USA vs. FIN
ERZURUM – Today, January 30th, another full day of ice hockey competition awaited both male and female players at the 25th Winter Universiade in Erzurum as six games were scheduled today in the two adjacent hockey arenas.
After a day of practice the women returned on the ice to face-off in the six-team tournament. Canada and Great Britain faced-off in a Commonwealth clash which was won by powerhouse Canada 14-0. The second game saw Finland play USA. The former bronze medallist (2009 WU) will without doubt once again be a medal contender, knowing that five players were part of the Finnish national team which won the bronze medal at the Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010, i.e. goalie Anna Vanhatalo and forwards Anne Helin, Venla Hovi, Annina Rajahuhta and Saara Tuominen. In the first period Team Suomi immediately took the lead scoring twice. Team USA was able to put one behind the Finnish goalie while Finland drilled in a third bringing the score to a 3-1 victory. Slovakia beat host Turkey 20-0.
Some 1,500 spectators watched the KAZ vs. ESP game
In the men’s competition Slovenia beat Korea 10-2, while Team USA beat Slovakia 7-3. But the most surprising game today was the match between Kazakhstan and Spain. One would expect a walk-over by hockey powerhouse Kazakhstan … however Team España played a good defensive game. Proof hereof was the scoreless first two periods. MVP of the game was without doubt Spanish goalie Ander ALCAINE VAL who played an exceptional game blocking many shots. However, in the 47th minute Mazula scored the long awaited Kazakh goal. When the Spanish coach pulled the goalie in the last minutes to put an extra player on the ice trying to equalize the score, Spain lost the puck while Zhdanov took advantage of the situation and scored Kazakhstan’s second goal.
C. Pierre, FISU Press Officer
Olympic bronze medallist Anne Helin (r) in action
An outstanding Spanish goalie in action
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