Korea squeezes past Britain at women's hockey worlds, inches closer to promotion
The South Korean women's national team participating in the International Ice Hockey Federation Women's World Championship Division I Group B at Suwon Ice Rink, 35 kilometers south of Seoul, are seen in this photo provided by the Korea Ice Hockey Association, April 22. Yonhap
Korea held off Britain 3-2 for its fourth consecutive victory at the third-tier women's hockey world championship on home ice Saturday, moving a step closer to a promotion to the next level in international hockey.
Captain Han Soo-jin scored the go-ahead goal to beat the second-period buzzer in the narrow win at the International Ice Hockey Federation Women's World Championship Division I Group B at Suwon Ice Rink, some 35 kilometers south of Seoul.
With three regulation wins and one overtime win, Korea stayed at the top of the six-nation tournament with 11 points, with one game remaining.
Korea will wrap up the competition against Kazakhstan at 3:45 p.m. Sunday. Italy, in second place with 10 points, will take on Poland in the tournament finale at 7:15 p.m. Sunday.
With a win Sunday, Korea will clinch first place in the competition and also grab a ticket to the next highest competition, Division I Group A, for 2024. South Korea has never made it above Division I Group B.
Should Korea and Italy finish tied in points, South Korea holds the tiebreaker thanks to a 2-1 overtime victory from Monday.
Against Britain, Korea scored first at the 14:32 mark in the opening frame. Defender Kim Tae-yeon's quick pass from the neutral zone sprung winger Lee Eun-ji on a 2-on-1 rush chance. Lee then sent the puck across to Park Jong-ah speeding down the right wing, and Park went down to her knees for a one-timer past goalie Ella Howard.
It gave Park a team-leading fifth point of the tournament.
The game opened up in the second period, as the teams traded four goals.
Kim Hee-won doubled South Korea's lead on a power play under five minutes into the middle period, as she emerged with the loose puck in a goalmouth scramble and slotted it past Howard.
But Britain stormed back to tie the score. First, it was Kathryn Marsden converting a saucer pass from Katie Henry on a 2-on-1 opportunity at the 8:39 mark. About four minutes later, Katherine Gale scored a power play marker off a big rebound.
Korea restored its lead with a buzzer beater by Han Soo-jin, who was left unmarked near the top of the crease as she took a Park Jong-ah feed from below the goal line. Han's shot found the back of the net just before time expired.
Britain, already eliminated from title contention before Saturday's game, outshot South Korea 6-3 in the final period but couldn't put one past goalie Huh Eun-bee (Yonhap)