The Finnish women’s national ice hockey team has been left out of the medal games twice in a row in the World Cup tournament.
– This season’s goal is to keep the playing level high and thereby brighten the ranking. The medal games, i.e. the World Cup medal, is our clear goal. That’s what we’re working towards, Head Coach of the Women’s Lions Juuso Toivola states.
Next spring’s Women’s World Cup hockey tournament will be played from 4th to 14th. April in Utica, USA, which is located about 400 kilometers north of New York.
Finland starts its tournament in the initial group A. Canada, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and the United States also play in this so-called upper initial group.
In last spring’s 1–2 losing World Cup quarter-final, Finland took the shots of the match 42–22, but lost to the Czech Republic and the goalkeeper To Blanka Skodova. Now the big theme of the Women’s Lions is clear: “from goal posts to goal scoring efficiency”
– We create a lot of goal chances. We have to find ways to score goals separately and together. For now, we have to work hard for one goal. That is one of our projects of the season, admits Toivola.
The Finnish women’s national ice hockey team started its international EHT season in the tournament played in Vierumäki and Lahti on the 22nd-27th. August. Naisleijonat, who finished second in the three-country tournament, first defeated the Czech Republic (5–4) and Sweden (2–0), but then suffered losses to the same countries by 2–6 and 1–4.
Despite the poor defeat numbers, Finland was the most dominant side in the rink even in the losing games, winning the shooting statistics between the teams in those as well. However, the ineffectiveness of scoring and also personal mistakes in the defensive area were the team’s downfall.
Playing without a place to play
Naisleijonat started preparing for the season with camps in May and July before the EHT home tournament in August.
In November, the program includes the German EHT tournament in Landshut from 6 to 12 November and a match camp in Canada in December. Before the World Cup camp, Naisleijon still has the EHT final tournament on 5-11. February 2024 in Prague.
Head coach Toivola sees that Finland could be a pioneer compared to its European competitors, especially when it comes to playing without a place to play.
– Whether it’s our attacker or defender, everyone participates in our attack, regardless of the playing position. This is the direction we are going. We want the game to be fast-paced and turn the game around quickly. I believe that this will be another strength for us, Toivola says.
18-year-old Sanni Vanhanen plays the leading role
Born in 2005 Sanni Vanhanen is one of the top promises of the future of the Women’s Lions. He performed for the first time at the age of 16 in Finland’s World Cup team. The 18-year-old puck player already has three World Cup competitions behind him.
The coaching of the female lions trusts in Vanhanen’s skills and potential.
– He can still develop changes of direction and reaction and starts after turns. And when the goal-scoring efficiency has been talked about, of course we want to see goals from Sanni. Not to make a fuss about it, but I believe it will still come from there, says head coach Toivola.
Vanhanen, who represents HIFK, admits to Urheilu that he himself is under pressure to produce results. In last weekend’s EHT tournament, he was the center of Finland’s first court, scoring 0+4 in four games.
– Playing in the first court brings its own kind of pressure, but I trust that I can produce goals and points, Vanhanen says.
– I expect from Sanni that he moves well with the puck and uses his extremely good understanding of the game, his game intelligence. When you add more age, physique, speed and years of training to this, the game opens up differently for Sanni. That’s where the result comes from, Toivola knows.
Aki Berg’s Nella girl is the new face of Naislijonien
The TPS pack that debuted in the women’s A national team last week Nella Berg is a second-generation hockey player. He is a former NHL defenseman Aki Bergin a girl and the same age as Sanni Vanhanen, i.e. 18 years old.
Head coach Toivola expects this year that Nella Berg will be able to participate in the pace of play at the women’s national team level.
– Game-wise, he has all the conditions and qualities to play. The challenge is initially that he is able to implement all his strengths at an international pace.
– Nella sees the game very well and is a confident, puck player. He promotes the game and feeds the attackers with his passes. In addition, with his own positioning and as a reaching player, he steals pucks, turns the game around and makes it difficult for the opponent to play. One more shot to that hard level, and the points will start coming, Toivola describes.
In addition to Nella Berg, Kiekko-Espoo made their first appearance in the A national team’s jersey in the EHT home tournament Julia Schalin and Lisette Taks and HPK Kit Seikkula.