Lilli Welcke headlined Tuesday’s four-game slate by bookending an upset win over a reeling Czechia, with a goal 1:12 into regulation as well as the shootout winner. Luisa Welcke added an assist and also converted her penalty shot, while Germany goaltender Sandra Abstreiter made 29 saves for the victory.
For Czechia, the loss has brutal implications for their standing in Group A. They sit at five points with just the USA left to play, and both Germany and Switzerland hold head-to-head tiebreaker over them. With Switzerland defeating Austria today, Czechia needs a win in any fashion against the reigning gold-medallists to avoid Group B’s top team – more than likely Canada – in the quarterfinals.
To their credit, they did respond quickly after Welcke’s wrister beat Klára Peslarová just over a minute into the first period. Linda Vocetková, named Player of the Game for the Czechs, crashed the net and had Kateřina Mrázová’s rebound glance off of her and over Abstreiter. The play was briefly reviewed for a distinct kicking motion, but the goal was good, and the game was tied.
Already down the suspended Klára Hymlárová, Czechia had a scare in the second period as star Kristýna Kaltounková went heavily into the end boards and took some time to get back on her skates. She’d stay on the ice and take a penalty on the play before briefly going to the dressing room, but she later returned for the game’s remainder. Kaltounková recorded four shots in the game, three of them coming in overtime.
The Czech power play has emerged as an issue over the course of this tournament, and it’s what sunk them here. Emily Nix and Svenja Voigt both took tripping penalties in the latter half of the third period, and not only did Czechia not score on either, they didn’t even register a shot on the first. They’re now 0/11 through their first three games. Considering the talent on this team, as well as the fact that Brian Idalski’s Vancouver Goldeneyes had the PWHL’s worst power play in 2025-26, it’s a pretty bad look from a systems perspective.
Abstreiter stepped up in the third and overtime, leading into the shootout. Neither team scored in the first three rounds, but Luisa Welcke slid it through the five-hole of Peslarová to break the ice. While Natálie Mlýnková briefly kept the Czechs alive with a far-side snipe, Lilli Welcke ended it in style in the seventh round with a beautiful backhand-forehand cut.
Finland 8, Japan 2
Remi Koyama gave Naisleijonat a quick scare, banking a puck off Oona Koukkula and past Emilia Kyrkkö to give Japan the lead 4:11 in. The Finns would capitalize off the shock to the system though, as Emma Nuutinen, Julia Liikala, and Sanni Vanhanen all beat Riko Kawaguchi in under a three-minute span to make it 3-1.
Japan hung around, though. With Nelli Laitinen starting the second period in the box, Sanni Rantala quickly joined her and Rio Noro cashed Japan’s second just before the initial penalty expired. However, Finland again wouldn’t let them build momentum. Emmi Juusela quickly sniped her first Worlds goal, and Julia Schalin followed by taking advantage of a Kawaguchi miscue. Despite a sixth Finnish goal being disallowed for goaltender interference, Miyuu Masuhara entered the game in relief during the review.
The third period was when Finland finally pulled away, both in shots and in score. They put up 19 shots to Japan’s 2, and added goals from Rantala, Siiri Yrjölä, and Nuutinen once more to reach the final scoreline. Kyrkkö made 15 saves for the win, while Kawaguchi and Masuhara made 15 and 17 stops, respectively, in defeat.
Sweden 10, Denmark 0
With Denmark taking a deflating loss to Canada yesterday and Sweden coming off a huge win over rival Finland plus a day of rest, this felt inevitable. Emma Söderberg didn’t face a shot until halfway through the third period as Damkronorna hung double digits on the hosts.
2022 Olympic captain Michelle Löwenhielm led the way with a goal and four points, being named Player of the Game for her efforts. Nicole Hall and Ebba Hedqvist scored two apiece, while Mira Jungåker continued a torrid start to her 2026-27 season with four helpers. For Denmark, Emma-Sofie Nordström stopped 53 shots, a bright spot in this game despite the scoreboard.
Switzerland 4, Austria 2
Austria escaped the first period only down one despite a 20-4 shot differential, and then stepped it up in the second period. Fittingly, it started with Selma Luggin, who’s been outstanding for them all tournament and came up massive on a Sinja Leemann rebound chance. Austria went right back the other way, and Theresa Schafzahl made no mistake on her own rebound to tie the game.
The Swiss missed opportunities continued as Ivana Wey whiffed on an open cage, and a Laura Zimmermann penalty immediately followed. Lena Dauböck converted on the advantage, and Austria took an unexpected lead.
Alina Müller wasn’t having it, though. She equalized 19 seconds later, hit the post soon after, and made an outstanding move to the net on a Wey goal eventually disallowed for goaltender interference. After two agonizingly close calls, Wey would redeem herself in the third, as the Northeastern Huskies center sniped the go-ahead power play goal five minutes in. Former Huskies center Müller iced it with the empty netter, capping off a Player of the Game-worthy performance.
Wednesday’s Schedule
Germany vs. Switzerland (Esbjerg, 3 PM Local / 9 AM EST)
Canada vs. Finland (Herning, 3 PM Local / 9 AM EST)
USA vs. Czechia (Esbjerg, 7 PM Local / 1 PM EST)
Japan vs. Sweden (Herning, 7 PM Local / 1 PM EST)
