Defender Ilari Melart returned to his lion shirt after a break of two seasons. He is one of those players for whom the Euro Hockey Tour serves as a perfect place to show off their home matches at the World Cup.
Ilari Melart wants to represent Finland in the World Championships. Jaakko Stenroos/AOP
Ilari Melart debuted in the A national team jersey in the 2012−13 season. At that time, he represented Helsinki IFK.
A decade later, Melart is wearing the Lion Shirt again. At the club team level, the defender plays again in IFK.
Switzerland defeated Finland in the opening match of the Karelia tournament 3−2 in the winning goal race.
– It was a nice feeling to put on the Leijonapaita again. It was nice to play, Melart summed up after the match, even though there was a loss.
Finally included
Playing for Leijon is an honor for Finnish hockey players. Now the 33-year-old, 190-centimeter and 97-kilogram kit gives displays Jukka Jalonen for coaching led by
Melart played in the World Cup in the spring of 2013, but since then he has not been selected for prestigious competition teams. The defender has been able to participate in some EHT games.
Melart made his previous appearances for the national team in the 2019−20 season, when the club team was Växjö. Melart represented Färjestad from the fall of 2017 to the spring of 2019, but could not join Leijon while he was in Färjestad.
– There have been a few sprinkling of those appearances, Melart stated.
Now he is back in Finland and wearing a Finnish shirt.
– It’s always nice, no matter where the competition or tournament is. I enjoy the moment and the fact that I can now be here, Melart continued.
“They are annoying”
In September, Melart scored 4+5 in 20 matches for IFK. He is the host of the Stadion defense, an IFK-looking player.
A strong character is also needed in a Leo. Melart hopes his displays will be enough for new national team invitations.
– I have often had to stay out due to some minor injuries. Of course, if you’re not invited otherwise, what’s the point, Melart thought.
Sometimes the place in the value competition group has been very close.
– Sometimes there have been situations where you have called a lot, but in the end you have not been selected for the team. They are annoying, Melart admitted.
Extra energy
The league season has been difficult for IFK so far. The team is ranked 12th during the national team break. Personally, Melart still believes that the additional games played in Leijon will bring him more energy for league matches as well.
– These games don’t make you incredibly tired, you get energy quite well and you haven’t traveled much. When these games are in two different countries, it can get tiring.
– But now it’s only a two-hour drive to Turku, Melart added with a smile.
The start of the Karelian tournament in Turku was a bit sleepy from Finland, but Leijonat improved as the match progressed.
– A tight fighting game, maybe a bit sticky, but Switzerland was also good, Melart summed up.
The next match will be the Czech Republic on Saturday and Sweden on Sunday. Both fights start at 16:30.
– There are small margins. I have to take care of the little things better on the field, Melart thought about the upcoming matches of the weekend.
The margins have also been small in the national team selections, so if Melart takes care of the little things with honor and plays reliably in the Lions’ defense, invitations may soon come more regularly.
The bet is high. Now we are playing for places in the next World Cup home games, and everyone wants to put on the lion shirt when Finland defends the world championship in Tampere next spring.