Nicola Hadraschek-Eisenschmid opens the scoring for Germany in a 4-1 win over Hungary at the 2025 IIHF Women's World Championship in Ceske Budejovice.
photo: PHOTO: © INTERNATIONAL ICE HOCKEY FEDERATION / ANDREA CARDIN
Katarina Jobst-Smith scored the third-period go-ahead goal as Germany beat Hungary 4-1 in Monday’s early game at the 2025 IIHF Women’s World Championship. Despite a gritty effort, the Hungarians finished their preliminary round with zero wins and are relegated.
"At the highest level, the effort [alone] is not enough," said top Hungarian defender Fruzsina Mayer about heading back to Division IA. "We should have scored more goals and stuck to the plan."
On the power play winner, Jobst-Smith, who leads her team with more than 25 minutes of ice time per game, launched a right point shot that beat Hungarian goalie Aniko Nemeth on the glove side at 5:38. Svenja Voigt provided an effective distraction in front.
"We obviously didn't start the tournament the way we wanted to, but I think over these past three games, you can see it just in the team's feel: we're playing really, really good hockey," Jobst-Smith said. "We're playing deep through all three of our lines that have been playing, and I think we just need to continue to build going forward here."
Nicola Hadraschek-Eisenschmid scored twice and Laura Kluge added a goal and two assists for the Germans. They outshot Hungary 23-13, including a 14-5 edge in the third period.
"We knew they needed the points," said Kluge. "We have played them quite a bit this year. We know them really well. We knew they would come out hot and it was important for us to figure out a way to win today."
Emma Kreisz replied for the Hungarians.
Finally lighting the red lamp at Arena Ceske Budejovice provided the Hungarians with a little consolation. After going goalless in their first three games, they avoided joining Kazakhstan (2007) as the only other nation to go scoreless through an entire Women’s Worlds.
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The Germans still have a chance to get to nine points in the standings and enhance their quarter-final seeding. They wrap up Group B play versus Japan on Tuesday.
"We played them in the exhibition game, and they like to block shots as well," said Jobst-Smith. "So I guess we have good preparation in playing this game first. But yeah, they're also a disciplined team, and they're fast. We need to be ready for them."
"Our goal is always to get in the best position possible to get in the quarter-final and tomorrow we have a big game coming up to try and get second spot," Kluge added. "We want to win and put ourselves in the best spot possible for the quarter-final."
The Hungarians were unable to convert with a two-player advantage midway through the scoreless first period.
The Germans got the next three power plays, and finally broke through in the second period. As Canadian coaches have long opined – and this was, of course, a matchup between Germany’s Jeff MacLeod and Hungary’s Pat Cortina – the opening goal proved that sometimes the simplest play is the best.
Playing at 5-on-4, Germany’s Emily Nix hammered a drive that rebounded off the Hungarian goalie, and Hadraschek-Eisenschmid was right there to bang the puck in at 7:56. It was the eighth career Women’s Worlds goal for the ECDC Memmingen veteran, playing in this tournament for the eighth time.
Hungarian fans finally got a goal to cheer for at 16:16 as Kreisz scored the equalizer. Mayer sent a long pass up to Mira Seregely, who cycled the puck back to the University of Minnesota attacker behind the German net. She beat goalie Sandra Abstreiter with a wraparound on her backhand.
"At least we scored one goal," Mayer said. "But again, to win a game or win games at this level, we have to improve our scoring and efficiency."
In the third period, Hungary failed to grab its first lead during a first-minute power play with Kluge off for tripping. And after Germany went up on Jobst-Smith's goal, Kluge provided them with some breathing room. Hungarian blueliner Lorina Haraszt lost the puck on the breakout, and the Toronto Sceptres forward pounced, stickhandling to the net and lofting a backhand home for a 3-1 lead at 9:00.
Hungary pulled Nemeth for the extra attacker in the dying moments, but it was to no avail. Hadraschek-Eisenschmid added the empty-netter with 1:59 remaining.
Jobst-Smith praised Hadraschek-Eisenschmid: "She's just such a steady leader and person. Even when I came on the team and was one of the younger players, she really took me under her wing. That says a lot about her character. So it makes it even more special when she gets rewarded and steps up big for us. Super-proud of her."
The Hungarians, who entered this tournament 10th in the IIHF Women's World Ranking, also competed in the top-level Women's Worlds annually from 2021 to 2023.
"It's always a pleasure to be here and compete against these kinds of national teams," said Mayer. "We're very glad to be here, and we will come back soon."
"At the highest level, the effort [alone] is not enough," said top Hungarian defender Fruzsina Mayer about heading back to Division IA. "We should have scored more goals and stuck to the plan."
On the power play winner, Jobst-Smith, who leads her team with more than 25 minutes of ice time per game, launched a right point shot that beat Hungarian goalie Aniko Nemeth on the glove side at 5:38. Svenja Voigt provided an effective distraction in front.
"We obviously didn't start the tournament the way we wanted to, but I think over these past three games, you can see it just in the team's feel: we're playing really, really good hockey," Jobst-Smith said. "We're playing deep through all three of our lines that have been playing, and I think we just need to continue to build going forward here."
Nicola Hadraschek-Eisenschmid scored twice and Laura Kluge added a goal and two assists for the Germans. They outshot Hungary 23-13, including a 14-5 edge in the third period.
"We knew they needed the points," said Kluge. "We have played them quite a bit this year. We know them really well. We knew they would come out hot and it was important for us to figure out a way to win today."
Emma Kreisz replied for the Hungarians.
Finally lighting the red lamp at Arena Ceske Budejovice provided the Hungarians with a little consolation. After going goalless in their first three games, they avoided joining Kazakhstan (2007) as the only other nation to go scoreless through an entire Women’s Worlds.
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GERMANY V. HUNGARY
GAME HIGHLIGHTS | CONDENSED GAME
The Germans still have a chance to get to nine points in the standings and enhance their quarter-final seeding. They wrap up Group B play versus Japan on Tuesday.
"We played them in the exhibition game, and they like to block shots as well," said Jobst-Smith. "So I guess we have good preparation in playing this game first. But yeah, they're also a disciplined team, and they're fast. We need to be ready for them."
"Our goal is always to get in the best position possible to get in the quarter-final and tomorrow we have a big game coming up to try and get second spot," Kluge added. "We want to win and put ourselves in the best spot possible for the quarter-final."
The Hungarians were unable to convert with a two-player advantage midway through the scoreless first period.
The Germans got the next three power plays, and finally broke through in the second period. As Canadian coaches have long opined – and this was, of course, a matchup between Germany’s Jeff MacLeod and Hungary’s Pat Cortina – the opening goal proved that sometimes the simplest play is the best.
Playing at 5-on-4, Germany’s Emily Nix hammered a drive that rebounded off the Hungarian goalie, and Hadraschek-Eisenschmid was right there to bang the puck in at 7:56. It was the eighth career Women’s Worlds goal for the ECDC Memmingen veteran, playing in this tournament for the eighth time.
Hungarian fans finally got a goal to cheer for at 16:16 as Kreisz scored the equalizer. Mayer sent a long pass up to Mira Seregely, who cycled the puck back to the University of Minnesota attacker behind the German net. She beat goalie Sandra Abstreiter with a wraparound on her backhand.
"At least we scored one goal," Mayer said. "But again, to win a game or win games at this level, we have to improve our scoring and efficiency."
In the third period, Hungary failed to grab its first lead during a first-minute power play with Kluge off for tripping. And after Germany went up on Jobst-Smith's goal, Kluge provided them with some breathing room. Hungarian blueliner Lorina Haraszt lost the puck on the breakout, and the Toronto Sceptres forward pounced, stickhandling to the net and lofting a backhand home for a 3-1 lead at 9:00.
Hungary pulled Nemeth for the extra attacker in the dying moments, but it was to no avail. Hadraschek-Eisenschmid added the empty-netter with 1:59 remaining.
Jobst-Smith praised Hadraschek-Eisenschmid: "She's just such a steady leader and person. Even when I came on the team and was one of the younger players, she really took me under her wing. That says a lot about her character. So it makes it even more special when she gets rewarded and steps up big for us. Super-proud of her."
The Hungarians, who entered this tournament 10th in the IIHF Women's World Ranking, also competed in the top-level Women's Worlds annually from 2021 to 2023.
"It's always a pleasure to be here and compete against these kinds of national teams," said Mayer. "We're very glad to be here, and we will come back soon."