REFILE-Olympics-Ice hockey-Do you believe in Miracles? Korea score a goal

By Steve Keating

GANGNEUNG, South Korea, Feb 14 (Reuters) - The united Korean women's ice hockey team set the stage for their own Miracle on Ice when Randi Heesoon Griffin scored their first goal in Olympic competition midway through the second period to trim Japan's lead to 2-1 on Wednesday.

After blowout 8-0 losses to Switzerland and Sweden, American-born Griffin gave North Korea's "Army of Beauties", an all-female cheerleading delegation, something real to cheer when her wrist shot dribbled through the pads of Japan netminder Akane Konishi.

The goal sparked wild celebrations at the Kwandong Hockey Centre particularly from the North Korean cheer section who celebrated the landmark goal right through until the end of the period.

Offense has been hard to come by for the Koreans who until their goal had managed just 33 shots on target. (Additional reporting by Dan Burns, Editing by Ed Osmond)