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| Women's ice hockey team members celebrate their second Olympic goal in the game against Sweden at Kwandong Ice Hockey Center, Tuesday. Forward Han Soo-jin scored the goal in the first period. / Yonhap |
Sweden defeats Korea 6-1
By Kang Hyun-kyung
Forward Han Soo-jin scored Team Korea's second Olympic goal in the placement game to rank 7 and 8 at Kwandong Ice Hockey Center, Tuesday, saving her team from a scoreless defeat against Sweden.
Korea's second Olympic goal came days after Randi Hee-soo Griffin bagged their historic first Olympic goal against Japan in the preliminary round to determine the winner to advance to the quarterfinals.
On Tuesday, Korea lost to Sweden again 6-1. This time, the margin of their goals narrowed from 8 to 5. Korea was routed by Sweden 8-0 in their first showdown in the preliminary round last week.
Korea finished 8th in the Olympics.
Sweden dominated the entire game. Sabrina Kuller scored five minutes and 50 seconds after the game began. Korean forward Han Soo-jin scored her team's first and only goal of the game, 31 seconds after Sweden's first goal, with an assist from Park Jong-ah. Han's shorthanded goal came while Sweden's Johanna Fullman was off the rink for a two-minute penalty for elbowing. The two teams were in a 1-1 tie.
Sweden went on the aggressive. After several shots were stopped by Korean goalie Shin So-jung, Emmy Alasalmi scored the second goal when the first period had only 23 seconds left.
In the second period, Sweden became even more aggressive. Erica Graham scored a goal with an assist from Fanny Rask, widening Sweden's lead to 3-1.
Sweden was ruthless in the third period. They scored three additional goals and confirmed their victory in the classification game.
Korea's weakness in shooting efficiency was revealed again in the game. Sweden scored a goal every 6.6 shots against Korea's net _ it had 40 shots. Korea's efficiency was much lower, scoring only one goal out of 15 shots.
Although Korea lost to Sweden, goalie Shin So-jung did her part, with 34 saves.
Before the game, Shin hinted at her retirement from the national team once the Olympics is over.
"At the moment, I'm thinking I will retire after the Olympics," she said after practice at the hockey center Monday. "I think the Sweden game, which is our team's last Olympic game at PyeongChang, is my last one with the national team."
The Tuesday game was their second showdown, following Korea's frustrating 8-0 defeat in the two teams' first meeting last week.
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