BRAMPTON, Ontario – The preliminary round of the 2023 IIHF Women’s World Championship wrapped up on Tuesday with victories by Germany, Sweden, and Czechia. With the trio of games featuring 18 players with WCHA ties wrapped up, Thursday’s quarterfinals are set.
 
GERMANY VS. HUNGARY
In the first game of the final day of the preliminary round at CAA Centre, Germany qualified for the quarterfinals with a 2-1 victory over Hungary. While Germany got out to a quick start with a 2-0 lead in the first period, it was Nina Jobst-Smith (Minnesota Duluth) and former Bulldog Marie Delarbre who combined with assists on the opening goal. On the day, Jobst-Smith tallied four shots on goal to help her team to the victory and to a 3-1 record in Pool B. Germany is now set to face the United States in Thursday’s quarterfinals.
 
As Hungary looked to battle back, it scored a second period tally with an assist by St. Thomas’ Lotti Odnoga, however the fight to even up the scoreboard would stall there for the 2-1 final.
 
IIHF GAME RECAP: IIHF - Germany qualifies for quarters
 
SWEDEN VS. FRANCE  
Sweden routed winless France 8-2 in the final day of the preliminary round, where Ohio State’s Sofie Lundin had a goal and two assists for Sweden in a three-point performance. With the victory, the squad finished third in Pool B, earning the right to face Pool A champion Canada in Thursday’s quarterfinals.
 
Lundin scored the first of four power play goals for Sweden, before adding an assist on two more power play tallies. At the other end of the sheet, Emma Soderberg (Minnesota Duluth) recorded 22 saves on 24 shots faced for another strong performance in Sweden’s net.
 
IIHF GAME RECAP: IIHF - Olsson has 7 points in win
 
CZECHIA VS. SWITZERLAND
In a game featuring a pair of WCHA netminders at either end of the sheet, Czechia defeated Switzerland in an impressive 6-2 final to finish third in Pool A play. The 2022 Women’s Worlds bronze medalists quickly got off to a 3-0 lead in the opening period, while dominating the Swiss with a 35-15 edge in shots on goal.
 
It was in the final minute of the second period when Klara Hymlarova (St. Cloud State) extended Czechia’s lead to 4-0 heading into the final 20:00. Not out of it yet, Minnesota Duluth alum Lara Stalder scored just 29 seconds into the third period to put Switzerland on the board. Although Czechia quickly answered with one more, Stalder assisted on another tally before the final horn, having a hand in both of Switzerland’s goals.
 
Through two periods of action, St. Thomas’ Saskia Maurer made 24 saves on 28 shots faced for Switzerland, while current Minnesota Duluth netminder Blanka Skodova made 13 saves on her 15 shots faced to lead Czechia to a victory.
 
IIHF GAME RECAP: IIHF - Preliminary round wraps with Czechia win
 
LOOKING AHEAD
With no games scheduled for Wednesday, the tournament resumes with four quarterfinal matchups in Thursday’s medal round. Behind a 3-1 record in Pool A play, the United States faces Germany at 12:30 p.m. CT, while defending champion Canada plays Sweden. The NHL Network is set to televise games involving the United States and Canada throughout the medal round.
 
The two other quarterfinal matchups on Thursday include Czechia facing Finland, while Switzerland takes on Japan.
 
Canada, USA, Czechia, Switzerland, and Japan compete in Group A of the two-tiered preliminary round, while Group B consists of Finland, Sweden, Hungary, Germany, and France. All five Group A teams move on to the medal round of competition, while the top-three Group B teams advance to the next stage.
 
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE: IIHF - Schedule and Results 2023 IIHF WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
 
TOURNAMENT STANDINGS:  IIHF - Standings 2023 IIHF WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

ROSTER BREAKDOWN
All eight WCHA programs have ties to players at the Women’s World Championships, while of the 10 countries competing, eight have WCHA representation.

The United States leads WCHA representation with 15 players. Team Canada, which beat the United States for the gold medal in the 2022 Winter Olympics and the last two Women’s World Championships, has eight WCHA players speckling the lineup. Switzerland boasts a total of five WCHA players, while Germany and Finland each have four with WCHA ties. Sweden, Hungary, and Czechia each have three players with WCHA connections, while Czechia is coached by former Wisconsin standout Carla MacLeod.

Wisconsin has the most representatives at the event with 11 players, plus head coach MacLeod, including six on Team USA and five on Team Canada. Minnesota has eight players in the tournament, while Minnesota Duluth matches the eight players. St. Cloud State has seven competitors at Women’s Worlds, while Ohio State holds six players. St. Thomas’ trio of participants are all active 2022-23 student-athletes, while Bemidji State has a representative in Hayley Williams as she laces up for Hungary. Rounding out the WCHA rosters is a two-year Minnesota State player in Abbey Levy as she is between the pipes for the United States.

The Team USA contingent also includes former WCHA Commissioner Katie Million as USA Hockey’s Director of National Team Programs, Minnesota State’s assistant coach Shari Dickerman, hockey operations manager Nick Bryant, who has worked at both Minnesota State and Minnesota Duluth, along with Minnesota’s strength coach Cal Dietz. Wisconsin’s athletic trainer Stef Arndt and equipment manager Sis Paulsen also join the staff.
 
For more information on the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, follow the league on Twitter and Instagram @WCHA_WHockey, and online at the new wcha.com.
 
45 PLAYERS, 22 CURRENT STUDENT-ATHLETES, 4 FUTURE STUDENT-ATHLETES, 1 COACH
 
UNITED STATES (15 Players, 7 Current)
Cayla Barnes – Boston College, Ohio State (Fall 2023)
Hannah Bilka – Boston College, Ohio State (Fall 2023)
Britta Curl – Wisconsin *
Lacey Eden – Wisconsin *
Caroline Harvey – Wisconsin *
Taylor Heise – Minnesota *
Gabbie Hughes – Minnesota Duluth *
Amanda Kessel – Minnesota
Hilary Knight – Wisconsin
Nicole LaMantia – Wisconsin *
Abbey Levy – Minnesota State, Boston College
Abbey Murphy – Minnesota *
Kelly Pannek – Minnesota
Abbey Roque – Wisconsin
Lee Stecklein – Minnesota
 
CANADA (8 Players, 1 Current)
Kristen Campbell – North Dakota, Wisconsin
Emily Clark – Wisconsin
Ann-Renee Desbiens – Wisconsin
Jocelyne Larocque – Minnesota Duluth
Emma Maltais – Ohio State *
Sarah Nurse – Wisconsin
Natalie Spooner – Ohio State
Blayre Turnbull – Wisconsin
 
SWITZERLAND (5 Players, 3 Current)
Andrea Braendli – Ohio State, Boston U.
Saskia Maurer – St. Thomas *
Lara Stalder – Minnesota Duluth
Nicole Vallario – St. Thomas *
Laura Zimmermann – St. Cloud State *
 
FINLAND (4 Players, 3 Current, 1 Future)
Sanni Ahola – St. Cloud State *
Nelli Laitinen – Minnesota *
Jenniina Nylund – St. Cloud State *
Sofianna Sundelin – St. Cloud State (Fall 2023)
 
GERMANY (4 Players, 2 Current)
Marie Delarbre – Minnesota Duluth, Merrimack
Nina Jobst-Smith – Minnesota Duluth *
Laura Kluge – St. Cloud State
Svenja Voigt – St. Cloud State *

CZECHIA (3 Players, 2 Current)
Klara Hymlarova – St. Cloud State *
Katerina Mrazova – Minnesota Duluth
Blanka Skodova – Minnesota Duluth *
Head Coach Carla MacLeod – Wisconsin
 
SWEDEN (3 Current Players)
Josefin Bouveng – Minnesota *
Sofie Lundin – Ohio State *
Emma Soderberg – Minnesota Duluth *
 
HUNGARY (3 Players, 1 Current, 1 Future)
Emma Kreisz – Minnesota (Fall 2023)
Lotti Odnoga – St. Thomas *
Hayley Williams – Bemidji State
 
* active player