Ice hockey-Italy's women defy the doubters as they reach quarters

MILAN, Feb 9 : Italy pulled off the unthinkable by reaching the quarter-finals of the women's Olympic ice hockey tournament on Monday, fending off a Japanese comeback and underlining the spirit of a team delighted to keep proving the doubters wrong.

Their 3-2 win over Japan sealed a place in the last eight for the Italians, making just their second Games appearance. In 2006, when they also qualified as hosts, Italy lost all three group games, scored one goal and conceded 32.

Fast forward 20 years and after beating France 4-1 in their opener, they put a 6-1 loss to Sweden behind them before clinching the victory against Japan.

"Obviously we wanted to shoot for the highest," Italy defender Laura Fortino told reporters. 

"Quarter-finals was something on our radar and we believed that we could do it. Nobody else did. Nobody even thought we'd win a game here. And to be able to say 'Today we created history', going to the quarter-finals is magical."

Matilde Fantin scored twice to put Italy in control in the opening period, and the 19-year-old now has three goals at the Games.

"It's an incredible feeling, we've worked so hard to get to this point," Fantin said.

LATE DRAMA

Japan pulled one back in the second period before Kristin Della Rovere restored Italy's two-goal lead early in the third, and there was no shortage of late drama.

A lengthy video review decided the puck had crossed the goal line from a Japanese strike that hit Italian goaltender Gabriella Durante's helmet, with her defenders desperately trying to scramble the puck clear.

"I don't really know what happened to be honest, I couldn't see the TV screen," Durante said.

"My teammates tried to save my butt, but it's not that big a deal."

Japan pulled their keeper in the last