France, Hungary and Norway all opened with victories of the 2024 IIHF Women’s World Championship Division I Group A tournament in Klagenfurt, Austria.
With two places up for grabs for promotion and one team going down, the teams will be back in action on Monday. Hungary then takes on the Netherlands, France plays Norway and Austria will face Korea.

 

 

 

 

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Netherlands 1 - France 5

A dominant French team got off to a comfortable start on their return to Division 1A. Just as in their most recent meeting at this level two years ago, Jade Barbirati opened the scoring by slotting home a rebound past Dutch netminder Eline Gabriele with 1:37 left to play in the first period. 

Eager to return to the world´s elite where they played in 2019 and 2023, France then stepped out to outshoot the Dutch 17-10 in the second period and got rewarded thrice.

Returning to skate at her fourth World Championship tournament, Margot Huot Marchard doubled France´s lead early in the middle stanza. Defender Lea Villiot then tallied France´s 3-0 goal at 28:29. Bieke van Nes replied to pull a goal back for the Dutch at 36:20. With 38 seconds left to play in the middle stanza, France regained their three-goal cushion. Aimee Seppenwolde sat out an interference minor with France needing just ten seconds to covert on the powerplay with Villiot netting her second of the period.

During last year´s stint in the top division, France tallied just five goals in four games in the top division. They equalled last year´s total yield in this afternoon´s opener. France´s top scorer from last year, Estelle Duvin closed the scoring following generous Dutch defending at 46:14. 

Korea 0 - Hungary 2

Having relentlessly peppered the Korean net with shots from all angles for the best part of two periods, one of Hungary´s trusted servants eventually came to the rescue. 

After missing out on last year´s tournament, Alexandra Huszak was back in action to settle Hungarian nerves by netting their opener after 36:14.

16 players on the Korean roster skated on the team that won Division 1B on home ice in Suwon last year. One of those is netminder Jongju Park. Now testing herself at a higher level, the 30-year-old enjoyed a busy afternoon in the Korean goal saving 35 shots.

At the other end, Aniko Nemeth enjoyed a shutout saving nine shots as Hungary´s goalscoring woes from last year seem to continue. At the 2023 Women´s Worlds in Brampton, Canada they potted just seven goals in four games.

With the newly promoted Koreans continuing to frustrate the tournament's top-seeds throughout the opening game in Klagenfurt, Emma Kreisz eventually scored Hungary´s second with 7:16 left to play.
 
Norway 3 - Austria 2

Three final frame goals from only seven shots fired Norway past the hosts to a memorable opening night victory.

A double by Millie Rose Sirum scored on either side of Josefine Biseth Engmann´s goal sets Norway off to a perfect start to the tournament. It also marks a winning start for Norway´s new head coach Andre Lysenstoen.

Following a goalless opening frame, Austria went ahead at 23:19 from a goal by Annika Fazokas met by a rousing cheer from the 1758 in attendance at the Heidi Horten Arena.

These two teams had also locked horns on the opening day of last year´s WW1A tournament in Shenzhen, China. Austria then comfortably won 4-0 with Tamara Grascher and Anna Meixner then tallied a pair each.

This time around Norwegian efficiency in front of the net and the return of netminder Ena Nystrom became the winning recipe for the Scandinavians.

Austria won the shots in the final period 15-7, but Norway scored thrice in quick succession. Last year´s overall leader in scoring in WW1A, Sirum tied the game on the powerplay at 41:33. Lillehammer´s Josefine Biseth Engmann then put Norway in front at 45:12 before Sirum scored once again to silence the crowd less than two minutes later.

On a five-on-three, Fazokas added her and Austria´s second with 3:02 left of the third period. With 66 seconds left, Selma Luggin was pulled from Austria´s net to add a sixth skater, but Norway withstood further waves of attacks.

Norway 3 - Austria 2

Three final frame goals from only seven shots fired Norway past the hosts to a memorable opening night victory.

A double by Millie Rose Sirum scored on either side of Josefine Biseth Engmann´s goal sets Norway off to a perfect start to the tournament. It also marks a winning start for Norway´s new head coach Andre Lysenstoen.

Following a goalless opening frame, Austria went ahead at 23:19 from a goal by Annika Fazokas met by a rousing cheer from the 1758 in attendance at the Heidi Horten Arena.

These two teams had also locked horns on the opening day of last year´s WW1A tournament in Shenzhen, China. Austria then comfortably won 4-0 with Tamara Grascher and Anna Meixner then tallied a pair each.

This time around Norwegian efficiency in front of the net and the return of netminder Ena Nystrom became the winning recipe for the Scandinavians.

Austria won the shots in the final period 15-7, but Norway scored thrice in quick succession. Last year´s overall leader in scoring in WW1A, Sirum tied the game on the powerplay at 41:33. Lillehammer´s Josefine Biseth Engmann then put Norway in front at 45:12 before Sirum scored once again to silence the crowd less than two minutes later.

On a five-on-three, Fazokas added her and Austria´s second with 3:02 left of the third period. With 66 seconds left, Selma Luggin was pulled from Austria´s net to add a sixth skater, but Norway withstood further waves of attacks.