S Korea-hockey tournament

▲ This photo provided by the Korea Ice Hockey Association on April 20, 2023, shows the South Korean women's national team participating in the International Ice Hockey Federation Women's World Championship Division I Group B at Suwon Ice Rink in Suwon, 35 kilometers south of Seoul. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

▲ This photo taken April 17, 2023, shows South Korean players (in blue) battling Italians for the puck during the teams' opening game at the International Ice Hockey Federation Women's World Championship Division I Group B at Suwon Ice Rink in Suwon, 35 kilometers south of Seoul. (Yonhap)

S Korea-hockey tournament

S. Korea beats Slovenia for 3rd straight win at women's hockey worlds

By Yoo Jee-ho

SEOUL, April 20 (Yonhap) -- South Korea rallied past Slovenia 4-2 at the third-tier women's hockey world championship on home ice Thursday, registering its third straight victory to position itself for a promotion to the next level in international hockey.

Lee Eun-ji scored twice, and Park Jong-ah had a goal and two helpers, as South Korea stayed at the top of the standings at the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Women's World Championship Division I Group B at Suwon Ice Rink in Suwon, some 35 kilometers south of Seoul.

This six-nation tournament is the third-highest level of the IIHF women's world championships, below the World Championship and World Championship Division I Group A.

The winner of this tournament after round-robin play will be promoted to the Division I Group A for next year. South Korea has never made it past the Division I Group B.

South Korea leads the way with eight points after two wins in regulation and one win in overtime, followed by Italy at seven points. South Korea is the only undefeated team in the tournament so far.

Earlier Thursday, Italy shut out Kazakhstan 3-0, and Poland beat Britain 2-1.

For the first time in the tournament, South Korea gave up the first goal of a game Thursday. At 5:41 mark in the first period, Pia Pren beat goalie Huh Eun-bee to the top shelf, after South Korea failed to clear the loose puck out of the defensive zone.

But South Korea tied things up less than three minutes later. On a power play, Han Soo-jin and Park Jong-ah played a deft give-and-go, with Park setting up Han with a diagonal pass from behind the net to fool goalie Pia Dukaric.

Lee Eun-ji put South Korea up 2-1 at 7:29 in the second period, redirecting home a point shot by defender Kim Se-lin.

Park Jong-ah's goal off a rebound from a Lee So-jung point shot made it 3-1 for South Korea at 4:12 mark in the third period.

Some three minutes later, Lee Eun-ji scored her second goal of the game on a power play, with a one-timer off a pass by Park from below the goal line.

Slovenia scored a power play goal at 9:15, as Sara Confidenti's shot went in off a skate to catch Huh off guard in the Korean net. But the Europeans couldn't get any closer, as South Korea kept peppering the Slovenian net with shot after shot.

South Korea outshot Slovenia 44-14.

South Korea will next face Britain at 3:45 p.m. Saturday and then finish the competition against Kazakhstan at 3:45 p.m. Sunday.

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