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Estonia women's national ice hockey team

Estonia
Eesti naiste jäähokikoondis (Estonian)
Shirt badge/Association crest
AssociationEstonian Ice Hockey Association
General managerJuri Rooba
Head coachAki Mykkänen
AssistantsNikolay Mamadzhanov
CaptainMerlin Griffin
Most gamesDiana Kaareste (22)
Top scorerKirke Kulla
Edith Parnik (6)
Most pointsDiana Kaareste (21)
Team colors     
IIHF codeEST
Ranking
Current IIHF40 Increase 1 (28 August 2023)[1]
Highest IIHF32 (first in 2007)
Lowest IIHF41 (first in 2021)
First international
Estonia  8–2  Iceland
(Tallinn, Estonia; 25 November 2005)
Biggest win
Estonia  14–1  Turkey
(Miercurea-Ciuc, Romania; 27 March 2007)
Biggest defeat
Latvia  15–0  Estonia
(Valmiera, Latvia; 18 March 2006)
World Championships
Appearances5 (first in 2007)
Best result31st (in 2007, 2008)
International record (W–L–T)
12–18–0

The Estonia women's national ice hockey team (Estonian: Eesti naiste jäähokikoondis) is the women's national ice hockey team of Estonia. The team is controlled by the Estonian Ice Hockey Association, a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation.

History

Estonia played its first game in 2005 in an exhibition game against Iceland, held in Tallinn, Estonia. Estonia won the game 8–2.[2] The following year they competed at the Riga Tournament which was held in Valmiera, Latvia.[2] Competing against Latvia, the Netherlands, and Norway, Estonia lost all three games with the 15–0 loss against Latvia being recorded as their worst ever result.[2]

In 2007, Estonia competed at their first IIHF World Women's Championships. Placed in Division IV, they finished fourth, winning two of their five games.[3] The following year Estonia competed at the 2008 IIHF Women's World Championship again winning two of their five games in Division IV.[4]

After the Great Recession struck the world in 2008, the Estonian team halted activities, and would remain dormant until 2015, when former national team player Katrin Talvak gathered a group of players in Tallinn.[5] In 2017, the Estonian Women's Hockey League (Estonian: Eesti Naiste Hokiliiga) was relaunched. The national team was due to return to competition at the 2021 IIHF Women's World Championship Division III, the lowest IIHF women's hockey tier, before the tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In December 2020, the team launched a documentary and fundraising project.[6]

Tournament record

World Championship

  • 2007 – 4th in Division IV (31st overall)[3]
  • 2008 – 4th in Division IV (31st overall)[4]
  • 2021 – Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic[7]
  • 2022 – 1st in Division III B (35th overall)
  • 2023 – 6th in Division III A (38th overall)
  • 2024 – 2nd in Division III B (42nd overall)

Other tournaments

  • 2006 Riga Tournament – 4th[2]

All-time record against other nations

As of 14 September 2011

Team GP W T L GF GA
 Turkey 2 2 0 0 22 2
 Iceland 3 2 0 1 12 8
 South Africa 1 1 0 0 2 1
 Netherlands 1 0 0 1 0 5
 Norway 1 0 0 1 0 8
 Croatia 1 0 0 1 0 12
 Latvia 1 0 0 1 0 15
 Romania 2 0 0 2 3 13
 New Zealand 2 0 0 2 1 13

References

  1. ^ "IIHF Women's World Ranking". IIHF. 28 August 2023. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d "Estonia All Time Results" (PDF). National Teams of Ice Hockey. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 August 2011. Retrieved 28 April 2011.
  3. ^ a b "2007 IIHF World Womens Championship Div IV". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 28 April 2011.
  4. ^ a b "2008 IIHF World Women's Championship Div. IV". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 28 April 2011.
  5. ^ Montroy, Liz (18 November 2020). "Estonia Women's Hockey Returns and Prepares for IIHF". Women's Hockey Life. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  6. ^ Merk, Martin (16 December 2020). "Estonian women working on comeback". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  7. ^ Steiss, Adam (18 November 2020). "IIHF Council announces more cancellations". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 18 November 2020.