By Trevor Stynes
MILAN, Feb 6 (Reuters) - Japan scored twice late on to overcome France 3-2 in their opening match of the women's ice hockey tournament at the Winter Olympics on Friday, with the French suffering their second successive loss of the Games.
France, making their first Olympics appearance, came into the match at the Milano Rho Arena already under pressure after losing 4-1 to hosts Italy in their opening match on Thursday, and their goal in the dying seconds was too little too late.
Rui Ukita
put Japan ahead late in the second period but France equalised just over a minute later through Lore Baudrit.
Japan's Makoto Ito and Suzuka Maeda netted in quick succession late in the final period before Gabrielle De Serres scored for France.
Japan tested France goaltender Alice Philbert early on, firing in six shots in the opening six minutes, and outpacing the French who struggled to get beyond their own blue line.
France rallied and finished the scoreless opening period strongly. Japan's Yumeka Wajima had an excellent chance early in the second period when sent through one-on-one with the goalie but Philbert made a great save with her outstretched leg.
Japan opened the scoring in the 19th minute of the second period when Ukita jumped from the bench, collected the puck as soon as her skates hit the ice and fired past Philbert from wide in the right face-off circle.
France took just over a minute to draw level with Baudrit converting during a scramble in the crease. Japan failed to take advantage of a power play early in the final period but went ahead through Ito with less than four minutes left.
LATE DRAMA
The French pulled their keeper and Japan made them pay. Maeda managed to get her stick to the puck in the neutral zone to send it goalwards and her effort found the net despite the desperate dive of Chloe Aurard-Bushee.
A power play gave France hope and, after again pulling Philbert, De Serres scored from long range with 13 seconds left on the clock but Japan hung on to avoid overtime.
The top three in Group B make the quarter-finals, where Sweden began with a 4-1 win over Germany on Thursday.
Across town later on Friday, the Czech Republic face Switzerland in Group A, where all five sides will advance to the last eight. The Czechs will be looking to bounce back from their 5-1 loss to the United States on Thursday.
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
