2010 Women's Hockey Qualifying Events

[SkiFreak]

A little bit of Hockey history made in the qualifying rounds for women's hockey for 2010:

From CTV News:

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...?hub=TopStories

Slovakia women's hockey team wins 82-0

Updated Tue. Sep. 9 2008 11:05 PM ET

The Associated Press

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia -- With more goals than minutes in the game, Slovakia's women's ice hockey team claimed an amazing 82-0 victory over Bulgaria in Olympic qualifying.

Slovakia outshot the Bulgarians 139-0 during the 60-minute game, played in Latvia. The margin of victory is a record for a women's International Ice Hockey Federation-sanctioned event.

"We took it as training," Slovakia coach Miroslav Karafiat said after Saturday's game.

Janka Culikova led Slovakia with 10 goals, while Martina Velickova scored nine. Fourteen different players scored at least one goal.

Slovakia, which also beat Croatia, Latvia and Italy, advanced to another qualifying group with Germany, Kazakhstan and France. The winner will secure a spot at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.

Bulgaria was eliminated after scoring one goal and conceding 192 in the tournament.

The Slovakian men's team clinched its biggest ever victory against the Bulgarians 14 years ago when they won 20-0.

[micheal_warren]

are the qualifying events occurring earlier than normal?

[Faster]

Hockey qualifying changed for Vancouver, so all federations had a chance of qualifying but there is pre-tournaments so you don't have games like Canada 150 - Bulgaria 0.

[taichi]

I can't believe this? Slovakia really hammered Bulgaria. I checked the story and somebody scored 10 times. I'm so impressed.

[Blarghman]

are the qualifying events occurring earlier than normal?

Yes, but only by a few months, as last time they didn't start 'till November 2004 (for Torino 2006). Essentially, part of the reason is that for the first time the women have a 'pre-qualifying' segment, with the winners then advancing to the normal qualifying in November. The men will play three rounds of qualifying, starting in October in Turkey.

[Faster]

Just to add, Norway was the other team to move on.

The final qualification tournaments will consist of 2 groups of the following teams: Germany, China, Japan, KAzakhstan, France, Czech Republic, Norway and Slovakia. Germany and China are favoured.

[Blarghman]

Just to add, Norway was the other team to move on.

The final qualification tournaments will consist of 2 groups of the following teams: Germany, China, Japan, KAzakhstan, France, Czech Republic, Norway and Slovakia. Germany and China are favoured.

And to further add on The teams already known to be in the Olympics tournament are Canada, USA, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland and Russia.

Also for some context for the Bulgaria-Slovakia game, this was the first international tournament Bulgarian women have ever competed in, and they will make their World Championships debut in Division V (33rd-37th in the world) later this year. Slovakia, on the other hand, while not at the level they are in men's hockey, are in Division I, and just missed promotion to the top group last year, so like 12th in the world. It was an expected blowout, their previous games were 0-41 and 1-30, but it is the largest blowout in an IIHF event (not the largest international hockey blowout, though, Korea-Thailand Asian Under-18s: 92-0 Korea)

[micheal_warren]

Yes, but only by a few months, as last time they didn't start 'till November 2004 (for Torino 2006). Essentially, part of the reason is that for the first time the women have a 'pre-qualifying' segment, with the winners then advancing to the normal qualifying in November. The men will play three rounds of qualifying, starting in October in Turkey.

Thank you for this

[Fox334]

Well, as you may know the first six teams of the women's hockey tournament (Canada, the USA, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland and Russia) have already been decided. The last two spots are being contested right now in Bad Tölz, Germany and in Shanghai, China. Here are the results so far:

Group C

The winner qualifies to the Olympics in Group B whit the USA, Finland and Russia

The group consist of Germany, Kazakhstan, France and Slovakia.

Results from game day 1:

[17] Slovakia 2-0 [7] Germany

[10] Kazakhstan 6-1 [11] France

Major upset as Slovakia, ranked number 17 in the world, defeats the seventh team in the world, Germany. Germany's women's hockey program doesn't look good lately: they lost two places in the world ranking after last year's world championships (denying the Germans an automatic berth in the Olympics and demoting them from the elite division to division I) and they now have to win there next two games to have any chance to qualify for the Olympics. In any case, its a major win for Slovakia, which now appears to be quite underrated, and a major opportunity for Kazakhstan to qualify for Vancouver.

Qualification scenarios:

Kazakhstan or Slovakia qualifies: if they win the Kazakhstan-Slovakia game in regulation and the France-Germany game goes to overtime.

Germany or France can still qualify if: They win the France-Germany game in regulation or they win the France-Germany game in overtime and the Kazakhstan-Slovakia game goes in overtime.

Group D

The winner qualified to the Olympics in Group A whit Canada, Sweden and Switzerland

The group consist of China, Japan, the Czech Republic and Norway

Results from game day 1:

[9] Japan 3-2 [12] Czech Republic

[8] China PR 5-0 [14] Norway

Results from game day 2:

[9] Japan 3-1 [14] Norway

[8] China PR 4-3 [12] Czech Republic

Either China or Japan will qualify for there first Olympic women's hockey tournament since the sport debuted in 1998 (this would technically be the first time Japan qualified, since they booked there ticket to Nagano as the host nation). Simple as that: the Japan-China game Sunday will be winner take all (its especially simple since ties are no longer possible in international hockey).

[Fox334]

Either China or Japan will qualify for there first Olympic women's hockey tournament since the sport debuted in 1998 (this would technically be the first time Japan qualified, since they booked there ticket to Nagano as the host nation). Simple as that: the Japan-China game Sunday will be winner take all (its especially simple since ties are no longer possible in international hockey).

It looks like I did a mistake here: China also qualified in women's hockey in the 2002 Winter Olympics. Sorry for the mistake.

[Fox334]

Well, this is quite amazing:

Both Germany and Kazakhstan have been eliminated from Olympic contention!

The seventh and tenth ranked teams, which should have been the class of the field, are both out, after Germany lost 2-0 to Slovakia and Kazakhstan also lost 1-0 to Slovakia, the seventeenth team in the world. France (due to the first tie-breaker being head-to-head record) is now the only team that has a chance to overtake Slovakia, and they will need a regulation win against both Germany and Slovakia (both of which are unlikely since they lost 6-1 to Kazakhstan). So, in all likelihood, Slovakia, which is the lowest ranked team in either of the Olympic qualification tournaments, will qualify for Vancouver.

[Fox334]

Slovakia has done the unthinkable! The seventeenth team in the world just qualified for the 2010 Olympics women's hockey tournament. Germany just defeated France 7-2, eliminating Slovakia's last competitor for the coveted Olympic berth. The Slovakia-France game tomorrow will now be inconsequential since Slovakia has already clinched first place and France last place. The Germany-Kazakhstan game will decide second and third, but the only thing on the line will be pride.

So the last piece of the Group A puzzle is now completed: Slovakia joins Switzerland, Sweden and host Canada. Group B will be finalized tomorrow whit either China or Japan joining Finland, Russia and the United States.