By Trevor Stynes
MILAN, Feb 10 (Reuters) – Sweden ended the group stage of the women’s Olympic ice hockey tournament on maximum points after a 4-0 win over Japan at Milano Rho arena on Tuesday, a result which eliminated their opponents from the competition.
The Swedes won all four games to finish first in Group B on 12 points, with the top three sides advancing to the last eight.
Italy are second on six points ahead of their game against third-placed Germany later on Tuesday.
The Germans have five points and have already secured a quarter-final place along with the Italians. Japan finished fourth on three points and France with one point.
Sweden took the lead in the sixth minute through Hanna Thuvik’s rebound goal after Sara Hjalmarsson’s shot was saved.
The goal came seconds after Swedish forward Hilda Svensson limped off the ice and down the tunnel after she was sent crashing into the boards by Japan’s Ayaka Hitosato.
Josefin Bouveng doubled Sweden’s lead six minutes into the second period after a long pass into the neutral zone by Jenna Raunio with her shot going in off the post.
The Swedes netted late in the second period through Mira Hallin and Hanna Olsson added a fourth goal on a power play early in the third, her second goal of the Games.
Finland and Switzerland meet at Milano Rho on Tuesday in Group A, with reigning champions Canada and the U.S. facing off at Santagiulia arena in a clash of the two sides expected to contest the final.
All five teams from the group, which also includes the Czech Republic, advance to the knockout stage, where the seedings will be determined by their final placing in the standings.
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes, additional reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Milan; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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