Ice Hockey-Italy into quarters with nervy win over Japan

MILAN, Feb 9 : Hosts Italy reached the quarter-finals of the Olympic women's ice hockey tournament with a 3-2 victory over Japan at the Milano Rho arena on Monday, hanging on in the final minutes to close out the win.

Sweden top Group B on nine points, with Italy three points behind in second after three games. Germany, who play France later on Monday, have three points as do Japan, with the French yet to earn a point.

The top three advance to the last eight.

If sides finish level on points, head-to-head is used and Japan have already lost with Germany and Italy so cannot advance even with a win in their final game against Sweden.

Matilde Fantin scored twice in the opening period for Italy before Rui Ukita reduced the deficit in the second. Kristin Della Rovere netted Italy's third early in the final period and Akane Shiga's goal set up a nervy ending.

Italy went in front in the 13th minute after a tight opening to the game. Laura Lobis played the puck off the boards which Fantin collected to send a wrist shot into the roof of the net to score her second of the Games and bring the crowd to its feet.

Japan were left shorthanded late in the first period, Kohane Sato in the penalty box for interference, and Italy took less than 20 seconds to make the power play count, with Fantin netting again.

The Japanese ended the first and began the second period on their own power play where Italy held firm but Japan then pulled one back through Rui Ukita's one-timer.

DESPERATE DEFENDING 

Italy pulled off some desperate defending late in the second period as Japan began to rack up the shot count. The Italians had Carola Saletta penalised for tripping but they hung on to take their lead into the final period.

The players were back on the ice