Five Finns remained in the club playing near Moscow.
Noora Räty joined the Chinese club in the middle of the season. KIMMO BRANDT / AOP
Noora Räty, Anna Kilponen, Michelle Karvinen, Susanna Tapani and Minttu Tuominen played in Russia until the end of the season, even after President Vladimir Putin launched an offensive war in Ukraine.
The Finnish five, also known as the female lion, represents the Shenzhen KRS Vanke Rays playing in ŽHL. On Tuesday, the team won the Russian League championship.
Vanke Rays defeated Nizhny Novgorod 2-1 after the winning goal competition and took the final series straight with 3-0 victories.
KRS Vanke Rays, considered a Chinese club, joined the ŽHL for the period 2019–2020. Throughout this season, the team has played their home game at the Mytishchi Arena on the outskirts of Moscow.
ŽHL is a women’s professional series under the auspices of the Russian Hockey Association and KHL. Its chairman is the same as KHL, Alexei Morozov.
Räty published commemorative photos in the story section of Instagram after the championship was decided. He, Kilponen and Tuominen moved to Vanke Rays in the middle of the season.
Vanke Rays also won the championship the previous season.
Susanna Tapani was involved in the Beijing Olympics. AOP