Susanna Tapani, the center of Finland’s first chain, plays with superiority and on a level playing field a lot as a mask woman. According to Urheilu’s expert Ismo Lehkonen, the skilled attacker is completely wasted in his role.
The Finnish women’s national ice hockey team took its opening victory in the World Cup when it defeated Japan with 9–3 goals. Sports expert Ismo Lehkonen highlights three points from the game of the Women’s Lions.
1. Successes in the offensive game
Finland had successes on a wide front, but Lehko was particularly pleased with the pace of the second chain. Viivi Vainikka and Elisa Holopainen both powers hit 2+1, in addition to which the center Nora Tulus got two assists.
– It’s nice that the women had successes in the attacking game. Especially the duo Holopainen-Vainikka seemed to find each other well and made an impression. They played very strongly and were one of the big reasons why so many goals were scored, says Lehkonen.
2. More custom goals
Lehkonen wants Finland to have more game goals and toughness in front of the goal if it wants to challenge the United States and Canada in the future. According to Lehkonen, there is enough room for improvement in Finland, for example in the use of the blue line and in goal-bound play.
– End the pass on the line and with the first delivery to the goal. At this level, players know how to block if the takeover takes a long time, says Lehkonen.
– Considerably more women should dare to shoot from the line with the number one and then put the timings and goal advantage games in order.
Finland’s 3–1 goal was a good example of this. Noora Tulus played the puck to the line, Sanni Rantala shot directly from the pass and Viivi Vainikka guided the puck into the net.
– Useless tinkering and returning it again will not necessarily produce anything. You should dare to use the shot more boldly than before, says Lehkonen.
3. Susanna Tapani in the wrong role
Finland got two superiority against Japan, the latter of which it managed to play only ten seconds before the final buzzer. However, the superiority of the opening set did not produce results, so Naisleijonat has never succeeded in the tournament with superiority.
According to Lehkonen, Finland must face the threat of its superiority. He wonders why, for example, the number one center Susanna Tapani is a superior mask player.
– He is superior in the mask, although I think he has an eye for the game and is able to make sneaky, hidden passes. He can also shoot directly from the pass. I don’t understand why such a woman is sacrificed for a mask, says Lehkonen.
My habit is to play in the same chain together Michelle Karvinen and Petra Nieminen with. According to Lehkonen, Tapani also has to take care of the mask player’s role and “dirtier jobs” on a level playing field.
– They should take turns wearing the mask and that would change places, says Lehkonen.
Lehkonen sees that the trio’s chemistry does not fit together anyway. For example, the trio has not completed supply chains.
– I haven’t seen an awful lot of passing combinations where Finland would be in the attacking zone and the chain mates would be able to give small passes to Susanna or the defenders would pass to the middle lane. They use the wing a lot and then the puck is lost.
– That chain is not the kind of threat that its reputation is.
Finland will next face Switzerland on Tuesday, who lost to the United States 0-9 on Monday. With a win, Finland would finish third in its group and face the winner of Group B in the quarterfinals.