Finland goes into this new 2022 Olympic ladies hockey contest once the defending tan medalists regarding the 2018 Winter Video game inside the Southern area Korea in addition to 2021 IIHF Ice Hockey Ladies’ Industry Tournament inside Canada. Audio fairly easy, best? But there’s even more here than just match the interest on Nordic country you to is 3rd throughout the IIHF Women’s Business Ranking.

This is certainly a group in changeover not as much as Pasi Mustonen, that will act as lead coach in the their next and you will history Olympics. Youngsters try top and you can hub. The Beijing roster, revealed towards 20 January, provides a massive thirteen Olympic earliest-timers, including eight skaters created following the season 2000.

It is rather similar to the squad one to hit the freeze into the Calgary inside the August, nevertheless exclusion away from goalie Noora Raty – a several-go out Olympian exactly who backstopped Finland in order to tan both in 2010 and you can 2018 and you may a most likely upcoming IIHF Hall of famer – qualifies because a good shocker.

Raty, thirty two, clashed which have Mustonen in public areas a year ago whenever she select to operate the woman hockey college within the Minnesota in the place of get in on the Ladies’ Globes team. Still, the newest tenacious and you may skilled experienced played to own HPK Hameenlinna this current year, is greeting on the Olympic education camp, along with already agreed to rejoin the Russian Ladies’ Hockey League’s KRS Vanke Rays immediately after Beijing.

Mustonen, though, can be justify his questionable choice by leading to Anni Keisala’s high results into the Calgary. New twenty-four-year-old Ilves netminder – a positionally sound, cool battler – try named Top Goalie and a competition all of the-superstar at the Ladies’ Globes (1.43 GAA, 94.8 cut commission, a couple shutouts). Meeri Raisanen, 32, provides a competent alternative, while the seasoned of 5 Women’s Planets don’t gamble on this lady a couple of previous Olympics (2014, 2018).

Brand new million-buck real question is if or not possibly Keisala or Raisanen is capable of replicating the wonders Raty demonstrated during the history-and also make cost the fresh new silver medal at 2019 Women’s Worlds in the Espoo. There, Raty produced 43 saves during the good cuatro-2 semi-finally disappointed over Canada plus one 50 conserves in the controversial 2-step 1 silver-medal shootout losses on the People in the us.

In Beijing, 26-year-dated Eveliina Makinen (nee Suonpaa), which, eg Raisanen, seated towards sidelines at the both the 2014 and 2018 Game, nabs the third goalie put. She changes Jenna Silvonen, brand new 23-year-dated Mercyhurst College or university netminder just who watched when you look at the Calgary.

Head Jenni Hiirikoski statements the new Finnish blueline. Titled Finest Defender within past a couple Olympics and you may seven Ladies’ Globes, the newest quick-skating 34-year-dated superstar plays in every situation. Hiirikoski averaged an event-most of ice time in Calgary. Almost every other secret every-to blueliners include Hiirikoski’s sturdy Lulea HF teammate Ronja Savolainen and Minttu Tuominen, who can sign-up Raty and you can send Susanna Tapani towards Vanke Rays once Beijing.

Beautiful finnish ladies

A noteworthy blueline omission are 33-year-dated Rosa Lindstedt, a three-date Olympian whom captains Brynas Gavle but is actually slowed down from the wounds this current year. That puts the new onus to the about three younger Kiekko-Espoo defenders to deliver 2nd-height two-means activities.

Nelli Laitinen (12+34=46) and you will Sanni Rantala (14+30=44), each other 19, rank step 1-dos within the rating one of Naisten Liiga defenders, when you’re Ella Viitasuo, twenty five, (16+24=40) was third. It Olympics scratching Rantala’s older-height IIHF debut. It trio’s capability to endure the forechecking of your Us superpowers would-be pivotal.

Offensively, there’s no matter the top submit distinctive line of Petra Nieminen, Susanna Tapani, and you can Michelle Karvinen usually lead how.

The fresh explosive Nieminen, twenty-two, added the new Ladies Planets that have six specifications en route to help you an all-celebrity people berth. This new Lulea winger try next from inside the SDHL rating (24+28=52) about Brynas Gavle’s Swiss superstar Lara Stalder. Tapani – a talented athlete who also dominates all over the world from inside the inline hockey and you may ringette – tend to aim together with her playmaking enjoy for more desires out away from Karvinen, a fellow veteran exactly who cracked in half a dozen support but failed to white new red-light in the 2021 Women’s Planets.

Karvinen, 30, are entering this lady last Olympics and you may contributed the brand new 2014 competition within the Sochi having four requires. Brand new Danish-Finnish power give has occupied the internet into the 10 game that have Malmo Redhawks (26+21=47) throughout the Swedish very first office in 2010.

Following, brand new margin ranging from win and you will overcome up against Canada plus the You.S. may hinge how much secondary rating Mustonen will get. In Calgary, new Canadians rallied to beat Finland 5-step 3 regarding opener, since the You.S. blanked Finland 3-0 both in the group phase therefore the Women’s Choice dating beoordeling semi-finals.

Kiekko-Espoo’s Elisa Holopainen (38+46=84), putting in a bid to winnings the lady 3rd straight Naisten Liiga scoring name, had the girl solitary Ladies Planets goal up against Canada. Gritty Lulea submit Viivi Vainikka’s just goal are the very last you to during the a beneficial six-0 romp more Switzerland. Lulea experienced Noora Tulus, a four-date Swedish winner, enjoys put another type of individual occupation SDHL full of goals that it seasons (18), but hasn’t obtained from inside the IIHF competition since the 2017 Ladies Planets. A few of these ahead must produce even more during the Beijing.

Rating off precocious sixteen-year-dated Sanni Vanhanen, whom potted this new step 1-0 quarter-finally winner against Czechia for the Calgary, would be a pleasant bonus. The fresh Finns also can expect rate and you will a beneficial checking regarding the likes out-of Olympic debutante Sofianna Sundelin and you may second-timer Sanni Hakala.

The new Finns features certainly separated themselves out-of Classification A competitors including the ROC class and you may Switzerland. New Russians last-made an enthusiastic IIHF podium into the 2016 Ladies’ Globes tan medal, while the Swiss haven’t claimed one metal as the shocking 2014 Olympic bronze medal inside the Sochi. It is possible one Czechia, which has pressed Finland hard in two consecutive Ladies Planets quarter-finals now, can get angle the greatest counterthreat to have third place.

To own Mustonen’s team, some thing lower than successful its state’s 4th Olympic tan medal off in history within the Beijing might possibly be a major dissatisfaction. Yet making the Olympic final the very first time in history looks like a long shot. In any event, it would be another significant step-in the latest Finnish federal team’s maturation processes.

Lineup

Defenders Jenni Hiirikoski, Lulea HF (SWE) Sini Karjalainen, School off New york (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 State (NCAA) Sofianna Sundelin, Team 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