Even though Leijon has assembled the “team of all time”, it is not among the biggest gold favorites at the Olympics.
Kaapo Kakko celebrated a goal in last winter’s NHL 4 Nations tournament, where Finland finished last. PDO
- The men’s ice hockey tournament at the Milan-Cortina Olympics starts on February 11. Finland’s opening opponent is Slovakia.
- Pekka Virta tells how he would play Finland and what gives Finland a competitive advantage.
The cold fact is that the lineups of Canada, the USA and Sweden are tougher than Finland’s in terms of top NHL players. This is emphasized by the fact that Finland’s number one center Alexander Barkov is on the side.
An even bigger question mark than the limited roster is the head coach Antti Pennanenwhich has not convinced in Leijon. Last winter, in the NHL’s 4 Nations tournament, the game didn’t work at all, even though Finland should derive a competitive advantage from the way of play and unity.
The Milan-Cortina Olympics are also played in a narrow rink and, in the case of the big hockey countries, with players who are used to it.
It brings to the surface the question, should Finland play the traditional North American vertical way of playing or the so-called Our game of Suomi-kiekko?
USA style of play
In fact, the dividing line is no longer so clear, as the rhythm of the game and puck control have gained more and more ground in the NHL as well.
Iltalehti’s expert Pekka Virta takes the example of 4 Nations and North American teams that are very evenly matched: USA beat Canada 3-1 in the preliminary round, but Canada won the final Connor McDavid’s with an overtime goal 3–2.
– There was a big difference in the game between Canada and the USA. Canada carried the puck a lot or passed long uprights to the back line, sipped to the end and went after. USA played more puck control and built the game more as a team.
– I am in favor of the US style of play, Virta announces.
– If we are talking about my idea, then we are close Lauri Mikkolan The best games of the U20 team, he specifies.
An example for young people
Pekka Virta assesses the Lions’ strengths and threats. Jenni Gästgivar
Last season Nuoret Leijonat lost the championship to the USA in overtime of the final match. At best, the game worked wonderfully in that tournament, according to Virra, except that in the third sets the fives started canceling for no reason. In the playoffs, Finland lost 16–52 shots and 2–4 goals in the third set and overtime.
This season, Finland had to settle for fourth place in the World Junior Championships, although the team showed excellent performances in the quarter-final win over the USA and in the semi-final in Sweden, which ended in a hard-fought loss.
– The team played really well on the puck. It rhythmed the game and changed the puck, Virta praises.
– We were able to control the equipment and keep individual opponents pretty much on a leash. It was wonderful when we managed to do it last season at the Canadian Games and now at the turn of the year in the United States.
– There were a lot of things about the structure of the game, how the decks work in pairs and how fives are played together, which I will be calling for as long as I live, Virta piles on.
– For me, ice hockey is a five-man game. Or, more precisely, a cooperative five-ball game, he laughs at his long compound word.
Fast puck control
Our game can be misunderstood as just slow delay start and trap playing. Virta reminds us that puck control can be played with different rhythms – that is, also quickly.
– I really enjoyed watching when there were many variants, says Virta about the best games of the Young Lions.
– It doesn’t always go last, that’s for sure, but the effort to play with a tight five and short distances was visible, especially against tough countries. In these games, it was at its best in the USA and Sweden games.
Finland’s strength
Antti Pennase has a screen place in Milan. Pasi Liesimaa
In addition to the way of playing, the Lions must gain a competitive advantage from the traditional “free things” of Finnish hockey, i.e. commitment and playing as a united team.
– When you play against better players, the probability of losing one on one is really big. Two on two it’s still pretty big. Three against three it gets a little smaller, and five against five is already a chance to succeed, Virta illustrates.
– I believe in a familiar Finnish recipe, he continues.
– Our strength is good role-playing and players who accept different roles. It could be a weakness for Canada or someone as they calculate who plays the upper hand and who plays some with so many stars.
According to Virra, the threat to Finland also lies in “how each player plays in his club team and which style of play each one likes”.
– Is there a common way of playing from one field to another? Or if a chain plays with a different style, which makes the game rolling difficult, because the Packs go back and forth, he takes care.
– Everyone has to believe in that style of play, whatever that choice is.
Fives of Leos
Pekka Virta would build the Finnish pitches as follows:
One:
Rantanen – Hintz – Lehkonen
Heiskanen – Lindell
Two:
Teräväinen – Aho – Granlund
Lehtonen – Ristolainen
Three:
Monastic – Lundell – Second
Mikkola – Rotten
Four:
Haula – Kapanen – Armia
Matinpalo – Jokiharju
13th and 14th striker:
Tolvanen, Kiviranta
Goalkeepers:
Saros (first keeper)
Luukkonen
Lankinen
