Olympics-Ice Hockey-Italy into quarters with nervy win over Japan

By Trevor Stynes, Giulio Piovaccari and Amy Tennery

MILAN, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Hosts Italy reached the quarter-finals of the Olympic women's ice hockey tournament with a 3-2 victory over Japan at the Milano Rho arena on Monday, hanging on in the final minutes to close out the win.

Sweden top Group B on nine points, with Italy three points behind in second after three games. Germany, who play France later on Monday, have three points as do Japan, with the French yet to earn a point.

The top three advance to the last eight.

If sides finish level on points, head-to-head is used and Japan have already lost with Germany and Italy so cannot advance even with a win in their final game against Sweden.

Matilde Fantin scored twice in the opening period for Italy before Rui Ukita reduced the deficit in the second. Kristin Della Rovere netted Italy's third early in the final period and Akane Shiga's goal set up a nervy ending.

Italy went in front in the 13th minute after a tight opening to the game. Laura Lobis played the puck off the boards which Fantin collected to send a wrist shot into the roof of the net to score her second of the Games and bring the crowd to its feet.

Japan were left shorthanded late in the first period, Kohane Sato in the penalty box for interference, and Italy took less than 20 seconds to make the power play count, with Fantin netting again.

The Japanese ended the first and began the second period on their own power play where Italy held firm but Japan then pulled one back through Rui Ukita's one-timer.

DESPERATE DEFENDING

Italy pulled off some desperate defending late in the second period as Japan began to rack up the shot count. The Italians had Carola Saletta penalised for tripping but they hung on to take their lead into the final period.

The players were back on the ice mere seconds when Kristin Della Rovere intercepted the puck and after her first shot was saved she did not miss the rebound to restore Italy's two-goal advantage.

The tension rose even further during a lengthy video review to decide whether the puck had entirely crossed the goal from a Japanese strike which struck the Italian goalie's helmet before bouncing towards the net.

Akane Shiga's goal was awarded, raising the Japanese spirits and flags in the stands, with nine minutes still to play.

Japan pulled their keeper in the last three minutes but the shouts of "Italia, Italia" grew louder as the final buzzer approached and Italy celebrated a massive win.

Italy's final preliminary round game is against Germany on Tuesday with Japan taking on group leaders Sweden.

There is also Group A action at Milano Rho on Monday with Canada taking on the Czech Republic, while at Santagiulia arena the United States meet Switzerland. All five teams from the group will advance, and their seeding in the last eight will depend on placings in the preliminary standings.