Germany celebrates one of their three goals against France at the 2023 IIHF Women's World Championship
photo: Andrea Cardin / HHOF-IIHF Images
Germany won their second game of the 2023 IIHF Women's World Championship by a score of 3-0 over France on Sunday night at the CAA Centre, improving upon their one preliminary round win at the 2022 Women's Worlds last August. This game was a must-win for France if they were to keep their hopes of progressing to the quarterfinals alive.
"It feels really good," Germany's Franziska Feldmeier said of collecting a second win. "I think we already recognized it in the first few games that [our game is] kind of better and also that our mindset is better than in August. I think that’s something we could take into also the second game. I think now in the third game against France we couldn’t take the speed from the last two games into our current game. But our goalie did a good job and then actually the win is everything that counts, so we are happy about it."
They further increased their lead within the first 30 seconds of the second period, with Feldmeier screening Mameri as a shot from Eisenschmid sailed past her into the net.
"I feel like we need to pay better attention to the details," said Eisenschmid, who still sees room for improvement despite the win. "In this game, for instance, we tried too much, and sometimes that gave them an advantage on a rush. Next time, we need to do the simple things better, like quick passes, go to open areas of the ice, do better on the power play."
France was not without their own scoring opportunities. Captain Lore Baudrit had a breakaway very similar to the one Eisenschmid had earlier in the game, and was at the forefront of multiple chances along with Estelle Duvin. France drew two penalties in the second period, but weren't effective on the power play, heading into the third period down 2-0.
"It’s hard to win a game when we can’t score," said France's Betty Jouanny, referencing the close shot count: 26 for Germany, 28 for France. "It was the same things against Hungary. We are very disappointed because now we know it’s finished for us. But there is one last game and we want to win at least one game in this championship, so we are going to give 100% for the last game. But it’s a very big disappointment because we had the chance to score and it just didn’t want to go in."
Both teams continued to trade shots through the third period, with Germany's Sandra Abstreiter standing her ground between the pipes, and Mameri making several fantastic saves for France, despite Nina Jobst-Smith scoring Germany's second power play goal of the game to put them up 3-0.
"It was an emotional game because we knew France needed to win," said Eisenschmid. "But for us it was important to win as well because we still have one more important game against Hungary,."
Les Bleues had 1:23 of 5-on-3 play in Germany's zone to finish the game but were unable to score before the final buzzer sounded, giving Abstreiter her first Women's World Championship shutout.
"It feels really good," Germany's Franziska Feldmeier said of collecting a second win. "I think we already recognized it in the first few games that [our game is] kind of better and also that our mindset is better than in August. I think that’s something we could take into also the second game. I think now in the third game against France we couldn’t take the speed from the last two games into our current game. But our goalie did a good job and then actually the win is everything that counts, so we are happy about it."
Nicola Eisenschmid almost opened scoring in the first period, sneaking behind France's defence while play was still in Germany's end and receiving a pass down centre ice for a breakaway. Margaux Mameri, playing her first full Women's World Championship game in net (she started against Finland earlier this tournament, but was pulled in the second period) made the save, but Germany got one past her a few moments later. Germany's leading scorer Celina Haider struck on the power play, set up by Carina Strobel and Feldmeier and sending a low shot along the ice past Mameri.
They further increased their lead within the first 30 seconds of the second period, with Feldmeier screening Mameri as a shot from Eisenschmid sailed past her into the net.
"I feel like we need to pay better attention to the details," said Eisenschmid, who still sees room for improvement despite the win. "In this game, for instance, we tried too much, and sometimes that gave them an advantage on a rush. Next time, we need to do the simple things better, like quick passes, go to open areas of the ice, do better on the power play."
France was not without their own scoring opportunities. Captain Lore Baudrit had a breakaway very similar to the one Eisenschmid had earlier in the game, and was at the forefront of multiple chances along with Estelle Duvin. France drew two penalties in the second period, but weren't effective on the power play, heading into the third period down 2-0.
"It’s hard to win a game when we can’t score," said France's Betty Jouanny, referencing the close shot count: 26 for Germany, 28 for France. "It was the same things against Hungary. We are very disappointed because now we know it’s finished for us. But there is one last game and we want to win at least one game in this championship, so we are going to give 100% for the last game. But it’s a very big disappointment because we had the chance to score and it just didn’t want to go in."
Both teams continued to trade shots through the third period, with Germany's Sandra Abstreiter standing her ground between the pipes, and Mameri making several fantastic saves for France, despite Nina Jobst-Smith scoring Germany's second power play goal of the game to put them up 3-0.
"It was an emotional game because we knew France needed to win," said Eisenschmid. "But for us it was important to win as well because we still have one more important game against Hungary,."
Les Bleues had 1:23 of 5-on-3 play in Germany's zone to finish the game but were unable to score before the final buzzer sounded, giving Abstreiter her first Women's World Championship shutout.