Switzerland’s dramatic upset of Finland last night in Winterthur has thrown Group B into chaos, but what about Group A? Can the favoured Swedes and Americans continue their winning ways today? They look to be more than able, but maybe, just maybe, their opponents will be inspired to greater strengths today.

Sweden-Slovakia, 12.00 Zurich

The only previous meeting between the two women’s teams was a 6-2 Sweden win in Vancouver last year. Pernilla Winberg had four goals in that game and Zuzana Tomcikova faced 48 shots. Ten of those shots came off the stick of Winberg. Winberg has been playing with the University of Minnesota-Duluth and is with the Damkronor here in Switzerland although she didn’t play in yesterday’s 7-1 win over Russia. She’ll be in the lineup today…That win was marked by the fact that seven different players scored…Tomcikova was sensational yesterday in a 5-0 loss to the U.S., stopping 58 of 63 shots fired her way…Every time Swedish defenceman Gunilla Andersson steps on the ice, she sets a new record for most WW games played. Yesterday was her 50th and today will be her 51st. But she had better keep going. Right behind her is Jayna Hefford (CAN), with 47 games played, and Karoliina Rantamaki (FIN) and Angela Ruggiero (USA) with 46 games. All are here for 2011 WW…Although Slovakia was hammered 18-0 by Canada in its first Olympic game, the scores thereafter were more respectable—6-2, 5-2, 4-2, 3-1, and now 5-0 in the first game in 2011 WW….Like Finland, Sweden is a very young team. It has ten players born 1990 or later. The youngest is 18-year-old Lina Wester who won’t turn 19 until November…It’s no surprise that three Swedish players are at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. One of the assistant coaches under head coach Shannon Miller is Maria Rooth, a legend at home for her play in the 2006 Mirakel in Turin…The three are Elin Holmlov, goalie Kim Martin, and Winberg…The only collegian on Slovakia is Tomcikova (Bemidji State University), although Michaela Matejova plays for Karpat Oulu in Finland.

Russia-United States, 16.00 Zurich

The U.S.-Russia rivalry which is so exciting in men’s hockey is all but absent in the women’s game. Russia has never beaten the Americans, and, what’s worse, the last time it scored a goal against the U.S. was a decade ago. Last year at the Olympics, the score was 13-0. In U18 play, the U.S. is 2-0 with an aggregate score of 28-0. In WW play, the Americans won by shutout their last two meetings, in 2009 and 2004. You have to go back to April 7, 2001, to a 7-1 win, to find a Russian goal. Four Russians from that game are playing today—Alyona Khomich, Yekaterina Smolentseva, Svetlana Terentieva, and Tatiana Burina…There are eleven U.S. players in NCAA while the post-college group of eight players appeared in the CWHL or WWHL this past year. And then there’s 18-year-old Kendall Coyne who won’t start her freshman year until the fall. She’s the youngest player on the team while captain Jenny Potter is the oldest at 32…Every player on Team Russia played hockey domestically this past year. It is also an older roster, with only five skaters born in 1990 and later. Tatiana Burina, 31, is the oldest player while 16-year-old goalie Margarita Monakhova is the youngest…

ANDREW PODNIEKS