On Tuesday, Finland’s under-20 national ice hockey team took its opening victory at the expense of Slovakia. Finland’s top strikers Joakim Kemell and Oliver Kapanen emerged when Finland won the match 5–2.
Sports expert Top Nättinen points out three things about the situation of the Young Lions.
1. Successes important to individuals
Finland’s number one stars Kemell and Kapanen scored 1+1 points in the match. Those who played cheerfully also managed to finish Brad Lambert and shot a lot Jani Nyman.
It is often talked about how important goals are mentally for individual players. Nättinen reminds that hits are also important for the rest of the team.
– This is important for team cohesion. Now the other players understand that these individuals are able to help and carry the team in difficult moments. They have faith that the team has top guys who can solve matches, says Nättinen.
– This brings a mandate within the team – why the top names play in number one superiority and big minutes, says Nättinen.
Successes can be seen in everything. The functioning of the stars’ game can also be seen in the attack zone as freshness and even longer spins.
– When the top players get the focus on the other end, other chains that might not be expected to have power points also benefit from this flow and rhythm of the game.
2. The Young Lions brought out the desired things
Finland played great, especially in the second period, when it got long spins in Slovakia’s territory. According to Nättinen, the second set was the closest to what Finland is capable of at its best.
– After the really bad game against Switzerland, Finland really quickly brought out the desired things, Nättinen stated.
Finland was able to switch better on the puck and received passing chains and rotations in the attacking area for more than a minute.
– The rhythm in the game was much better. It was also visible in game time, excluding Topias Vilénwho played 27 minutes again.
According to Nättinen, there were already indications in Finland’s playing that the team is in possession of the style of play. However, he reminds that the game cannot be assumed to be completely in its tracks in such a short tournament.
– It seems that the conversation is dominated by how the game should look like. The result is, as it were, secondary. We trust that the result will follow, but this is also a balancing act.
– However, in such a short tournament, the only thing that matters is how many points you get. Sure, the game has to develop in small steps, but I think the wins, the emotional state of the individuals, the ability of the players to get more out of each night, are more important than getting exactly the rhythms you want.
In the following audio, Topi Nättinen describes in more detail the match in Slovakia and the game situation of the Young Lions.
3. Joakim Kemell succeeded because he is the single best player in Finland
Joakim Kemell played on the flank of Finland’s first team Kapanen and Ville Koivunen with. Kemell continued in the same spot where he was lifted from the 13th striker’s box in the third period of the match against Switzerland.
Kemell lived up to expectations. He scored an important lead goal and then set up Kapanen’s hit.
– Coaching may now feel that they managed to wake up “Jokke”. We managed to show how to play at this level, and what needs to be done in order to succeed. It even saddens me a little, Nättinen begins.
Kemell played more than a match and a half as the 13th forward, including the practice match against Canada. Nättinen believes that Finland would have been closer to winning against Switzerland if the JYP star had been given a place in the number one chain earlier.
– In my opinion, Finland missed one match due to disciplinary fooling, says Nättinen.
In Nättinen’s opinion, Kemelli’s good game was not due to the fact that Finland’s coaching was successful in the young man’s mental training.
– Kemell succeeded because he is the single best player in Finland. He has an NHL contract, and he was Finland’s best scorer at the World Cup in August.
– Kemell didn’t succeed because some maneuvers were made and he was woken up. It would have been enough for him to have a conversation that ok, now you have to understand your role and act on that level, because others look up to you. It wouldn’t have been necessary to waste one Switzerland match.