Parent
WOMEN-IN-HOCKEY Digest 197
Topics covered in this issue include:
1) Womens Great Britain -v- Denmark Report
by Ray Barton
2) Womens Hockey GB -v- Czech Report
by Ray Barton
3) Womens Hockey GB -v- Holland
by Ray Barton
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Date: Mon, 18 Mar 96 15:00:00 PST
From: Ray Barton
To: email@hidden, email@hidden, email@hidden,
Subject: Womens Great Britain -v- Denmark Report
Message-ID:
Denmark 5 - Great Britain 0
Let me start this report by saying that the score above certainly does not
reflect the game I saw. In last years Women's European championship held in
Denmark, Great Britain lost to the Danes an amazing 14 - 1. Denmark were
relegated to pool B after coming last in Pool A the previous year, but their
style of play was still that of a Pool A nation. The same can be said for them
this year, in fact I would say that they have added more finesse to their play,
with more accurate passing and some excellent systems. Nevertheless if they had
dreams of improving on their score from 95 they must have been dumbfounded by
the outstanding performance put up by the GB girls. Never before in all my
years involved with women's hockey at club level and home national level or in
the past 5 years that I have been traveling with the GB girls on their European
endeavors have I seen them play so well.
The GB team coming into the tournament after finishing 7th out of 8 the previous
year were probably written off by most prior to this game, that is, until the
end of the first period of the opening game in Piestany Slovakia.
A very tense, worried GB team entered onto the ice alongside their counterparts
Denmark, after the initial formalities (handshakes, gift exchange etc.) the puck
was dropped and then began the best 20 minutes British women's hockey has ever
seen.
GB netminder Gill Barton facing an onslaught of shots within the first minutes
of the game seemed to be playing like a woman possessed. Especially as the
referees were playing the game straight out of the IIHF Women's rule book,
calling "every" possible infraction no matter how minor. Such a shame as GB had
been preparing all year for the normal full contact checking that they had been
used to in previous years. Playing 8 minutes out of the first period
shorthanded GB did well to go into the dressing room with the score at 0 - 0.
Obviously words were said in the Danish Dressing room as within the first
minute (20.57) the Danes opened the scoring with a goal that any Premier men's
goalie back home would have struggled to save. Danish player number 4 Sussanne
Hougaard intercepted the puck on a GB breakout got round the last remaining GB
defense and went in 1 on 1 with the goalie managing to fake a shot to the right
and placing the puck in the top left hand corner of the net. You would have
thought that the Danes had just won the Stanley cup as they cleared the bench to
congratulate the scorer. Within another minute or so (22.09) Denmark's No 2,
Jannie Madsen found herself again in front of the net with only 2 feet and Gill
Barton to go to the goal line, Gill saved the initial shot with an excellent
butterfly but gave up the rebound, the player had a further 3 shots before
finally pumping it through into the net. Two goals ahead the Danes took full
control of the period but still worried enough of the performance of the whole
GB team to only play their top two lines. GB collected a further 2 minor
penalties in the second but were still 0 for 6, even with Denmark changing
powerplay strategies to try and outwit GB's tenacious penalty killing. Again at
the midway point of the second period (30.36) Danish player No 15 and Captain,
Katja Moesgaard broke through the British defense to bring the score to 3 - 0
going into the 3rd.
The 3rd period opened up with more sound British defensive team play against a
highly skilled but no longer higher classed Danish team. This period further
proved that the Brits could hold their own on the offensive attack in the Danish
zone but unable to convert the various shots placed on Denmark's top goalie Lene
Rasmussen number 21. After a further 2 minor penalties going in the Danes
favour , number 13, Nielsen Mette for the Danish national squad managed to break
the penalty killing deadlock on the 8th and final GB penalty, (bringing the
British team's penalty killing stat to 1 for 8, and 0 for 3 on the
powerplay)with a shot that bounced off the goalies catcher and trickled into the
net at 46.35. (I could have sworn I was watching in slow motion!) Jannie
Madsen #2 converted the 5th and final goal for Denmark at 58.40. A shot from
the high slot that bounced off the goalie's chest protection rebounded off her
elbow and into the net. I cannot stress how enjoyable it was to watch our girls
play to this standard. Head coach Mike Urquhart and his coaching staff should
be praised for the way the team has been structured and trained throughout the
past year, as in my honest opinion he has proved all the skeptics wrong and has
provided us with a team we can all be proud of.
Game Stats
Penalties
00.34 GBR #5 Kim Strongman 2min Charging
05.36 GBR #9 Jeanette Mountjoy 2min Charging
07.37 GBR #18 Laura Urquhart 2min Holding
11.57 GBR #14 Lisa Davies 2min Charging
14.46 GBR #4 Michelle Smith 2min Roughing
17.35 DEN #8 Sofie Lund 2min High Sticks
22.36 GBR #5 Kim Strongman 2min Boarding
34.39 GBR #15 Rachel Cotton 2min Triping
37.40 DEN #2 Jannie Madsen 2min Interference
45.27 GBR #10 Claire Pannell 2min Interference
46.56 DEN #2 Jannie Madsen 2min Charging
Totals GBR=16min DEN=6min Total 22min
Goals
20.57 DEN #4 Sussanne Hougaard Unassisted
22.09 DEN #2 Jannie Madsen Unassisted
30.36 DEN #15 Katja Moesgaard Assisted by #18 Dorthe Schaeffer
46.35 DEN pp #13 Mette Nielsen Assisted by #14 Tine Perry & #18
Dorthe Schaffer
58.40 DEN #2 Jannia Madsen Assisted by #20 Louise Pederson
& #8 Sofie Lund
The player of the Game Award deservedly went to Great Britain's No:1 Gill
Barton.
Although no official Shots on Goal statistic is kept in these tournaments,
it is estimated that Gill faced in excess of 85 shots.
Report by Ray Barton
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Date: Mon, 18 Mar 96 15:02:00 PST
From: Ray Barton
To: email@hidden, email@hidden, email@hidden,
Subject: Womens Hockey GB -v- Czech Report
Message-ID:
Great Britain 1 - Czech Republic 7
Again this is a score which does not really reflect the game as such. After
watching the Czech's play earlier in the week. I predicted a win for Great
Britain for this game, but all was not to be. GB entered the game with more
confidence than before, with set strategies and plays to take on the might of
the Czech Republic, a long running rival in these championships.
The game began with equal strength hockey coming from both teams on the ice
again GB netminder Gill Barton was on form for another good night and all lines
icing from Mike Urquhart's GB sqaud were fired up and taking the game to the
Czech's, although again GB seemed to be suffering from the referee turning any
minor infraction of the rules into a powerplay advantage for the opposing team,
calling 3 minor penalties in the first period against GB and 2 against CZR. With
young Teresa Lewis sitting in the penalty box for 2 minutes for charging on the
3rd and final penalty of the period against our girls the Czech women converted
the opportunity with an amazing goal from Czech Captain No:19 Klara Quagliatova
at 10:23. Three one touch passes and the puck was in the back of the net. The
period continued with both teams equally matched but with the British girls
being unlucky by hitting the piping etc. and unable to score.
The second period action opened up with a 2 minute delay of game penalty for not
having the starting line up on the ice ready to start, strange call by the
Slovakian referee as the period break clock was still ticking when the player
headed for the box. So the girls were back on the defensive to start a fresh
period. This could not have helped the coaches as I am sure any strategies that
were discussed in the break would have to be put by the wayside while our
penalty killing units were put back into action. GB gathered a further 3
penalties in this period to the Czechs 2. Credit to Great Britain Women's
Captain Kim Strongman who was the driving force for the team as the Czechs
started to take more and more possession of this period for a while, so much so
that in one of her attempts on goal she ended up crashing into the boards back
first, after a great drive for the net. Kim was stretchered off and ended up in
hospital for the night suffering from the back injury she sustained.
All of a sudden at 38.23 an unassisted shot from the point by Rachel Cotton of
Bracknell Queen Bees caught the Czech goalie in a slow butterfly and went
through the "5" hole and into the net, bringing the score to one a piece. This
was exactly what the girls needed as for the remaining 1 minute and 37 seconds
of the period they took full control of the game and only once did the Czechs
get the puck out of their end and down into ours. Lightning Fiona King #21
played outstandingly, as well as Swindon Topcats Debbie Palmer #6 who later
received the player of the game award for GB. With the period ending at 1-1 the
fans and supporters in the arena were looking forward to a hot third and final
period. But that's when it all suddenly went horribly wrong for Great Britain.
With Kim Strongman off to hospital and Sunderland Scorpion Lynsey Emmerson out
of the game due to an injury she had received the night before in the Denmark
game, the coaching staff had to make a few line alterations. At 41.20 #14 of
the Czech Republic Eva Sterbova scored a powerplay goal that was to be the start
of a crusade of goals that was to rock the GB team. A further five unanswered
goals came in the 3rd period with only minutes separating them all, two of which
were also powerplay goals. It's and old saying that, "no matter how good your
penalty killing is, its only a matter of time before your opposition strike the
final blow and break it down." Gill Barton was facing an impossible task facing
shot after shot as the game seemed to be 90% in our own end, and the Czechs
taking their time to set up the shots and not just blasting at net willy nilly.
Gill must have faced over 50 shots in that period alone. The strong points for
the Czechs in their style of hockey is the excellent hard/fast and accurate
passing and breakouts as well as there strength on the puck and their high speed
transition from defense to offense. It will be interesting to see the result
between them and the Danes later in the week.
Game Stats
Penalties
00.37 CZR #25 Dagmar Adamcicova 2min Holding the Stick
02.49 GBR #21 Fiona King 2min Hooking
04.59 GBR #5 Kim Strongman 2min Charging
08.54 GBR #8 Teresa Lewis 2min Charging
10.55 CZR #7 Milena Trckova 2min High Sticks
20.00 GBR #14 Bench Penalty 2min Delay of Game
20.38 GBR #5 Kim Strongman 2min Tripping
23.04 GBR #18 Laura Urquhart 2min Holding
27.48 CZR #24 Drahomira Fialova 2min Charging
29.09 GBR #3 Jayne McClelland 2min Tripping
31.47 CZR #23 Katerina Kocvarova 2min High Sticks
40.10 GBR #25 Cheryl Smith 2min Elbows
42.45 GBR #16 Sarah Burton 2min Hooking
45.09 GBR #3 Jayne McClelland 2min Tripping
46.09 CZR #29 Bench Penalty 2min Too many players
51.42 CZR #11 Andrea Dedicova 2min Hooking
53.48 GBR #8 Teresa Lewis 2min Hooking
56.05 CZR #22 Zuzana Kralova 2min High Sticks
58.27 GBR #6 Debbie Palmer 2min Slashing
Totals GBR=24min CZR=14min Total=38min
Goals
10.23 CZR #19 Klara Quagliatova Assisted by #29 Daniela
Kornalikova & #16 Iva Mastalirova
38.23 GBR #15 Rachel Cotton Unassisted
41.20 CZR #14 Eva Sterbova Assisted by #22 Zuzana Kralova
43.05 CZR #25 Dagmar Adamcikova Unassisted
44.06 CZR #24 Fialova Drahomira Assisted by #14 Eva Sterbova &
#22 Zuzana Kralova
47.49 CZR #19 Klara Quagliatova Assisted by #25 Dagmar
Adamcikova
49.13 CZR #25 Dagmar Adamcikova Assisted by #21 Hana Fidrmucova
& #16 Iva Mastalirova
55.27 CZR #22 Zuzana Kralova Unassisted
Player of the Game award for Great Britain #6 Debbie Palmer
Report by Ray Barton
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Date: Mon, 18 Mar 96 15:05:00 PST
From: Ray Barton
To: email@hidden, email@hidden, email@hidden,
Subject: Womens Hockey GB -v- Holland
Message-ID:
Netherlands 7 - Great Britain 1
This must have been a very disappointing game for the GB girls after spending
most of the day after early morning training in their rooms trying to rest as
much as possible before playing a game against a team to which I would of said
that we should of won. Unfortunately the Dutch had "ALL" to win or "ALL" to
lose on this game. If they beat Great Britain by more goals than the Czechs did
that would mean that the would go to the playoff game for Bronze medal. If they
lost the game they would be going to the playoff game for 7th or last place.
All GB could do was to go to the 5th/6th playoff if they won or 7th/last if they
lost.
Again GB played an excellent 2 periods of hockey keeping Holland to only one
goal in the first period. With only 05.36 on the clock we looked like we had
forgot to mark the renowned 38 year old Dutch girl #11 Marion Pepples, who
quickly reminded us of how talented she is when given the opportunity how good
she is. Placing herself on the backdoor of the GB net and nobody marking her
she was passed the puck and placed it neatly into the net to open up the
scoring. End to end play continued with both teams looking equal until at 16.09
Debbie Palmer of Swindon Topcats let go an unassisted shot that rocked the Dutch
keeper into giving up the equalizer.
More end to end hockey continued with again GB seeming to be on the unfortunate
side of the referee's penalty calls. The players went into the dressing room at
the end of the first at one all.
The second period scoring was opened up 5 minutes into the second (25.00) by the
Netherlands number 16 Nan Van-der Linden a big girl of 6' 2" who had throughout
the game been a strong presence on the ice. The Dutch girls took a little more
control of this period stopping every chance that the GB girls had to equalize.
The Dutch went two goals ahead at 37.15 with an unassisted goal by No:12 Saskia
Admiraal. This must have seemed like a wake up call for the British girls as
they again regained there control of the rest of the period but unable to score,
they went into the dressing room down 3 -1.
Holland's coach must have reminded his team of the requirements needed to take
them to the bronze medal playoff, within 3 minutes of the puck being dropped
(43.35) the Dutch forwards struck again putting them closer to there target,
they then proceeded to take full control. The British girls seem to enter into
the 3rd period of these international matches so tired. I have always wondered
why, back home we only play 3 x 15 minute periods when at this level we have 3 x
20. Things will need to change at home to enable the girls to progress through
this. 3 goals ahead in the game but 4 short of their target the Dutch started
pulling their goalie in a desperate attempt to get the 8 goals required to get
to the Bronze medal playoff. Tired from all the penalty killing and not used to
three 20 minute periods the GB girls fought on but to no avail, outshot and out
passed the Dutch scored a further 3 unanswered goals to finish the match at 7 -
1.
Game Stats
Penalties
05.56 HOL #23 Elly Van Lieshout 2min High Sticks
12.11 GBR #9 Jeanette Mountjoy 2min Holding
15.51 GBR #16 Sarah Burton 2min Holding
22.16 HOL #16 Nan Van der Linden 2min Tripping
25.36 HOL #11 Marion Pepples 2min Elbows
27.36 HOL #11 Marion Pepples 2min Unsportsmanlike Conduct
28.48 GBR #19 Beckie Bowles 2min Hooking
32.19 GBR #16 Sarah Burton 2min Crosschecking
34.06 GBR #3 Jayne McClelland 2min Charging
35.28 HOL #11 Marion Pepples 2min Roughing
39.59 HOL #16 Nan Van der Linden 2min Unsportsmanlike Conduct
44.30 GBR #14 Lisa Davies 2min Elbows
16.30 GBR #14 Lisa Davies 2min Tripping
51.27 GBR #22 Lynsey Emmerson 2min Tripping
57.07 GBR #6 Debbie Palmer 2min Roughing
57.07 HOL #7 Lieke Erades 2min Holding
57.42 GBR #18 Laura Urquhart 2min High Sticks
56.05 GBR #6 Debbie Palmer 2min Unsportsmanlike Conduct
Totals GBR= 22min HOL=14min Total=36min
Goals
05.36 HOL #11 Marion Pepples Unassisted
16.09 GBR #6 Debbie Palmer Unassisted
25.00 HOL #16 Nan Van der Linden Assisted by #9 Natalie
Elderhorst
37.15 HOL #12 Saskia Admiraal Unassisted
43.35 HOL #16 Nan Van der Linden Assisted by #11 Marion Pepples
47.47 HOL #16 Nan Van der Linden Assisted by #11 Marion Pepples
58.46 HOL #12 Saskia Admiraal Assisted by #10 Josje Tubbing
59.28 HOL #11 Marion Pepples Unassisted
Player of the match for Great Britain was #3 Jayne McClelland.
Report by Ray Barton
Last game and summary report will follow. For more info n the whole tournament
Http://www.catalog.com/hockey
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End of WOMEN-IN-HOCKEY Digest 197
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