Finland goes into this new 2022 Olympic ladies’ hockey contest since protecting bronze medalists away from the 2018 Winter Game in the South Korea and also the 2021 IIHF Freeze Hockey Ladies Business Title during the Canada. Musical fairly simple, proper? But there is however alot more here than just suits the eye toward Nordic country you to lies third regarding IIHF Ladies Community Ranks.
This really is a group from inside the changeover not as much as Pasi Mustonen, who can serve as head advisor at the their next and you will last Olympics. Youth are side and you will centre. Brand new Beijing lineup, launched toward 20 January, has actually a massive thirteen Olympic basic-timers, also eight skaters created following seasons 2000.
It’s very much like the squad that hit the freeze during the Calgary from inside the August, nevertheless the exclusion out of goalie Noora Raty – a four-big date Olympian which backstopped Finland to bronze in both 2010 and you will 2018 and you will a likely future IIHF Hall of famer – qualifies since a beneficial shocker.
Raty, thirty-two, clashed having Mustonen in public areas a year ago whenever she decided to go with to operate the girl hockey college or university into the Minnesota in place of get in on the Ladies Worlds people. Nevertheless, brand new tenacious and you can skilled veteran played to own HPK Hameenlinna this year, is actually allowed to your Olympic studies camp, and had already agreed to rejoin new Russian Women’s Hockey League’s KRS Vanke Rays after Beijing.
Mustonen, whether or not, can also be validate their controversial choice from the leading so you can Anni Keisala’s high abilities in the Calgary. The twenty-four-year-old Ilves netminder – a great positionally voice, cool battler – is called Better Goalie and an event all of the-superstar during the Ladies’ Planets (step 1.43 GAA, 94.8 rescue payment, a few shutouts). Meeri Raisanen, 32, will bring a capable alternative, as the seasoned of five Ladies Globes don’t play in the this lady two earlier in the day Olympics (2014, 2018).
Brand new billion-dollar question is if either Keisala otherwise Raisanen can perform replicating new secret Raty shown at records-and make go to this new gold medal from the 2019 Ladies Globes during the Espoo. There, Raty made 43 conserves into the a 4-dos partial-final disturb more than Canada and another 50 conserves about questionable 2-step 1 gold-medal shootout loss for the People in the us.
Into the Beijing, 26-year-old Eveliina Makinen (nee Suonpaa), who, particularly Raisanen, seated into sidelines at the both 2014 and you can 2018 Online game, nabs the 3rd goalie put. She substitute Jenna Silvonen, the fresh new 23-year-dated Mercyhurst College netminder exactly who watched in the Calgary.
Head Jenni Hiirikoski statements the newest Finnish blueline. Titled Most readily useful Defender at the history a couple Olympics and seven Ladies’ Worlds, brand new quick-skating 34-year-old movie star plays in virtually any state. Hiirikoski averaged an event-most of frost time in Calgary. Other trick most of the-around blueliners is Hiirikoski’s powerful Lulea HF teammate Ronja Savolainen and Minttu Tuominen, who’ll join Raty and you may forward Susanna Tapani into Vanke Radiation just after Beijing.
Gorgeous finnish women
A noteworthy blueline omission is 33-year-old Rosa Lindstedt, an excellent about three-date Olympian whom captains Brynas Gavle but try slowed down by the injuries this year. One throws the brand new onus on the around three more youthful Kiekko-Espoo defenders to send second-top two-ways activities.
Nelli Laitinen (12+34=46) and Sanni Rantala (14+30=44), both 19, review step 1-dos into the rating among Naisten Liiga defenders, if you find yourself Ella Viitasuo, twenty-five, (16+24=40) are 3rd. That it Olympics scratches Rantala’s senior-peak IIHF debut. This trio’s power to endure the new forechecking of your United states superpowers could be crucial.
Offensively, there’s no concern the top submit collection of Petra Nieminen, Susanna Tapani, and Michelle Karvinen commonly lead the way in which.
The brand new explosive Nieminen, 22, led the latest Women’s Worlds that have six goals en route in order to a keen all-star class berth. The Lulea winger is next for the SDHL scoring (24+28=52) about Brynas Gavle’s Swiss celebrity Lara Stalder. Tapani – a talented athlete which together with dominates international during the inline hockey and ringette – will aim with her playmaking skills for more specifications out off Karvinen, a fellow experienced whom cracked into the six assists but did not white new red light within 2021 Women’s Worlds.
Karvinen, 30, is actually typing their last Olympics and provided brand new 2014 competition in Sochi with four requirements. The latest Danish-Finnish electricity pass has occupied the web inside 10 games that have Malmo Redhawks (26+21=47) on the Swedish very first section this present year.
Following, this new margin between profit and overcome against Canada and also the U.S. will most likely count how much supplementary rating Mustonen gets. Inside the Calgary, the new Canadians rallied to conquer Finland 5-step 3 in the opener, just like the You.S. blanked Finland 3-0 both in the team stage plus the semi-finals.
Kiekko-Espoo’s Elisa Holopainen (38+46=84), bidding so you can profit the girl third straight Naisten Liiga scoring term, got this lady lone Ladies Planets mission up against Canada. Gritty Lulea give Viivi Vainikka’s merely purpose is the last one to into the a good six-0 romp more than Switzerland. Lulea seasoned Noora Tulus, a four-date Swedish champ, enjoys place another individual job SDHL full of requires which 12 months (18), but have not obtained when you look at the IIHF competition because 2017 Ladies Planets. A few of these ahead must make so much more for the Beijing.
Rating away from precocious sixteen-year-old Sanni Vanhanen, who potted the new step 1-0 quarter-final winner facing Czechia in the Calgary, would be a gorgeous bonus. The fresh Finns can also expect speed and you can a good checking regarding wants out of Olympic debutante Sofianna Sundelin and you may second-timekeeper Sanni Hakala.
New Finns possess certainly split on their own from Class A rivals including the fresh new ROC people and you may Switzerland. The newest Russians https://kissbrides.com/guatemalan-women/ last made an enthusiastic IIHF podium towards 2016 Ladies Planets tan medal, due to the fact Swiss haven’t acquired people metal while the stunning 2014 Olympic tan medal inside Sochi. You are able you to Czechia, that has pressed Finland tough in two straight Ladies Worlds one-fourth-finals now, may perspective the biggest counterthreat to have third set.
For Mustonen’s staff, one thing below successful its nation’s fourth Olympic bronze medal away from all time from inside the Beijing could well be a primary dissatisfaction. Yet making the Olympic final for the first time at this moment looks like a lengthy take to. Anyway, it should be another important step up the brand new Finnish national team’s maturation process.
Roster
Defenders Jenni Hiirikoski, Lulea HF (SWE) Sini Karjalainen, College out of Vermont (NCAA) Nelli Laitinen, Kiekko-Espoo Sanni Rantala, Kiekko-Espoo Ronja Savolainen, Lulea Gavle (SWE) Minnamari Tuominen, Kiekko-Espoo Ella Viitasuo, Kiekko-Espoo
Ahead 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. Affect Condition (NCAA) Sofianna Sundelin, Class Kuortane Susanna Tapani, KRS Vanke Radiation (CHN/RUS) Noora Tulus, Lulea HF (SWE) Viivi Vainikka, Lulea HF (SWE) Sanni Vanhanen, Tappara Tampere Emilia Vesa, Kiekko-Espoo
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