The Finnish under-20 national ice hockey team will start the fight for World Cup medals in Edmonton the night before Wednesday. The goal of the Young Lions is the world championship this time as well.
Wed 10.8. at 01:00 Latvia – Finland
Thu 11.8. at 21:00 Finland – Czech Republic
Sun 14.8. at 21:00 Finland – Slovakia
Tue 16.8. at 01:00 Canada – Finland
Finland plays in the same group with Canada, Latvia, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. The tournament starts from the beginning, i.e. the results of matches played at the turn of the year are not taken into account.
The semi-finals will be played on August 17–18 and the semifinals on August 19–20. The medals will be played on the night between Saturday and Sunday, August 20-21.
The trip to the youth national team of Finland’s ice hockey players born in 2002 can be described as exceptional in many ways.
First, in the spring of 2020, Korona canceled the under-18 World Championships. Last winter, the disease interrupted the culmination of the youth national team years, the under-20 World Cup, after only two games.
On the night between Tuesday and Wednesday, the Young Lions get to start their last joint tournament.
– I am really glad and happy for the players. Now they get to play in the sweet spot, one of the hockey dresses. Really expectant and excited feeling, head coach Antti Pennanen talks to Urheilu with a smile.
The last six months have also been different for Pennase. The head coach’s contract with the Jokers for the next season was not published in the end when the club decided to withdraw from the KHL series. In the end, he decided to continue in Nuori Leijon until the August games.
– Fortunately, the Jokers, the Ice Hockey Association, the future head coach Tomi Lämsa and everyone was really keen on the idea of me continuing this to the end. I’m excited, says Pennanen.
One of the enthusiastic ones is also the star player of the Young Lions Aatu Räty.The 19-year-old center played a top season in Jukurei last winter, but had to miss the games due to corona infection.
Now Rätyk also gets to culminate his junior year in the national team.
– He is looking forward to it and the enthusiasm really shines from him. Let’s just remember the events of last year and everything he has experienced, Pennanen says and continues.
– If we go back a moment, he had a rather difficult phase. Now he is clearly going in a sweet direction. Such joy towards ice hockey has also returned. Great that he’s getting a chance.
In his speech, Pennanen refers to Räty’s difficult years. Previously, the youngster was even talked about as the number one pick last summer, but in the end the New York Islanders didn’t book the center forward until the second round with number 52.
However, last season was great from Rädy. He left Kärpi after the beginning of the season for Jukurei and scored 13+27=40 points in 41 regular season games. Finally, he finished his season with the AHL club Bridgeport Islanders. In the playoffs, six matches produced results of 1+3=4.
– In Kärpi there was a worse part, but otherwise the games in Jukurei, the national team and Bridgeport went quite well. Overall a good season, says Räty.
Räty will head to North America after the Games. He believes that the World Cup also prepares well for the starting season.
– I am really looking forward to the games. There are a lot of friends here and you get to play a lot of games. Of course, that’s the number one thing, but surely this also prepares us for the starting season really well. I don’t know who else gets so much ice, hard games and training under them, says Räty.
The Young Lions’ team has plenty of individual skills, including Rädy, Joakim Kemellin, Ville Koivunen, Roni Hirvonen and Roby Järventien through. Downstairs, on the other hand, you can find the defender who was chosen as the best in the last games Topi Niemelä as well as the duo who won silver at TPS Eemil Estonia and Ruben Rafkin.
It brings, among other things, more Romulian know-how Eetu Liukaswho made tough tackles in the ranks of TPS last season as well.
– The same things are actually expected of me as we are used to seeing in the league. A more defensive role. I can help the team with my physicality and underpowered playing, says Liukas.
Liukas emphasizes that going to the Games is a great honor, especially for those born in 2002, because the previous ones in the age group did not play. The team’s goal in Edmonton is crystal clear.
– To be honest, we are not going to play for anything other than the gold medal. This is a great opportunity for us. We have had a good training camp and we are ready to fight for the very best, Liukas says.
According to head coach Pennanen, Leijonat has played itself to the point that it has a chance to win the world championship every time. You can be proud of this, but at the same time Pennanen emphasizes humility.
– At the same time, we are humble about the fact that a lot can happen during the trip. There are a few other countries that start from the same settings. In the end, it’s up to the little one.
– This is what I want to convey that the dream is to lift the jug, but the goals are related to this moment and how we can improve our process, Pennanen concludes.