Finland gets in the newest 2022 Olympic women’s hockey event while the safeguarding bronze medalists from both the 2018 Cold weather Games inside the South Korea and the 2021 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s Community Title into the Canada. Sounds rather straightforward, proper? But there is however much more here than just match the eye for the Nordic nation you to is third in the IIHF Women’s Community Ranking.
This is exactly a team within the transition under Pasi Mustonen, who will serve as head mentor on his next and you can last Olympics. Youth is actually front and you can middle. The fresh Beijing lineup, announced on the 20 January, have an impressive 13 Olympic basic-timers, including 7 skaters born adopting the seasons 2000.
It is extremely much like the group one to smack the freeze inside Calgary for the August, nevertheless exception to this rule off goalie Noora Raty – a four-date Olympian exactly who backstopped Finland so you’re able to tan in 2010 and you can 2018 and a likely future IIHF Hall of famer – qualifies once the good shocker.
Raty, thirty two, clashed with Mustonen in public places last year when she decided to perform their hockey college inside Minnesota as opposed to join the Ladies’ Planets cluster. Nonetheless, new tenacious and competent experienced played to have HPK Hameenlinna this season, was invited towards Olympic degree go camping, together with currently agreed to rejoin this new Russian Ladies’ Hockey League’s KRS Vanke Rays just after Beijing.
Mustonen, regardless of if, normally justify his controversial decision because of the directing in order to Anni Keisala’s great abilities in Calgary. The fresh 24-year-dated Ilves netminder – a positionally sound, chill battler – is titled Most readily useful Goalie and you will a competition every-celebrity within Women’s Globes (step one.43 GAA, 94.8 conserve fee, two shutouts). Meeri Raisanen, 32, will bring a capable choice, whilst the experienced of five Ladies’ Worlds didn’t enjoy on the girl one or two prior Olympics (2014, 2018).
The new million-money real question is whether or not often Keisala otherwise Raisanen is capable of replicating the new magic Raty shown during the record-while making go to the latest gold medal during the 2019 Women’s Worlds inside Espoo. Here, Raty generated 43 conserves when you look at the a good cuatro-2 partial-finally disappointed over Canada and something fifty preserves on the questionable 2-step 1 gold-medal shootout losings toward Us citizens.
In Beijing, 26-year-dated Eveliina Makinen (nee Suonpaa), which, eg Raisanen, sat into the sidelines in the both the 2014 and you may 2018 Game, nabs the 3rd goalie put. She changes Jenna Silvonen, brand new 23-year-dated Mercyhurst School netminder whom spotted from inside the Calgary.
Master Jenni Hiirikoski statements the newest Finnish blueline. Entitled Best Defender in the last two Olympics and you may eight Women’s Worlds, new swift-skating 34-year-old celeb performs in almost any condition. Hiirikoski averaged a competition-most of ice time in Calgary. Other secret all-up to blueliners is Hiirikoski’s powerful Lulea HF teammate Ronja Savolainen and Minttu Tuominen, who will signup Raty and you may forward Susanna Tapani to your Vanke Light just after Beijing.
Gorgeous finnish lady
A distinguished blueline omission are 33-year-dated Rosa Lindstedt, good around three-day Olympian exactly who captains Brynas Gavle but was slowed down by the injuries in 2010. You to throws the brand new onus toward around three more youthful Kiekko-Espoo defenders to send 2nd-height several-ways activities.
Nelli Laitinen (12+34=46) and Sanni Rantala (14+30=44), each other 19, score step 1-dos within the scoring certainly Naisten Liiga defenders, when you find yourself Ella Viitasuo, twenty five, (16+24=40) is actually 3rd. That it Olympics scratches Rantala’s senior-top IIHF first. That it trio’s power to endure the new forechecking of the Us superpowers might be pivotal.
Offensively, there’s no question the top give line of Petra Nieminen, Susanna Tapani, and you may Michelle Karvinen commonly head ways.
The latest volatile Nieminen, twenty-two, added new Ladies’ Globes with half dozen goals on the way in order to an all-superstar class berth. This new Lulea winger are next inside the SDHL scoring (24+28=52) about Brynas Gavle’s Swiss star Lara Stalder. Tapani – a gifted athlete which plus dominates in the world for the inline hockey and you will ringette – have a tendency to aim together playmaking feel for much more requirements away from Karvinen, a fellow experienced just who chipped from inside the half dozen assists but failed to light new red-light during the 2021 Ladies’ Planets.
Karvinen, 30, was typing the girl last Olympics and contributed the latest 2014 tournament within the Sochi which have five goals. Brand new Danish-Finnish strength send possess filled the web for the ten games which have Malmo Redhawks (26+21=47) regarding the Swedish earliest section this present year.
After that, this new margin anywhere between earn and overcome up against Canada while the U.S. may hinge about how exactly far supplementary scoring Mustonen becomes. Within the Calgary, the fresh new Canadians rallied to conquer Finland 5-step 3 throughout the opener, while the You.S. blanked Finland step 3-0 in both the team phase and also the semi-finals.
Kiekko-Espoo’s Elisa Holopainen (38+46=84), putting in a bid so you’re able to profit the girl third upright Naisten Liiga rating name, had the girl lone Ladies’ Planets objective against Canada. Gritty Lulea pass Viivi Vainikka’s merely mission is actually the last one to inside a beneficial six-0 romp over Switzerland. Lulea veteran Noora Tulus, a several-date Swedish champ, enjoys set a separate private profession SDHL chock-full of wants this season (18), however, has never scored inside IIHF battle because the 2017 Ladies Planets. Most of these ahead need make alot more from inside the Beijing.
Rating out of precocious 16-year-dated Sanni Vanhanen, exactly who potted brand new step one-0 one-fourth-latest champ up against Czechia from inside the Calgary, was a pleasant bonus. The brand new Finns also can expect rate and a beneficial checking on likes of Olympic debutante Sofianna Sundelin and 2nd-timekeeper Sanni Hakala.
This new Finns possess clearly split on their own out of Group A competitors such the latest ROC party and Switzerland. The newest Russians last-made a keen IIHF podium into the 2016 Women’s Globes bronze medal, once the Swiss haven’t acquired one steel as the stunning 2014 Olympic bronze medal in Sochi. You’ll be able you to Czechia, with https://kissbrides.com/hot-syrian-women/ pushed Finland difficult in 2 consecutive Ladies’ Planets quarter-finals today, will get pose the biggest counterthreat to have 3rd set.
For Mustonen’s team, some thing lower than profitable the nation’s fourth Olympic bronze medal away from in history during the Beijing would-be a major dissatisfaction. But really making the Olympic latest for the first time at this moment appears like an extended sample. In any event, it’ll be another significant step-in brand new Finnish federal team’s maturation process.
Roster
Defenders Jenni Hiirikoski, Lulea HF (SWE) Sini Karjalainen, College or university of Vermont (NCAA) Nelli Laitinen, Kiekko-Espoo Sanni Rantala, Kiekko-Espoo Ronja Savolainen, Lulea Gavle (SWE) Minnamari Tuominen, Kiekko-Espoo Ella Viitasuo, Kiekko-Espoo
Forwards Sanni Hakala, HV71 Jonkoping (SWE) Elisa Holopainen, Kiekko-Espoo Michelle Karvinen, Malmo Redhawks (SWE) Julia Liikala, HIFK Helsinki Petra Nieminen, Lulea HF (SWE) Tanja Niskanen, KalPa Kuopio Jenniina Nylund, St. Cloud Condition (NCAA) Sofianna Sundelin, Cluster Kuortane Susanna Tapani, KRS Vanke Rays (CHN/RUS) Noora Tulus, Lulea HF (SWE) Viivi Vainikka, Lulea HF (SWE) Sanni Vanhanen, Tappara Tampere Emilia Vesa, Kiekko-Espoo