purpose of having a reserve national team is to get players (and coaches) valuable international experience.  “Mission accomplished” there at least, if not in terms of the actual results.

***

As part of its preparations for the tournament in Czechia, Russia “B” had earlier taken on the country’s U18 women’s team in an exhibition game in Moscow (the elders won it, 3-2).  The U18 squad itself was preparing for a tournament, this one to be played at home, in the Moscow Oblast city of Stupino.  Finland, Sweden, and Czechia would make up the field — a strong group, as all four teams will entertain serious medal hopes at next month’s U18 Women’s Worlds in Japan.  Coach Yevgeny Bobariko took with him, on the short trip from Novogorsk to Stupino, the following players:

Goalies:

• Anna Alpatova (Tornado Moscow Oblast)
• Darya Gredzen (Metallurg Novokuznetsk 2004)

Defenders:

• Karina Akhmetova (Sozvezdie Moscow 2004)
• Anastasiya Golovkina (Tornado Moscow Oblast)
• Olesya Namestnikova (Biryusa Krasnoyarsk)
• Yelena Provorova (SKIF Nizhny Novgorod)
• Anna Savonina (Tornado Moscow Oblast)
• Alyona Shmykova (SKIF Nizhny Novgorod)
• Sofiya Sychyova (Biryusa Krasnoyarsk)
• Nadezhda Volf (SK Sverdlovs Oblast)

Forwards:

• Varvara Boriskova (Armada Odintsovo 2004)
• Kristina Glukharyova (SKA-Gazprombank St. Petersburg)
• Sofiya Lifatova (Biryusa Krasnoyarsk)
• Anna Lopukhova (Tornado Moscow Oblast)
• Polina Luchnikova (Agidel Ufa)
• Ilona Markova (Agidel Ufa)
• Yelena Mezentseva (Biryusa Krasnoyarsk)
• Mariya Pushkar (Tornado Moscow Oblast)
• Kristi Shashkina (SKIF Nizhny Novgorod)
• Yelizaveta Shkalyova (Tornado Moscow Oblast)
• Yekaterina Sokolova (SKIF Nizhny Novgorod)
• Polina Tarasova (Atlant Moscow Oblast)

Anna Savonina pots one of her two goals against Finland. (Image Source)

First up for Team Russia was the Finns, who were looking to avenge a defeat at October’s tournament in Finland which the Russians ended up winning.  This time the visitors got off to a good start; Emilia Vesa gave them a 1-0 lead in the first, and when Viivi Vainikka doubled the advantage in the second, Russia had a steep hill to climb.  But step forward Tornado Moscow Oblast defender Anna Savonina.  Her goal late in the middle frame gave Russia some hope, and they tied things up in the third.  Oh, they left it late, but it was Savonina again, with just ten seconds to play, who sent things to overtime.  The extra minutes solved nothing, and the game went to a shootout, where Krista Parkkonen earned Finland the extra point.  Darya Gredzen, in the Russian net, was the busier of the two goalies (Finland led 30-21 on the shot-counter), but did well, making 28 saves.

Game 2, against Czechia, would be a frustrating one for Team Russia.  The team played well (better than they had against Finland, per their coach), and goalie Anna Alpatova had a very strong day with 27 saves.  But they absolutely could not solve Julie Pejšová in the Czech net; she also would stop 27 shots, which coincidentally was the exact number that Team Russia took.  Team Czechia took 28 shots, and one of them — late in the second period off the stick of Adéla Škrdlová — found the net for the game’s only goal.  It ended 1-0 for the Czechs, and the Russian side was now looking at an disappointing 0-2 record.

Their older sisters had managed a salvaging victory in their final tournament game; could the U18s do likewise?  Gredzen returned to the net to face Sweden, but the game could not have gotten off to a worse start for Team Russia.  Goals from Thea Johansson and Lina Ljungblom had the Swedes 2-0 up before a minute and a half of the first period had elapsed, and it looked like the tournament might be a complete wash for Team Russia.  But the squad rallied, and it was Biryusa Krasnoyarsk defender Olesya Namestnikova who led the way.  Before the first period was over, she had tallied twice to get her team back on level terms, and Russia took their first lead of the tournament when Anastasiya Golovkina scored in the middle frame.  Then, as the third period moved into its closing stages, Namestnikova completed her hat-trick, and the game ended 4-2 in the hosts’ favour.   The Agidel Ufa duo of Ilona Markova and Polina Luchnikova posted two assists apiece, while Alpatova did well in goal in relief of Gredzen.  But the day belonged to Namestnikova; “I will remember this my whole life,” she would say post-game.

The victory, and the point gained against Finland, allowed Team Russia to snatch second place in the tournament, behind the Finns in first and ahead of the Swedes and Czechs in that order.  It was a strange tournament for coach Bobariko’s side; among its oddities was the fact that all six of Russia’s goals were scored by defenders.  The forwards will need to find, or re-find, their killer instinct before the Worlds roll around next month.  On the bright side, Team Russia showed some resilience in battling back twice from 2-0 deficits, and their play at times in the tournament was very good indeed, featuring slick passing and excellent team-work.  Another plus: though Gredzen’s outing against Sweden was short and forgettable, she looks very much like a player to keep an eye on; she’s only 14, and had some spectacular sequences against Finland.  Anna Alpatova, who will be Russia’s starting goalie at next month’s U18 Worlds, was excellent in her tournament play as well.  So, both clouds and silver linings, and it is on to the World Championship! 

***

Moving away from the international scene, and some history was made this past weekend in the amateur League of Women’s Hockey.  The league has expanded from 21 teams to 26 this season, meaning that there are two qualifying groups representing St. Petersburg and environs.  Both groups played their first qualifying tournaments this past weekend and in Group V was the league’s first-ever foreign team: Estonian Women’s League side Everest Kohtla-Järve.  Estonia iced a women’s national team in World Championship play in the lower IIHF divisions a decade ago (I believe they are working towards a return at some future date), and at least three players from those teams — forwards Maria Disko, Svetlana Tsupsman, and Kadri Reitalu — were on the ice for Everest in St. Petersburg this weekend.

Everest Kohtla-Järve players celebrate a win at this past weekend’s tournament. (Image Source)

Everest’s campaign began very well indeed, with a 10-0 win over fellow league newcomers Tankistki St. Petersburg, but they dropped their second game, 5-1 to Pantery St. Petersburg.  Another 10-0 victory followed that, against another new St. Petersburg team, Afina, and Everest then closed out their tournament with a 5-0 defeat at the hands of powerhouse Groza-1 St. Petersburg.  A mixed bag of results, but a reasonable one, and Everest currently sit third in the table with four points, behind Groza-1 (a perfect 4-0, with a 35-1 GF-GA and eight points) and Pantery (six points).  Tankistki and Afina recorded a point each, having tied each other 0-0.  Yelizeta Loginova of Pantery, who played a pro season with Dynamo St. Petersburg a couple of years ago, leads all scorers (4 gp, 4-9-13), just ahead of Everest’s former World Championship player Maria Disko (4 gp, 7-5-12).  

The other St. Petersburg-and-region group, Group G, also had its first qualifying tournament of 2018-19 this weekend with four teams: Groza-2 St. Petersburg, Rost-Khimik Nizhny Novgorod, Fenix Yaroslavl, and a welcome returnee after a year out of the league: the Nikolai Liu club from Ukhta.  There were some familiar names in this tournament too, among them Rost-Khimik defender Larisa Teplygina, who had a long pro career with SKIF Nizhny Novgorod.  The tournament would be decided in the final game, between Groza-2 and Rost-Khimik — and indeed, it would be decided at the last moment of the last game.  Those two teams played scoreless until just eight seconds were left on the clock, when Yekaterina Nadelyayeva broke through to pot Groza-2’s winner.

The 1-0 thriller meant a sweep of both St. Petersburg groups for the Groza club.  Groza-2 currently lead Group G with six points, ahead of Rost-Khimik with four.  Fenix picked up two points, while the return to action was a tough one for the Nikolai Liu club, which finished 0-3.  The top scorer currently: Rost-Khimik’s Yelizaveta Dyundina (3 gp, 3-4-7), another former pro who played for SK Sverdlovsk Oblast in recent seasons.  

The League of Women’s Hockey will resume in the new year, with the second round of qualifying tournaments for all groups.  That will be followed by the national championship tournament, in May.  

***

And that is it for this week!  In the next update, there will be Women’s Hockey League action to recap; that league gets back underway on Tuesday as SK Sverdlovsk Oblast host Gorny St. Petersburg and Agidel Ufa are at home to Dynamo St. Petersburg.  And on Thursday another series begins, with Biryusa Krasnoyarsk hosting Tornado Moscow Oblast.  Check the Youtube channels of the various home teams for possible streaming links, and we’ll get you all up to date on what happened in the next women’s hockey post!  Thank you for reading!