Joni Ortio strengthens Lukko.
Joni Ortio’s short-term contract at Ässi ended. Tomi Natri / AOP
Goalkeeper Joni Ortio, 33, moves from Ässi to the ranks of local rival Luko.
Ortio played in Äss on a short-term contract, which first extended to the end of November, and which was later extended to the end of December.
In Äss, the TPS team replaced star striker Niklas Rubin, who is injured. The Swedish Rubin had time to play only four matches in the fall.
Ortio won 28 matches with a save percentage of 90.0. His goals against average was 2.35.
Orti’s contract with Luko covers the rest of the season.
Up until now, Rauma’s first goalkeeper has been an American John Lethemon. His save percentage in 31 games is 88.9 and the goals allowed average is 2.30.
– Lethemon has played a lot in the early season, and so has Ortiok. We believe that now we will be able to distribute the load more evenly and ensure that neither of them is exhausted, Luko’s sports director Kalle Sahlstedt justifies the acquisition in the bulletin.
In his career, Ortio has played 37 NHL games in the Calgary Flames and 123 games in the Russian KHL league.