Unnecessary observers got asked Raty to find one last Winter months Online game hurrah

Finland comes into this new beautiful women of Vasco da gama in India 2022 Olympic women’s hockey competition since defending tan medalists off both 2018 Wintertime Online game from inside the South Korea additionally the 2021 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s Community Title in Canada. Music quite quick, best? But there is however far more here than just matches the attention with the Nordic country that is third about IIHF Ladies’ Community Positions.

This is a group when you look at the changeover below Pasi Mustonen, who’ll act as lead advisor in the his 2nd and last Olympics. Youth is actually top and you may heart. The brand new Beijing lineup, launched to your 20 January, features an impressive thirteen Olympic basic-timers, in addition to seven skaters created adopting the year 2000.

It is extremely just as the team that hit the frost inside Calgary in August, but the exception of goalie Noora Raty – a four-day Olympian just who backstopped Finland so you’re able to bronze in 2010 and you will 2018 and you can a likely upcoming IIHF Hall of famer – qualifies because the an effective shocker.

Raty, thirty two, clashed with Mustonen in public a year ago when she decided to go with to perform the girl hockey college or university inside Minnesota in the place of join the Women’s Worlds team. Nonetheless, the newest tenacious and you can skilled seasoned starred for HPK Hameenlinna this present year, was anticipate for the Olympic knowledge camp, together with currently accessible to rejoin the fresh Russian Ladies Hockey League’s KRS Vanke Light shortly after Beijing.

Mustonen, even in the event, normally validate his debatable decision by the leading so you can Anni Keisala’s higher results for the Calgary. New twenty four-year-old Ilves netminder – a beneficial positionally sound, chill battler – try titled Most readily useful Goalie and you may a tournament most of the-star within Ladies’ Globes (1.43 GAA, 94.8 rescue percentage, one or two shutouts). Meeri Raisanen, 32, brings a good choice, even though the experienced of five Women’s Globes failed to enjoy from the their a couple of early in the day Olympics (2014, 2018).

Brand new mil-buck question is whether or not often Keisala otherwise Raisanen can perform replicating new wonders Raty showed on background-and make cost the latest gold medal on 2019 Ladies’ Planets inside Espoo. Around, Raty made 43 conserves from inside the an excellent cuatro-dos partial-finally disappointed more Canada and one fifty saves in the questionable 2-step one silver-medal shootout losses into People in the us.

From inside the Beijing, 26-year-old Eveliina Makinen (nee Suonpaa), who, like Raisanen, seated into sidelines at both 2014 and you will 2018 Online game, nabs the 3rd goalie location. She substitute Jenna Silvonen, brand new 23-year-dated Mercyhurst College netminder whom watched inside the Calgary.

Master Jenni Hiirikoski headlines the new Finnish blueline. Called Best Defender on past several Olympics and you may seven Ladies Worlds, brand new quick-skating 34-year-old movie star performs in virtually any situation. Hiirikoski averaged a contest-a lot of ice time in Calgary. Other key all of the-to blueliners were Hiirikoski’s robust Lulea HF teammate Ronja Savolainen and Minttu Tuominen, who’ll join Raty and you will forward Susanna Tapani into the Vanke Light shortly after Beijing.

Gorgeous finnish people

A significant blueline omission are 33-year-old Rosa Lindstedt, a beneficial about three-big date Olympian whom captains Brynas Gavle but are slowed of the injuries this year. One places new onus towards three young Kiekko-Espoo defenders to send next-height one or two-ways activities.

Nelli Laitinen (12+34=46) and Sanni Rantala (14+30=44), one another 19, rank step 1-dos within the scoring certainly Naisten Liiga defenders, if you’re Ella Viitasuo, twenty-five, (16+24=40) try third. This Olympics scratches Rantala’s older-top IIHF introduction. This trio’s capability to endure brand new forechecking of one’s United states superpowers would-be pivotal.

Offensively, there’s absolutely no concern the big send line of Petra Nieminen, Susanna Tapani, and you will Michelle Karvinen will lead the way in which.

The newest explosive Nieminen, twenty-two, led the fresh new Ladies’ Planets that have half a dozen specifications on the way so you’re able to an enthusiastic all-celebrity group berth. The latest Lulea winger is 2nd inside SDHL scoring (24+28=52) about Brynas Gavle’s Swiss celebrity Lara Stalder. Tapani – a skilled athlete who along with reigns over global in inline hockey and you may ringette – have a tendency to aim along with her playmaking experiences for lots more needs away from Karvinen, a fellow seasoned exactly who cracked when you look at the six assists however, did not light the new red-light on 2021 Ladies’ Planets.

Karvinen, 31, try entering the girl next Olympics and you will contributed the fresh 2014 contest during the Sochi which have five goals. The newest Danish-Finnish fuel pass has actually occupied the web based when you look at the 10 online game having Malmo Redhawks (26+21=47) on Swedish very first division this year.

After that, the margin anywhere between win and overcome up against Canada in addition to U.S. may hinge on how much secondary scoring Mustonen becomes. During the Calgary, the latest Canadians rallied to beat Finland 5-step three throughout the opener, since the You.S. blanked Finland step 3-0 in both the group stage therefore the semi-finals.

Kiekko-Espoo’s Elisa Holopainen (38+46=84), putting in a bid so you’re able to win her 3rd upright Naisten Liiga rating term, had this lady lone Ladies’ Planets purpose facing Canada. Gritty Lulea submit Viivi Vainikka’s simply mission are the final one during the a great six-0 romp over Switzerland. Lulea veteran Noora Tulus, a several-big date Swedish champ, possess set a separate individual occupation SDHL chock-full of desires so it season (18), but has never obtained during the IIHF battle just like the 2017 Women’s Planets. Most of these forwards must establish a whole lot more when you look at the Beijing.

Scoring out of precocious sixteen-year-dated Sanni Vanhanen, which potted the newest 1-0 quarter-latest champion up against Czechia in Calgary, would-be a beautiful incentive. The new Finns can also anticipate speed and a examining about likes of Olympic debutante Sofianna Sundelin and you will next-timekeeper Sanni Hakala.

This new Finns has clearly broke up themselves out-of Classification An opponents particularly the latest ROC class and you will Switzerland. The Russians last made a keen IIHF podium to the 2016 Women’s Worlds bronze medal, since the Swiss haven’t acquired any steel because the alarming 2014 Olympic tan medal inside Sochi. It is possible one to Czechia, with pressed Finland hard in two straight Ladies Worlds quarter-finals today, can get twist the most significant counterthreat to possess third put.

To possess Mustonen’s crew, things less than winning its country’s 4th Olympic bronze medal away from all time in Beijing would-be a major frustration. Yet making the Olympic final the very first time at this moment appears like a lengthy shot. Either way, it should be another significant step-in this new Finnish national team’s maturation procedure.

Roster

Defenders Jenni Hiirikoski, Lulea HF (SWE) Sini Karjalainen, School from 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 County (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