Olli Jokinen is not surprised by Artturi Lehkonen’s flying in the Stanley Cup playoffs.
For the second time in his career, Artturi Lehkonen will play in the Stanley Cup finals. AOP / USA TODAY SPORT
The Colorado Avalanche and Tampa Bay Lightning will be battling for the NHL championship this spring. Avalanche took the first final victory in the extra time with numbers 4–3.
TPS breeders Mikko Rantanen and Artturi Lehkonen play at Avalanche.
– Great players. Lehkonen’s good playing has not come as a surprise to me. Avalanche’s skating style suits him. Lehkonen is the world’s elite predator, Olli Jokinen tells Iltalehti.
Everybody has the perspective to talk. The man played 1,231 regular season matches in the NHL.
– You hardly need to talk more about Mikko Rantan. Everyone knows what kind of player he is. The level is high.
Experienced in Tampa
NHL legend Olli Jokinen is currently the head coach of Mikkeli Jukuri. The man knows Tampa’s danger, but hopes for a championship for Colorado. TIMO KUNNARI
Lightning is already claiming his third consecutive Stanley Cup win.
– It’s hard to dump Tampa. Quite a number of playoffs have been won by the team. The team has won so much that it never panics. It was seen in a series of matches against the New York Rangers when Tampa was already at a 0-2 loss. They can look at the big picture even in a bad situation, Jokinen thinks.
– The final series will be decided in the goalkeeper game, special situations always play a big role. I still hope that Colorado wins and the Finnish boys get to experience it, Jokinen thinks.
Lydman knows
In his career, he has played 847 NHL regular season matches Toni Lydman follow the finals with a close eye.
– I hope the Finnish boys in Colorado get a pitcher. I especially hope that for Artturi Lehkonen, because he lost the finals last spring and still to Tampa. I know how it feels to lose the Stanley Cup finals, the 44-year-old former kit says.
Lydman lost the Stanley Cup Finals with the Calgary Flames in the spring of 2004 – to anyone but Tampa. Also Miikka Kiprusoff and Ville Nieminen played in the Flames at the time.
– Mikko Rantanen is playing a great time again. It has a player that is nice to look at, says Lydman, who currently works in Mikkeli’s Jukuri coaching team.
Maroon and Perry
Toni Lydman has two former teammates in the NHL finals. Corey Perry and Pat Maroon play in Tampa Bay Lightning. TIMO KUNNARI
Lydman has two teammates from his own active career in the finals.
– Pat Maroon and Corey Perry, both there in Tampa.
Lydman and Jokinen agree on one thing.
– The right teams will play in the finals this spring.
In addition to Rantanen and Lehkonen, Finns are chasing the championship jug at Avalanch Jussi Parkkila and goalkeeper Justus Annunen.