1998 Winter Olympics
Preliminary Round, Feb 9.

Japan - France 2-5 (2-1, 0-1, 0-3)

FIRST PERIOD
Scoring:
1-0 Japan, Fujita 1 (Sakai, Kudo), 7:36
1-1 France, Bozon 1 (sh) (unassisted), 14:42
2-1 Japan, Kuwabara 1 (pp) (Sugisawa, Yahata), 15:32
Penalties:
Otomo, Jpn (roughing), 4:36
C Pouget, Fra (abuse of officials), 4:36
Briand, Fra (charging), 5:33
Otomo, Jpn (roughing), 6:36
Iga, Jpn (hooking), 8:16
Dube, Fra (slashing, game misconduct), 10:46
Gravel, Fra (Delay of game), 12:12
Lemoine, Fra (unsportsmanlike conduct), 16:53
Kobori, Jpn (interference), 17:36

SECOND PERIOD
Scoring:
2-2 France, Barin 1 (Mortas, Ouellet), 11:51
Penalties:
Katayama, Jpn (hooking), 1:28
Sugisawa, Jpn (hooking), 4:16
Allard, Fra (interference), 4:49
Yamanaka, Jpn (holding), 11:59
Katayama, Jpn (tripping), 15:22
Allard, Fra (high sticking), 16:08

THIRD PERIOD
Scoring:
2-3 France, C Pouget 1 (pp) (S Poudrier, Bozon), 17:05
2-4 France, Bozon 2 (sh empty net) (S Poudrier), 19:08
2-5 France, S Poudrier 1 (sh empty net) (Lemoine), 19:37
Penalties: M Rozenthal, Fra (boarding), 14:31
Yamanaka, Jpn (interference), 15:57

Shots on goal
Japan 9+4+8=21
France 6+11+8=25

Power play: Jpn - 1 of 9, Fra - 1 of 9

Goalies: Japan, Imoo (23 shots, 20 saves; record: 0-1-0)
France, Gravel (21, 19; record: 1-0-0)

Referee: Mueller. Linesmen: Cesky, Lauff
A: 9,930