Ronja Savolainen, 27, lives her dream in North America and leads Finland to the World Cup in Finland against Sweden.
Ronja Savolainen and Czech Noemi Neubauerova struggled in the opening round. The atmosphere of the World Championship in the city of české Budějovice is praised by Savolainen. Zumawire / mvphotos
Less than a couple of years ago, a new era began in women’s hockey when a new professional league PWHL was established in North America.
Three players will play for the women’s Lions World Championship team in PWHL this season: Defender Ronja Savolainen as well as attackers Susanna Tapani and Noora Tulus.
This season, Savolainen moved to the Ottawa Charge of Canada after as many as eight years spent in Sweden in Sweden, and says directly that the transition was anything but easy.
– The beginning was really difficult. Everything was so new and it was a whole new life, Savolainen says.
On the hockey side, it was different, for example, that where Sweden could be used for an hour or one and a half hours of physics training before ice exercises, in Canada it takes 30 minutes and the ice is on the ice for a couple of hours.
– And earlier when I came home, there was always my own partner waiting. Now it was just hockey and I couldn’t distinguish hockey from the rest of life. The first two months were home-made, and the time difference made things difficult.
However, the sorrows are now behind and Savolainen says he lives in his dream.
– I wouldn’t change for a moment. I am very pleased and grateful that I dared to take the step, the biggest challenge and move there. Hopefully, as a player, there has been development. At least it feels like it.
Ottawa Charge, represented by Ronja Savolainen, is currently fourth in the six -team PWHL. Zumawire / mvphotos
Dear enemy
Savolainen’s partner is Swedish Let Kjellbinwith whom he played in Luleå earlier. Kjellbin also moved to PWHL this season but a different team than Savolainen.
Kjellbin also plays on the Swedish national team, and the female lions and Sweden will meet in the semi-finals of the World Cup on Thursday.
In the sports world, it is quite common for partners to meet in the World Cup, but there is nothing new to Savolainen and Kjellbin. Finland and Sweden also met in 2023.
Finland finished third in the upper leg (losses for the US and Canada, winnings from the Czech Republic and Switzerland).
Finland seeks to seek the benefit of not having one hard opponents in the lower opening round.
– Japan and Germany encountered by Sweden are good teams, but not at US and Canada, says Savolainen.
– We really have to take it into consideration and start at high speed from the start.
Anna Kjellbin is the captain of Sweden. The western neighbor settle against Finland in the quarter -finals. Zumawire / mvphotos
Defense in order
In 2019, Finland was close to winning even the World Cup gold, but according to the opening round and otherwise in recent years, it seems that the US and Canada, who managed the women’s reel, have only increased their lead to others.
Finland lost to Canada 0-5 and the US 1-7.
– It was a really difficult start. We weren’t happy with those games, but in Canada we already noticed a little improvement, Savolainen says.
Savolainen leads the internal spot market in Finland with 2+1 power points, even though he plays as a defender.
According to his team and star player, Finland must focus on the defense game, especially. Female lions trust the attack.
– At our own end, we have run in vain after the reel and we have not taken care of our own player or an opponent’s club.
– The opponent has been able to shoot too much and we have not been involved in loose discs. Our goalkeepers had a fierce start because of our own bad game.
Overall, Savolainen describes Finland’s first four matches as “Ooko”.
– We can do much better.