Japan held the Swiss to another one-goal game but couldn't score the tying goal.
Switzerland held off a stubborn host Japan team this afternoon to win, 2-1, and move into a tie with Finland for top place in Group B. The result gives the team hopes of advancing to the quarter-finals for the first time since the WW18 became an IIHF event in 2008.
Japan, 0-3 so far, is headed to the Relegation Round against an opponent to be determined after tonight’s Finland-Czech Republic game. It is more likely to be the Czech Republic, but it's still possible that Switzerland must play Japan in the best-of-three.
The Swiss got the only goal of the opening period. After killing off an early penalty, Alicia Pagnameta beat Rei Halloran at 11:54 for the early lead.
The Swiss took two more penalties early in the second, and Japan capitalized with the five-on-three advantage. Akane Shiga converted a pass from Makoto Ito to tie the game at 4:30.
A little later in the period, though, the Swiss went ahead again, on a Japan power play, no less. Emma Ingold scored the goal, on a pass from Pagnamenta.
The Japanese ran into penalty trouble in the third, but as time wound down they pulled goalie Reika Sasaki for a sixth attacker, to no avail.
Japan, 0-3 so far, is headed to the Relegation Round against an opponent to be determined after tonight’s Finland-Czech Republic game. It is more likely to be the Czech Republic, but it's still possible that Switzerland must play Japan in the best-of-three.
The Swiss got the only goal of the opening period. After killing off an early penalty, Alicia Pagnameta beat Rei Halloran at 11:54 for the early lead.
The Swiss took two more penalties early in the second, and Japan capitalized with the five-on-three advantage. Akane Shiga converted a pass from Makoto Ito to tie the game at 4:30.
A little later in the period, though, the Swiss went ahead again, on a Japan power play, no less. Emma Ingold scored the goal, on a pass from Pagnamenta.
The Japanese ran into penalty trouble in the third, but as time wound down they pulled goalie Reika Sasaki for a sixth attacker, to no avail.