Star striker of Luulaja and the Women’s Lions Petra Nieminen survived last week with a concussion in the Swedish premier league match against Leksandi. Nieminen was saved by a neck guard, which has been a big topic of conversation in ice hockey in recent months, for the American by Adam Johnson after death.
Playing for superiority, Nieminen skated towards his own end. Nieminen calculated that Nora Tulus catches the opponent and he goes to grab the loose puck. Suddenly Saga Tynell Nissas wobbled and his skates went up high. It cut Nieminen’s neck.
Fortunately, there was a neck protector, which is mandatory in SDHL.
– I was quite shaken as soon as I realized what happened. Fortunately, there was a neck guard and it was specifically put on correctly, so that it wasn’t half opened or somehow opened, Nieminen tells Urheilu.
– Yes, it crashed so much that I bet even a life was saved there when I was wearing a neck protector. I got a small bruise, but fortunately not too serious.
In hindsight, Nieminen has thought about not talking about neck guards and wrist guards for fun. As the players have developed, the game has also become faster all the time, so that you can’t be careful in situations with your own reaction.
– I’ve always told myself that it won’t happen to me, but in that situation you can’t choose whether it will happen to me or not and now it did. Fortunately, I have been wise and used a neck protector. I will definitely use it every day and I recommend that the youth, no matter what level they play, should also use a neck protector.
Johnson’s death also woke up the IIHF
The skate’s cuts have been on display during the last year anyway. For example, a year ago in Lulea Jenni Hiirikoski got a cut on his neck in the finals. Hiirokoski was wearing a neck protector, but in that situation it was an accident, and the protector did not prevent the accident. This season in the SM league, for example, Tapparan Petteri Puhakka got a cut on his neck.
After Johnson’s death, for example, the International Ice Hockey Federation IIHF has made neck protection mandatory in all its tournaments. Also in Finland, neck protection is mandatory in all hockey leagues.
24-year-old Nieminen reminds us that when the situation arises, it is no longer necessary to worry about what happened.
– Even if you do this for work, ice hockey is ultimately a pretty small part of your life. You have other people around you who care and do everything for you. You don’t want to waste it because of a single skate hit on your wrists or anything else, Nieminen emphasizes.
Nieminen, who scored 24+21=45 points in 33 matches in the regular season, surprisingly signed a two-year contract extension with Luluaja already in January. Nieminen was one of the hottest names on the transfer market because of the new PWHL league in North America.
Nieminen says that he already had a contract left for next season, and he did not want to leave for a new club before the 2026 Olympics.
– I know that everything will work, I can develop as an athlete and as a person every day. I thought that it is surely the best solution to be here until the Olympics. I can prepare well for the Olympics and make them my best Olympics.
For example, the CEO of Lulea, Stefan Enbom recently told Norrbottens-Kuriren that he believes that a few top players will move to North America after the season. Finns include Lulea’s Noora Tulus and Ronja Savolainen are interested in PWHL.
– There is good money moving there, so of course many players are thinking about what to do, because you can get a lot of money there. Lulaja showed, at least to me, that yes, they too can put good sums in the game.
Sixth consecutive championship?
Nieminen’s and Luulaja’s season in the Swedish premier league has gone well. In the first round of the playoffs starting on Friday, the number one in the regular season will meet Leksandi, who, according to Nieminen, has surprised everyone with their play this season.
– Sometimes they play really well and sometimes not so well. They really have a lot of skill and especially hardness and skating power. You have to be alert all the time when they have players who want to tackle a lot.
Lulaja has dominated the Swedish league, as it has won the previous five Swedish championships. Niemi has already won four championships.
However, the most valuable player of last spring’s playoffs assures that Luleå has enough hunger for the championship this year as well.
– The championship is sought and we work hard for it. Today we get to start our journey and see how long it takes. However, I’m sure that everyone in this team puts everything into the game every second. Fortunately, there is no need to doubt it at all.