“He has renovated my home”

Finland will meet the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals of the World Cup on Thursday at 18:30 Finnish time. The match will be followed moment by moment in this article.

– I did get a tear in my eye when I saw that he got such a Jenni Hiirikoski showing off a shirt made in honor Ronja Savolainen says.

Jenni Hiirikoski was awarded on Tuesday before the match against Switzerland for the incredible record. The World Cup tournament is already his 14th at the adult level, which puts him in first place in the all-time statistics.

The Finnish captain was honored in the hall’s media cube, where glimpses of the career of the 35-year-old striker were seen. In addition, a member of the IIHF board Zsuzsanna Kolbenheye gave the defender a commemorative plaque and Finland’s jersey with the number 14, referring to the number of World Cup tournaments.

– A really great moment. Certainly such unique things, Hiirikoski briefly formulated for Urheilu.

Like many other Finns, Hiirikoski does not want to put himself in the spotlight. However, the legend is highly regarded among his teammates.

– He is the best in the world. It is a great honor to be able to play with him and especially to be able to train with him every day in Luleå. He gives good tips. I wouldn’t be here without him. A big thank you to him, says Savolainen.

Savolainen and Hiirikoski have played together in the Swedish club since autumn 2016. They have celebrated their fourth Swedish championship. That’s why there are a lot of great moments.

– Jenni is always there to help. If I feel bad, I can always open up. I think the coolest thing is that he’s always there and can read me.

Savolainen also reveals somewhat surprisingly that Hiirikoski has renovated his home.

– The thanks go entirely to him. The profit from that will probably go into Jenni’s pocket, Savolainen says with a smile.

Hiirikoski has played in every match since his first World Championships (2004), except for the 2006 Olympics. Then he was sidelined due to injury.

In these years, he has achieved three Olympic bronzes, seven World Championship bronzes and one World Championship silver, at Espoo’s home games in 2019. This is also one of the highlights of Hiirikoski’s career, in addition to the first World Championships in his career.

The story continues after the pictures.

The experienced Hiirikoski says that he has learned a lot over the years from many good leaders and great teammates, of whom he singles out Emma Terhon.

Today, Hiirikoski is a player that many look up to. In particular, his conscientiousness and training stand out.

– He has a big heart on and off the ice. He is really responsible for his own training and team building. He really cares about people and exudes sportsmanship. Really great person, head coach Juuso Toivola says.

– He is really Conscientious and does everything to the last. He is a super example for young people. One can only praise, sitting in the booth next to Hiirikoski Nelli Laitinen says.

Hiirikoski hopes that it is his relentless work and hard work that will leave his mark on Finnish hockey.

– I hope it leaves its mark. It’s great that I’ve been able to join the young people and help them move forward even in some small matters, says Hiirikoski.

When talking about Naisleijoni’s players, Jenni Hiirikoski and number six are certainly among the first to come to mind. The game number has an interesting story that goes back to the first World Cup.

– When I was going to the first World Cup, I got the number six from an old player (Anna Aaltomaa). He gave it to me and asked me to take care of it. I’ve been using it ever since.

18 years later, it can be said that Hiirikoski has taken care of the number better than well.

Finland will meet the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals of the World Cup on Thursday at 18:30 Finnish time. The match will be followed moment by moment in this article.