Finland gets in new 2022 Olympic ladies’ hockey event as the safeguarding tan medalists out-of the 2018 Cold temperatures Games inside Southern area Korea additionally the 2021 IIHF Freeze Hockey Ladies Business Tournament for the Canada. Music rather quick, correct? But there is more right here than matches the attention on the Nordic nation you to lies third in the IIHF Ladies’ World Positions.
This can be a group inside transition significantly less than Pasi Mustonen, who can act as head mentor at the their next and you may history Olympics. Youthfulness is front side and you can center. The Beijing roster, launched towards 20 January, features a massive thirteen Olympic very first-timers, including seven skaters produced following seasons 2000.
It is extremely much like the team that strike the freeze into the Calgary during the August, however the exception to this rule out of goalie Noora Raty – a several-date Olympian whom backstopped Finland in order to bronze in 2010 and you can 2018 and you can a likely future IIHF Hall of famer – qualifies due to the fact a good shocker.
Raty, thirty two, clashed having Mustonen in public places last year whenever she chose to run the woman hockey school from inside the Minnesota rather than get in on the Ladies Planets team. However, the fresh new tenacious and skilled seasoned played having HPK Hameenlinna this year, try welcome towards Olympic studies go camping, along with already provided to rejoin the fresh Russian Ladies Hockey League’s KRS Vanke Light once Beijing.
Mustonen, in the event, normally validate their questionable choice from the directing to Anni Keisala’s high efficiency inside Calgary. The fresh twenty-four-year-old Ilves netminder – good positionally voice, cool battler – was entitled Finest Goalie and a tournament all of the-star at the Women’s Globes (step 1.43 GAA, 94.8 rescue payment, a couple shutouts). Meeri Raisanen, thirty-two, provides a competent alternative, although the veteran of five Women’s Globes don’t enjoy from the the lady a couple past Olympics (2014, 2018).
The brand new million-dollars question is if both Keisala otherwise Raisanen is capable of replicating brand new miracle Raty demonstrated in the background-and work out cost brand new gold medal at the 2019 Ladies Planets inside Espoo. Indeed there, Raty generated 43 saves for the an effective 4-2 partial-latest disturb over Canada and another fifty preserves from the questionable 2-step 1 silver-medal shootout losses towards People in the us.
During the Beijing, 26-year-dated Eveliina Makinen (nee Suonpaa), which, eg Raisanen, seated for the sidelines on the 2014 and you will 2018 Video game, nabs the 3rd goalie room. She changes Jenna Silvonen, the new 23-year-dated Mercyhurst University netminder who watched from inside the Calgary.
Head Jenni Hiirikoski statements the newest Finnish blueline. Titled Ideal Defender at past two Olympics and you may 7 Ladies’ Planets, the newest swift-skating 34-year-old celeb plays in every problem. Hiirikoski averaged a tournament-most of ice time in Calgary. Other secret the-to blueliners were Hiirikoski’s strong Lulea HF teammate Ronja Savolainen and you can Minttu Tuominen, who’ll sexy Manila girls signup Raty and submit Susanna Tapani on Vanke Radiation immediately after Beijing.
Stunning finnish women
A notable blueline omission try 33-year-old Rosa Lindstedt, an excellent about three-day Olympian who captains Brynas Gavle however, was slowed down because of the injuries this season. One to sets the new onus towards the three more youthful Kiekko-Espoo defenders to transmit second-height several-method shows.
Nelli Laitinen (12+34=46) and you can Sanni Rantala (14+30=44), each other 19, review 1-dos in the scoring certainly Naisten Liiga defenders, while Ella Viitasuo, 25, (16+24=40) try third. It Olympics marks Rantala’s senior-peak IIHF debut. Which trio’s capability to stand up to the fresh forechecking of your United states superpowers might possibly be pivotal.
Offensively, there’s absolutely no matter the top pass collection of Petra Nieminen, Susanna Tapani, and you can Michelle Karvinen have a tendency to direct ways.
The brand new explosive Nieminen, twenty-two, led this new Ladies’ Globes having half dozen requirements en route so you can an enthusiastic all-star class berth. The brand new Lulea winger is 2nd for the SDHL rating (24+28=52) behind Brynas Gavle’s Swiss celebrity Lara Stalder. Tapani – a gifted runner which in addition to dominates worldwide in the inline hockey and you may ringette – often point together playmaking knowledge for much more goals aside regarding Karvinen, an other seasoned just who broken inside half a dozen assists however, didn’t light new red-light on 2021 Ladies’ Worlds.
Karvinen, 30, was typing the woman fourth Olympics and you may led this new 2014 event from inside the Sochi which have five needs. The newest Danish-Finnish power submit keeps occupied the internet inside ten online game with Malmo Redhawks (26+21=47) regarding Swedish very first department this current year.
Next, the fresh new margin anywhere between winnings and you may defeat against Canada therefore the U.S. might depend on how far second rating Mustonen will get. For the Calgary, the new Canadians rallied to beat Finland 5-step 3 throughout the opener, once the U.S. blanked Finland 3-0 in both the group phase in addition to semi-finals.
Kiekko-Espoo’s Elisa Holopainen (38+46=84), bidding to help you victory her 3rd upright Naisten Liiga scoring label, had this lady solitary Women’s Planets purpose against Canada. Gritty Lulea give Viivi Vainikka’s simply mission are the past one to in the a 6-0 romp more Switzerland. Lulea experienced Noora Tulus, a four-big date Swedish winner, has set yet another personal industry SDHL filled with goals this 12 months (18), however, hasn’t scored inside IIHF race while the 2017 Ladies Worlds. Many of these forward need generate way more during the Beijing.
Rating of precocious sixteen-year-dated Sanni Vanhanen, who potted the new step one-0 quarter-last winner up against Czechia inside Calgary, might be a beautiful extra. Brand new Finns also can assume price and you can a great checking about likes out-of Olympic debutante Sofianna Sundelin and you will 2nd-timer Sanni Hakala.
The fresh new Finns keeps clearly separated by themselves of Category An opponents such the new ROC cluster and Switzerland. The brand new Russians last-made a keen IIHF podium on the 2016 Women’s Globes tan medal, just like the Swiss haven’t acquired people material given that surprising 2014 Olympic tan medal inside Sochi. It will be easy you to definitely Czechia, which has forced Finland difficult in 2 successive Women’s Worlds quarter-finals today, could possibly get perspective the largest counterthreat having 3rd set.
To own Mustonen’s crew, one thing lower than effective the country’s last Olympic bronze medal out of all time within the Beijing was a primary disappointment. But really putting some Olympic last the very first time at this moment looks like an extended attempt. Anyway, it would be another important step in brand new Finnish national team’s maturation process.
Lineup
Defenders Jenni Hiirikoski, Lulea HF (SWE) Sini Karjalainen, College out of North carolina (NCAA) Nelli Laitinen, Kiekko-Espoo Sanni Rantala, Kiekko-Espoo Ronja Savolainen, Lulea Gavle (SWE) Minnamari Tuominen, Kiekko-Espoo Ella Viitasuo, Kiekko-Espoo
Forward 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 State (NCAA) Sofianna Sundelin, Cluster Kuortane Susanna Tapani, KRS Vanke Light (CHN/RUS) Noora Tulus, Lulea HF (SWE) Viivi Vainikka, Lulea HF (SWE) Sanni Vanhanen, Tappara Tampere Emilia Vesa, Kiekko-Espoo