In 1982, Finland won bronze at the under-20 World Championships. Alpo Suhonen was the head coach. Timo Jutila lute in the freezer.
Lions legend Timo Jutila played in the 1982 under-20 World Cup tournament. Pasi Liesimaa
The 1982 tournament was played in Winnipeg, Canada and Minneapolis, USA.
– The beginning of that trip was bumpy. In the first game in Winnipeg, we were badly beaten by Canada (1–5). We even lost to Czechoslovakia at the beginning (1–5), even though we had a good team on the trip then, Jutila recalls to Iltalehte.
Finland played a total of seven games in the tournament.
On the way, among other things, the mighty Soviet Union fell 6–3.
– We played a good game against them. Kari Takko was absolutely fantastic in goal. Alpo Suhonen was the head coach, and after the initial losses, he was able to breathe good spirit into the team. Got a good one flow on and won Sergeants that’s it, Jutila continues.
Sweden to the flat
Alpo Suhonen was Finland’s head coach in the 1982 under-20 World Cup. Riku Korkki
In the tournament, Finland also beat Sweden 9–6.
– The Svenssons probably had more than half of the NHL men at that time. They had a huge group. It must have been one of the few times when the scoring competition was won.
– It seems that the scorekeepers ran out of ink when they put the puck into Ruotti’s goal, “Juti” colors in his personal way.
Summanen–Jalo–Skriko
Raimo Summanen won the tournament of the Finnish points exchange with 16 points. Petri Skriko and Risto Jalo scored a point less.
– Summanen–Jalo–Skriko was our number one chain. That trio was our canine. Jose Pekkala was also involved. The man came from divar to the team, and he would have had gifts for any length of time. And Takko was brilliant throughout the tournament, Jutila recalls.
Skriko was chosen as the best attacker of the tournament. Jutila grabbed 1+6 power points in the tournament.
– When we moved to Minnesota’s Twin Cities to play, we played in the home hall of the NHL team North Stars. The stands were full of people then. It was a great experience.
The vellum sizzled too
In 1982, Veli-Pekka Ketola went to psych the Finnish team. TOMI NATRI / AOP
According to Jutila, Veli-Pekka Ketola, the puck great of the time, appeared one day in the booth of the Finnish team.
– Vellu came to cheer us up and psych us up. It was a great thing for the young boys that Vellu visited.
In 1982, the tournament was played in a series format. There were no playoffs.
Canada won the championship. Switzerland was relegated to the B series.
– All in all, that tournament is a really great memory. After a bad start, we got the lines together and the prenika on his neck. As Doug Shedden said, ‘I love happy endings’Jutila decides.