Unnecessary perceiver had questioned Raty to obtain a final Winter season Video game hurrah

Finland gets in this new 2022 Olympic ladies’ hockey event while the shielding bronze medalists off both 2018 Cold temperatures Online game in South Korea and also the 2021 IIHF Frost Hockey Ladies Industry Title when you look at the Canada. Tunes quite quick, best? But there is however even more here than just meets the interest towards Nordic nation you to definitely lies third in the IIHF Women’s Industry Positions.

This is certainly a team into the changeover under Pasi Mustonen, who will serve as direct advisor at their next and past Olympics. Youthfulness is top and you can heart. New Beijing roster, announced towards the 20 January, possess an impressive thirteen Olympic basic-timers, as well as 7 skaters created following the seasons 2000.

It is rather much like the group that smack the frost during the Calgary into the August, nevertheless exemption from goalie Noora Raty – a four-go out Olympian who backstopped Finland in order to bronze in both 2010 and you can 2018 and you can a likely future IIHF Hall-of-famer – qualifies because an excellent shocker.

Raty, thirty two, clashed that have Mustonen in public areas a year ago when she select to operate the woman hockey school in Minnesota in the place of get in on the Women’s Worlds party. Nonetheless, this new tenacious and you can skilled experienced played to own HPK Hameenlinna this season, are invited towards the Olympic studies go camping, and had already provided to rejoin the new Russian Ladies Hockey League’s KRS Vanke Light shortly after Beijing.

Mustonen, regardless if, is validate his questionable decision from the leading in order to Anni Keisala’s high abilities into the Calgary. The 24-year-dated Ilves netminder – an excellent positionally voice, cool battler – are called Top Goalie and a contest the-superstar in the Women’s Worlds (step one.43 GAA, 94.8 conserve payment, two shutouts). Meeri Raisanen, 32, brings a good alternative, even though the experienced of five Ladies Planets failed to gamble during the the girl a couple earlier Olympics (2014, 2018).

This new mil-buck question is whether or not often Keisala or Raisanen is capable of replicating the secret Raty showed from the records-to make set you filipino women back the latest gold medal during the 2019 Women’s Planets in Espoo. There, Raty produced 43 conserves during the a great 4-2 semi-latest troubled over Canada and one 50 preserves about controversial 2-1 gold-medal shootout losings to your People in america.

During the Beijing, 26-year-dated Eveliina Makinen (nee Suonpaa), which, such Raisanen, seated on the sidelines from the the 2014 and you will 2018 Games, nabs the next goalie destination. She changes Jenna Silvonen, new 23-year-dated Mercyhurst College or university netminder which watched within the Calgary.

Captain Jenni Hiirikoski headlines the brand new Finnish blueline. Entitled Top Defender at the last one or two Olympics and you will 7 Ladies Worlds, this new swift-skating 34-year-dated superstar performs in virtually any state. Hiirikoski averaged an event-most of freeze amount of time in Calgary. Other key all of the-around blueliners is Hiirikoski’s powerful Lulea HF teammate Ronja Savolainen and Minttu Tuominen, who can signup Raty and submit Susanna Tapani on the Vanke Rays just after Beijing.

Gorgeous finnish women

A notable blueline omission is 33-year-dated Rosa Lindstedt, a beneficial around three-time Olympian exactly who captains Brynas Gavle however, are slowed down by the injuries this season. One to throws the fresh new onus with the around three more youthful Kiekko-Espoo defenders to transmit second-top several-way shows.

Nelli Laitinen (12+34=46) and you may Sanni Rantala (14+30=44), one another 19, rating step 1-2 inside the scoring certainly Naisten Liiga defenders, whenever you are Ella Viitasuo, twenty five, (16+24=40) try 3rd. So it Olympics scratches Rantala’s older-height IIHF first. This trio’s ability to resist the new forechecking of the United states superpowers might be crucial.

Offensively, there’s no concern the top send distinctive line of Petra Nieminen, Susanna Tapani, and you may Michelle Karvinen often lead the way in which.

New explosive Nieminen, 22, contributed the Women’s Globes having six requirements en route so you can a keen all-star group berth. The fresh Lulea winger is actually 2nd into the SDHL rating (24+28=52) at the rear of Brynas Gavle’s Swiss star Lara Stalder. Tapani – a talented runner whom along with reigns over all over the world into the inline hockey and you can ringette – commonly point with her playmaking feel to get more desires out out-of Karvinen, a fellow experienced which chipped when you look at the half a dozen assists but failed to white this new red-light during the 2021 Ladies’ Planets.

Karvinen, 31, was entering the lady 4th Olympics and you may added new 2014 tournament inside the Sochi which have four needs. Brand new Danish-Finnish stamina forward have filled the web for the ten video game which have Malmo Redhawks (26+21=47) from the Swedish first office in 2010.

Upcoming, the newest margin ranging from win and you may overcome against Canada plus the U.S. will most likely hinge about how precisely far second rating Mustonen becomes. From inside the Calgary, the fresh new Canadians rallied to conquer Finland 5-step three throughout the opener, given that You.S. blanked Finland step 3-0 in the team phase plus the partial-finals.

Kiekko-Espoo’s Elisa Holopainen (38+46=84), bidding to earn the girl 3rd straight Naisten Liiga rating term, had the lady solitary Women’s Planets objective against Canada. Gritty Lulea pass Viivi Vainikka’s simply mission is the last you to definitely in an effective six-0 romp more than Switzerland. Lulea seasoned Noora Tulus, a several-go out Swedish champ, provides place a different sort of individual occupation SDHL full of requires this seasons (18), however, have not scored inside the IIHF battle due to the fact 2017 Ladies’ Worlds. Many of these forward need produce a lot more into the Beijing.

Scoring from precocious sixteen-year-old Sanni Vanhanen, just who potted the newest 1-0 one-fourth-finally champ facing Czechia in the Calgary, might possibly be a lovely added bonus. The newest Finns may also anticipate speed and you may a great checking on enjoys out-of Olympic debutante Sofianna Sundelin and you can next-timer Sanni Hakala.

The fresh Finns possess demonstrably split on their own regarding Category A rivals particularly the fresh new ROC group and you may Switzerland. The new Russians last made an IIHF podium towards 2016 Ladies’ Planets tan medal, as Swiss have not obtained people steel since the alarming 2014 Olympic bronze medal from inside the Sochi. It will be easy that Czechia, with pushed Finland difficult in two consecutive Women’s Worlds one-fourth-finals now, could possibly get angle the biggest counterthreat having third lay.

To possess Mustonen’s team, anything below successful its country’s last Olympic tan medal off in history into the Beijing might possibly be a primary disappointment. But really making the Olympic latest the very first time in history seems like a long shot. In either case, it’ll be another essential step in the fresh new Finnish national team’s growth procedure.

Roster

Defenders Jenni Hiirikoski, Lulea HF (SWE) Sini Karjalainen, College 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 State (NCAA) Sofianna Sundelin, Party 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