LILLEHAMMER – Sweden needed a shootout win to put away a determined Slovak team, but came through 2-1 with its first win of the 2016 Youth Olympic Games women’s ice hockey tournament.

The game was tight throughout, the Swedes scoring first with a goal from Lina Ljungblom midway through the first period.

The Slovaks answered in the second as Alexandra Cornakova collected her second goal and third point of the tournament.

Both teams fell silent in the third and in extra time. Sweden, which lost to Switzerland in a shootout two days earlier, missed its first shot and was stopped by Simona Lezovicova on the second attempt.

But at the other end Anna Amholt shut down all three Slovak shooters, and her teammate Wilma Carlsson finally solved Lezovicova, giving her team its first win of the tournament.

Sweden plays the Czech Republic next before closing the preliminary round against Youth Olympic hosts Norway. Slovakia plays Switzerland tomorrow.

ADAM STEISS