photo: © International Ice Hockey Federation / Andrea Cardin
The excitement is building, and the intensity is peaking as we inch closer to the start of the 2024 IIHF Women’s World Championship in Utica, New York.
Group B of the preliminary round has plenty of new faces, veterans, and some surprises.
Here is what to expect from the teams competing in Group B:
SWEDEN
The odds-on favourite to win Group B, the Swedes hope this is the year they can go deep at the Women’s Worlds.
Last year in Brampton, the team was bounced out of the quarter-finals at the hands of hosts Canada. Sweden finished the tournament in sixth place.
Sweden got a boost as forward Hanna Olsson will join the team in Utica, and hasn’t played most of the SDHL season due to injury.
Olsson, along with Hilda Svensson will provide Sweden with a dynamic offense. Both players were the leading scorers for Sweden, each with 11 points at the 2023 tournament.
Offensively, there will be a great mixture of veterans and younger players. After a stellar season with the NCAA Division 1’s University of Minnesota, Josefin Bouveng is on the rise, and her ascension could be at Women’s Worlds.
Sweden’s defense will be strong, led by four returning players. Anna Kjellbin, Maja Nylén Persson, Linnéa Andersson, and Mira Jungåker, will be joined by NCAA players Paula Bergström and Ida Karlsson.
Between the pipes is Emma Soderberg, who is returning from PWHL Boston. At the 2023 Women’s Worlds, she had a 2.58 goals-against average and 92.35 save percentage.
Sweden has all the ingredients to be one of the most dynamic and powerful teams we see in Utica.
JAPAN
Japan is hoping to make some waves at the 2024 Women’s Worlds and better their tournament result from the previous year.
In 2023, Japan lost to Switzerland 5-1 and dropped to Group B after finishing 7th in the tournament.
All eyes will be on superstar Akane Shiga, the youngest and only Japanese player to crack a PWHL roster, signing a one-year deal with Ottawa.
Forward Haruka Toko will boost Japan’s offensive output. She led Swedish team Linkoping with 43 points in 36 games.
Japan might have local fans cheering in the stands when they take to the ice as defender Akane Hosoyamada suited up for NCAA team Syracuse Orange between 2010-2015.
GERMANY
Germany comes into the tournament motivated to do better. The team bowed out to the United States in the…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Rss News…