Urheilu’s Instagram followers were able to propose questions to the Leijoni players. This article contains the best bits of the answers of the stars of the Finnish national ice hockey team.
Joska Saarinen,
Pauli Jokinen
Emil Larmi: Very good question. I haven’t been far enough as a goalkeeper to know.
Harri Pesonen: Rule.
Ahti Oksanen: The player goes over the blue line before the puck.
Mandatory pre-game routines?
Jussi Olkinuora: Big doozies.
Ahti Oksanen: There are so many of them that it’s pointless to even start listing them.
Atte Ohtamaa: Stretching.
Teemu Hartikainen: Kicking a football.
How much time do you have to set aside for putting on the equipment?
Christian Heljanko: About ten minutes is enough.
Walter Merelä: Ten minutes.
Mikko Lehtonen: Depends on the player, 10-15 minutes.
Who has the best booth stories?
Antti Suomela: Juho Lammikko, Pori-like things.
Mikael Seppälä: Juho Lammikko.
Juho Lammikko: Let’s say Jere Sallinen.
Kasperi Kapanen: Anttila’s Marko has pretty tired stories, but good ones at the same time.
Who has the worst booth stories?
Walter Merelä: Probably Juho Lammikko.
Ahti Oksanen: On a straw rope. They’re so bad they’re funny.
Harri Pesonen: Leke (goalkeeping coach Kari Lehtonen) is one of the most reliable. Olkinuoran’s Jussi is the second.
Christian Heljanko: With Emil Larmi.
Why is tape put on the shoulder blade?
Juho Lammikko: Keeps the puck under better control.
Ville Pokka: That the puck won’t run away from it.
What do the players smell on the bench and why?
Jussi Olkinuora: I don’t know what it is, much less why.
Atte Ohtamaa: I guess it’s some ammonia. It opens up the senses.
Olli Määttä: Ammonia. It will probably wake you up.
What do you eat for breakfast?
Emil Larmi: Porridge and 2–3 eggs.
Antti Suomela: Bread and porridge or omelette.
Ville Pokka: Bread and omelette.
Mikko Lehtonen: Oatmeal.
What do you eat after the game and how long does it take to get food?
Juho Lammikko: Quite often pasta. It always takes a little over an hour.
Ahti Oksanen: I eat whatever is available. I’m usually very hungry. I like to eat right away.
Mikael Seppälä: It kind of depends on what’s available. If I can decide myself, then some pizza.
Teemu Hartikainen: We usually have pizza 30-45 minutes after the game. Especially in a tournament like this, pizza fills up well and tastes good.
How much does your gear bag weigh?
Jussi Olkinuora: So much so that it costs extra at the airport.
Antti Suomela: 12 kilos.
Atte Ohtamaa: 23 kilos.
Kasperi Kapanen: 13–14 kilos.
How many spare skates do you have?
Christian Heljanko: You must have two, if the others are lost.
Walter Merelä: Aren’t they supposed to be spare skates for spare skates, aren’t there two of them?
Joel Armia: Three.
Sakari Manninen: Ones.