The drastically reformed Tyttöleijonat goes to the World Cup with confidence – reigning world champion Canada crashed in the general practice

There are no fewer than 13 new players in Finland’s under-18 girls’ national team. However, according to head coach Mira Kuisma, the team has welded together quickly.

The under-18 girls’ ice hockey world championships begin on Sunday in Östersund, Sweden. The girl lions enter the tournament with confidence, as the team beat the reigning world champion Canada 4-3 in Thursday’s general practice.

The win in Canada was the second in Tyttöleijoni’s history. The first victory came in the opening match of the last World Cup in June.

The head coach Mira Kuisman left feeling confident about the final result of the training match. The playful expression was great.

– The team was able to play well for 60 minutes against the reigning world champion. The match gave myself and hopefully also the girls confidence that the right things have been done and will be able to be done in the future.

Tyttöleijonat, who won her third bronze medal in the previous games, will go on the medal hunt again. The USA and Canada have won the sport’s brightest medals. Sweden has reached silver once.

– The fact that we were able to beat Canada for the second time in a short period of time shows that everything is possible. Certain games require button performance. We will fight for the medal, says Kuisma.

New players, old strengths

The girl lions’ team has experienced changes since the previous games. As many as 13 new players will be participating in the upcoming World Cup. The preparation has been short anyway, because the previous games were only played last summer due to the corona virus.

– We have had time to camp three times since then. The group has changed quite a lot since the last games. Fortunately, half of the players have been there before and half are players whose everyday life allows them to work, said Kuisma, who pilots Team Kuortanetta in the Women’s League.

There are ten players from the ranks of Kuortanene.

According to Kuisma, there have been no major challenges in preparing the team for the tournament. With those who have been to the camps a little and for the first time, the focus has been more on game-related things than usual.

When asked about the team’s top players, Kuisma turns the conversation to the team. Consistency and clear roles are Tyttölejonien’s strengths.

– Everyone should know what is wanted and expected from them during the week. Everyone is better able to commit to this because everyone has their own important task on the field. Of course also outside the field.

Vice-captain of the team Pauliina Salonen according to the team’s team spirit and way of playing have been carried forward during the autumn camps.

– I think we have a really good spirit in the dressing room. It’s really great to play with these players. A sure feeling of a shared spirit, says Salonen.

Berg in his father’s footsteps

One interesting name has been part of the summer’s bronze team Nella Bergwhose father is a defender who played in the NHL and Leijon in the early 2000s Aki Berg. Berg is playing his last under-18 games.

According to Kuisma, the defender who plays in VG-62 and TPS has his father’s traits.

– Nella is good at skating and has a calm nature on and off the ice. He moves and reads the game well. With his big size, he helps us fight better in international games.