Four games in four days: This is the program of the tradition eight-nation tournament right after New Year’s Day. The Swiss team will play Russia, host nation Austria (the only B-team of this tournament), and Finland. A placement-game at the end will round out this tournament.
National team coach Daniela Diaz can –for the first time this season– count on all the top players. With Florence Schelling (Linköping HC), Anja Stiefel (Luleå HF), Livia Altmann (Colgate University), Phoebe Staenz (Yale University), and Lara Stalder (University of Minnesota Duluth), all players from foreign leagues are on board as well. Christine Meier, Nicole Bullo, and Evelina Raselli, who took a short break, will also return.
Daniela Diaz will use these four games to fine-tune her team, as most players will very likely be in Arosa as well. Only some U18-player (Shannon Sigrist, Stefanie Wetli, Rahel Enzler, etc.), who participate in the Top-Division World Championship in Prerov, are absent. However, Diaz will have the agony of choice. Due to some idiosyncratic rule, only eighteen skaters and three goaltenders are allowed for the Olympic Qualification tournament and the Olympics.
Last Update: 31 December 2016, 03:38 PM | bsc
