Ukraine's Women's Hockey Team Falls to Lithuania in Shootout at World Championship

Loss to Lithuania

According to Главком: In the 2026 IIHF Women's World Championship Division IIB, Ukraine's national team was defeated by Lithuania in a fifth-round match. The game ended 2-2 in regulation, and after a scoreless overtime, Lithuania secured a 3-2 victory in the shootout. This result left the Ukrainian team finishing the tournament in third place overall.

Match Details

The contest took place in the fifth round of the 2026 Women's World Championship Division II Group B. Lithuania opened the scoring at 05:22 with a goal by Stirnaite, assisted by Muller. Ukraine responded in the second period, with Valeria Manchak-Jensen tying the game at 23:09 on a power play, receiving a pass from Tsymyrenko. At 26:16, Radmila Vedmedenko put Ukraine ahead 2-1, scoring another power-play goal with assists from Telehin and Manchak-Jensen.

Lithuania fought back, however, and leveled the score at 2-2 with a goal from Klara Muller, assisted by Tuciute and Stirnaite, also on a power play. With no winner decided in overtime, the game proceeded to a shootout. There, Klara Muller scored the decisive shootout goal to clinch the win for Lithuania.

In the final Division IIB standings, Ukraine placed third. The championship was won by Hong Kong, while Belgium was relegated to Division IIIA. The teams set to compete in Division IIB next season are Ukraine, Lithuania, New Zealand, Mexico, Romania, and the lowest-placed team from Division IIA. Women's hockey continues to grow globally, with nations like Ukraine competing fiercely in these developmental divisions.

The loss to Lithuania marked a significant moment for the Ukrainian women's national team, which demonstrated solid play but could not capitalize in the shootout. Securing third place in Division IIB indicates steady progress for the squad, which retains the potential for further development and improved results in future seasons. By remaining in this division, the Ukrainian team can continue to compete against its peers and work on refining its skills.

Despite the recent setback against Lithuania, the Ukrainian women's hockey team showcased their potential earlier in the tournament with a strong performance. Their impressive victory over Mexico set a promising tone for the championship, highlighting the team's growth and determination on the international stage.