The coaching staff of the female lions did not yet know on Friday evening whether Petra Nieminen will be banned from the game or not for her brawl on Thursday evening.
Sari Sirkki,
Timo Uusitalo
Two changes in the first period were enough Petra Niemisenwhen the Women’s Lions lost to Canada 1-4 in their opening game of the World Cup on Thursday night.
– That kind of puck chasing situation where I thought the opponent could see me and I assumed he was ready to fight next to the wing. However, the opposite happened, and then the laws of physics came into conflict. A player a little smaller than me was against me and fell. Fortunately, he was able to continue and it didn’t get worse, explained Nieminen.
Nieminen did not accept the 5+20 minute penalty he received, but hit his stick on the way to the locker room. Canada scored a 1–0 lead goal during a big penalty in Finland’s net, which partly showed the direction for the match.
– I give advice to everyone – including Finnish, small-sized players – that the puck player has an equal responsibility. Of course I tried to slow down in the situation. Everyone has a responsibility so that everyone can play healthy, Nieminen instructed.
“This is hockey, sometimes it happens this way”
The important attacker of Finland’s first chain did not yet know if he would be able to play in the USA match starting at 4 pm on Saturday or if he would be banned from the game due to a big cold, a shower command.
– This is hockey, sometimes it goes this way and sometimes it goes the other way. It doesn’t matter what the situation is, we are gathering energy, and the most important games are yet to come, said Nieminen.
Coach Juuso Toivola stated briefly that the Finnish team has already started preparing last May for the fact that whatever happens in the long tournament, they are ready for the continuation.
– I’m not going to speculate whether there will be a subsequent punishment. The international game is fast-paced, and the game always hurts and happens. It will be accepted, whatever comes from there. We have different options of five, if necessary we can find them in the lock.