The Lions’ World Cup tournament in Tampere ended in severe disappointment, when Canada knocked the Lions out of the medal games with a score of 4–1.
Sports expert Ismo Lehkonen highlights three takeaways from the Tournament of Lions. You can also watch Lehkonen’s comments in the video below.
1. Tournament in miniature
The quarter-final battle against Canada was like the Lions’ tournament in miniature. Although Lehkonen praised that Canada had done its homework well.
– They had four games under the whole time. They didn’t take risks in attack, but defended all the time. Finland didn’t really have any chances to score in the opening set, Lehkonen briefly.
– A soft goal in our end set the pace towards the end, when Canada gained more confidence. The further the game went, the more Finland’s game was about forcing.
According to Lehkonen, the Finnish team lacked chemistry. It was not visible in defense or attack. During the tournament, no chain worked well throughout the match.
– Supremacy was not easy. The kind that would have created beautiful patterns in a buckle.
– Even though the superiority percentage was good, you have to remember what kind of countries we got those percentages up against.
Jalonen kept the number one chain in the same form throughout the entire tournament. However, against Canada, Jalonen started the chain again in the third set.
Was Jalonen too stubborn about chains?
Lehkonen reminds that tracing is really easy. However, he understands Jalonen’s line to stick to his plan.
– The coaching announced that the game has developed within the chains. The lions did not start to play.
– But at no point did this start rolling in the way that the players’ expectations were. The game went to force.
2. A generational change ahead
Expert Ismo Lehkonen sees that Leijon is inevitably facing a generational change. The Finnish team was the second oldest at the World Championships. The average age was 29 years.
– Certain guys have brought metal and gold over the years year after year. Little by little the miles have been used there.
– I dare to say that up to half may change for the World Cup tournament in the Czech Republic. Now there were a few first timers. I bet there will be a dozen younger players in the next games.
Lehkonen wonders if the national team heroes playing in Europe’s top leagues still have the power to go to next year’s games.
– Do they have power? Four to five weeks is a long time, which you have to count.
– That’s why I’m itching that quite a lot of people announce the Czech tournament before, that it’s time to give more time to the family.
Lehkonen sees that Finland does not have very many players around 25 years old in Europe’s top leagues. It may be that the SM league will be more important in the future.
– Probably a large part of the players will come from the domestic league and then on top of those released from the NHL.
3. National treasure
Long-time captain of the Lions, Marko Anttila, 37, said after the quarterfinals that his career with the national team is over. In Leijon, Anttila won two world championships in addition to the Olympic gold.
– The tank is so empty at this point. I will miss this atmosphere of the Lions, great community. You don’t get these feelings of success from a store, Anttila said.
When Ismo Lehkonen watched Anttila in the interview area after the quarterfinal loss, he tipped his hat to the captain in his thoughts.
– The Olympics, the World Cup and the national team career that he has printed. All I can say is hats off.
– Anttila became a national treasure. In our nation of five and a half million, everyone knows who Mörkö Anttila is.
According to Lehkonen, the unyielding Anttila is a good example of a player who was always able to surpass himself in the national team shirt.
– It is really difficult to maintain that level from one shift to another. There aren’t very many players who can draw at the upper limits and even over it all the time.
Anttila has never been a strong finisher for his team in the club team. In Leijon, however, he stood out in many important moments.
– He is a good example for many of what it means to focus and put yourself in the game when you put on the national team jersey. That’s a lot of mushing. He is a role model.