Finland picks up 1st win of women's world hockey championship with victory over ROC
Czech Republic defeats Germany 2-0
Finland won its first game of the women's world hockey championship Wednesday with a 4-0 blanking of ROC.
Petra Nieminen scored twice to lead the Finns (1-2).
Susana Tapani and Jenniina Nylund also scored and Michelle Karvinen had two assists. Anni Keisala posted a 13-save shutout.
ROC starter Valeria Merkusheva allowed three goals on nine shots. She was replaced in the first period by Nadezhda Morozova, who made eight saves.
ROC finished the preliminary round in Pool A with a 1-3 record.
Finland faces winless Switzerland (0-3) on Thursday in a game that will determine third place in the pool.
Canada and defending champion United States take their 3-0 records into Thursday's games against each other.
The quarter-finals are Saturday followed by Monday's semifinals and the medal games Tuesday.
WATCH | Previewing Canada vs. USA:
Denmark (0-4) and Hungary (1-3), the two promoted teams, also met in search of their first win of the tournament, with the Hungarians coming away with a 5-1 victory.
The host Finns were the silver medallists in the 2019 world championship in Espoo.
Finland lost the gold-medal game to the U.S. in a 2-1 shootout after beating Canada 4-2 in the semifinal.
Also, the Swiss announced top forward Alina Muller is out for the tournament because of an ankle injury she suffered in the second period of Saturday's 3-1 loss to Russia.
Muller was the leading scorer in the 2018 Olympic women's hockey tournament with seven goals and three assists in six games. She was named best forward in that tournament.
Muller didn't play in Tuesday's 5-0 loss to Canada.
Czech Republic defeats Germany
Dominika Laskova scored twice and the Czech Republic beat Germany 2-0 on Wednesday night in the women's world hockey championship to win Group B and avoid having to face the United States or Canada in the quarterfinals.
All five teams in Group A and the top three in Group B will advance to the quarter-finals.
Klara Peslarova made 12 saves to help the Czech Republic finish 4-0 in group play.
Laskova tied teammate Alena Mills for the tournament goal lead with four. Laskova opened the scoring at 4:28 of the second period and struck again at 9:09 of the third.
Franziska Albl stopped 27 shots for Germany (2-1).
Germany will finish group play Thursday night against Japan (2-1). The winner will face the U.S.-Canada loser, and the loser will play the U.S.-Canada winner.
