Finland comes into the latest 2022 Olympic women’s hockey event because safeguarding tan medalists out of both the 2018 Winter season Online game into the South Korea together with 2021 IIHF Frost Hockey Women’s Business Championship in the Canada. Songs rather straightforward, best? But there’s a whole lot more here than simply matches the eye to the Nordic nation you to lies 3rd from the IIHF Ladies’ Community Positions.

This will be a team in the transition under Pasi Mustonen, who can act as lead advisor at the his 2nd and past Olympics. Youngsters are top and you can heart. The fresh new Beijing lineup, launched into 20 January, keeps an impressive 13 Olympic basic-timers, in addition to eight skaters produced following year 2000.

It is extremely just like the squad that hit the freeze inside the Calgary when you look at the August, although exemption out of goalie Noora Raty – a several-date Olympian exactly who backstopped Finland so you can bronze both in 2010 and you will 2018 and a likely upcoming IIHF Hall-of-famer – qualifies given that a shocker.

Raty, 32, clashed that have Mustonen in public areas last year when she select to operate her hockey school inside the Minnesota as opposed to get in on the Ladies’ Planets people. Still, the tenacious and you may competent veteran played to have HPK Hameenlinna this current year, are welcome to your Olympic degree go camping, and had already accessible to rejoin the latest Russian Ladies Hockey League’s KRS Vanke Light immediately after Beijing.

Mustonen, even if, can justify their debatable decision of the directing so you’re able to Anni Keisala’s great overall performance into the Calgary. The brand new twenty-four-year-old Ilves netminder – a positionally sound, chill battler – try titled Finest Goalie and you will a tournament all the-celebrity from the Ladies’ Globes (step 1.43 GAA, 94.8 help save fee, a few shutouts). Meeri Raisanen, thirty two, will bring a competent alternative, even though the experienced of 5 Ladies’ Planets didn’t enjoy within the woman a couple of past Olympics (2014, 2018).

New billion-dollars question is whether or not sometimes Keisala or Raisanen can perform replicating the latest magic Raty shown during the background-and make cost the fresh new gold medal at the 2019 Ladies Globes within the Espoo. Indeed there, Raty generated 43 conserves into the good 4-dos partial-final disappointed over Canada plus one fifty preserves regarding the controversial 2-step one silver-medal shootout loss to your Us americans.

When you look at the Beijing, 26-year-old Eveliina Makinen (nee Suonpaa), just who, for example Raisanen, seated to your sidelines in the both 2014 and you will 2018 Online game, nabs the next goalie spot. She substitute Jenna Silvonen, the brand new 23-year-dated Mercyhurst College or university netminder whom saw for the Calgary.

Head Jenni Hiirikoski statements the brand new Finnish blueline. Entitled Most readily useful Defender at past a few Olympics and you will seven Women’s Planets, the quick-skating 34-year-dated movie star plays in almost any situation. Hiirikoski averaged a tournament-a lot of frost time in Calgary. Most other key all of the-up to blueliners is Hiirikoski’s strong Lulea HF teammate Ronja Savolainen and you will Minttu Tuominen, who can sign up Raty and you will submit Susanna Tapani toward Vanke Radiation shortly after Beijing.

Beautiful finnish lady

A significant blueline omission is actually 33-year-old Rosa Lindstedt, an effective about three-day Olympian exactly who captains Brynas Gavle however, is slowed of the injuries this year. One puts brand new onus towards three younger Kiekko-Espoo defenders to transmit next-top a couple of-way performances.

Nelli Laitinen (12+34=46) and you will Sanni Rantala (14+30=44), each other 19, rating step one-2 inside rating one of Naisten Liiga defenders, when you find yourself Ella Viitasuo, twenty-five, (16+24=40) are third. It Olympics marks Rantala’s elderly-height IIHF debut. That it trio’s ability to endure the fresh forechecking of your own North american superpowers is pivotal.

Offensively, there isn’t any question the top forward collection of Petra Nieminen, Susanna Tapani, and Michelle Karvinen commonly direct how.

The new explosive Nieminen, 22, led the new Women’s Worlds having six specifications en route to a keen all-celebrity team berth. The fresh Lulea winger try 2nd during the SDHL rating (24+28=52) about Brynas Gavle’s Swiss superstar Lara Stalder. Tapani – a skilled athlete whom including dominates around the globe inside inline hockey and you may ringette – tend to point together playmaking experiences for lots more requires out off Karvinen, a fellow veteran who broken inside the six helps but didn’t white the fresh red light from the 2021 Ladies Worlds.

Karvinen, 30, was typing the girl fourth Olympics and you can led the 2014 contest for the Sochi having four requirements. The newest Danish-Finnish strength pass possess filled the web based during the ten video game which have Malmo Redhawks (26+21=47) from the Swedish very first section this season.

Upcoming, the margin between win and you will defeat against Canada together with You.S. might count about how exactly much second scoring Mustonen will get. From inside the Calgary, the fresh new Canadians rallied to conquer Finland 5-3 on opener, because You.S. blanked Finland 3-0 both in the group stage and the partial-finals.

Kiekko-Espoo’s Elisa Holopainen (38+46=84), bidding so you can profit the lady third straight Naisten Liiga rating title, had the girl lone Ladies Worlds purpose facing Canada. Gritty Lulea give Viivi Vainikka’s only mission was the very last one in a beneficial six-0 romp more than Switzerland. Lulea experienced Noora Tulus, a four-day Swedish champ, possess set a special private occupation SDHL packed with requirements it 12 months (18), but has never scored from inside the IIHF competition once the 2017 Ladies Planets. Most of these forwards have to produce a great deal more inside Beijing.

Scoring from precocious sixteen-year-old Sanni Vanhanen, whom potted the fresh step one-0 quarter-final champ up against Czechia into the Calgary, could be an attractive extra. Brand new Finns may also anticipate rate and you may an black women looking for men excellent examining regarding the enjoys from Olympic debutante Sofianna Sundelin and second-timekeeper Sanni Hakala.

The newest Finns possess obviously split themselves of Classification An opponents instance the latest ROC cluster and Switzerland. The Russians last-made an enthusiastic IIHF podium into 2016 Ladies’ Planets tan medal, while the Swiss have not acquired one metal because the stunning 2014 Olympic bronze medal within the Sochi. You are able that Czechia, that has pressed Finland hard in two successive Ladies’ Planets quarter-finals today, can get pose the largest counterthreat for third lay.

For Mustonen’s staff, anything less than effective the state’s next Olympic bronze medal away from all-time in Beijing would-be a primary disappointment. Yet deciding to make the Olympic latest the very first time of all time appears to be a lengthy test. Anyway, it would be another important step up the new Finnish federal team’s growth procedure.

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

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. Cloud County (NCAA) Sofianna Sundelin, Group 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