2021���22 Naisten Liiga season

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2021–22 Naisten Liiga season
LeagueNaisten Liiga
SportIce hockey
Duration11 September 2021 (2021-09-11) –
20 March 2022
Number of games30
Number of teams10 in Preliminaries
6 in Regular season, 6 in Lower division series
TV partner(s)Ruutu+
Promoted to Lower division seriesAPV
Lukko
Naisten Liiga seasons

The 2021–22 Naisten Liiga season is the thirty-ninth season of the Naisten Liiga, the premier level of women's ice hockey in Finland, since the league's establishment as the Naisten SM-sarja in 1982. The season began on 11 September 2021.

League business[]

Offseason[]

HPK Kiekkonaiset team transfer[]

In June 2021, it was announced that the HPK Kiekkonaiset team would be transferred to HPK Liiga Oy, owner of the Liiga team HPK and the U20 SM-sarja team HPK U20.[1] HPK Kiekkonaiset had previously been a part of the HPK-affiliated junior club HPK Edustusjääkiekko Ry, a non-profit association. According to Antti Toivanen, CEO of HPK Liiga Oy and general manager of the HPK men's team, the move was motivated by an interest in capitalizing on the growing women's ice hockey market, which was highlighted by the record crowds that attended the 2019 IIHF Women's World Championship in Espoo. Jorma Hassinen, general manager of HPK Kiekkonaiset, expressed hope that the transfer would allow female players to develop with the same opportunities as their male counterparts.[2]

Coaching changes[]

Team 2019–20 2020–21 Details
Off–season
HPK Kiekkonaiset Mari Saarinen Harri Nummela Appointed in May 2021, Nummela is the fourth HPK head coach in as many seasons. He has previously served as head coach of men's teams in the Suomi-sarja and 2. Divisioona.[3]
Oulun Kärpät Naiset Janne Salmela Samuli Hassi Hassi was appointed as the new Kärpät head coach in April 2021, replacing Salmela after two seasons at the helm.[4] The 27 year old, originally from Oulu, spent the previous four seasons studying in Rovaniemi and coaching in the junior organization of Rovaniemen Kiekko (RoKi). He served as the head coach of RoKi U18 in the 2020–21 season of the men's U18 Mestis.[5]
TPS Naiset Matti Tähkäpää, Kai Ortio Terhi Mertanen Ortio was promoted from assistant coach to head coach after Tähkäpää's contract was terminated with five games remaining in the 2020–21 regular season.[6] Mertanen was named the 2021–22 head coach shortly thereafter, in March 2021. An Olympic medalist with the Finnish national team at the 2010 Winter Olympics, Mertanen spent the previous two seasons as an assistant coach of RoKi Naiset.[7][8]

Player signings of note[]

Incoming

Player 2019–20 team 2020–21 team(s) ref.
Neuchâtel HA (SWHL A) HPK [9]
Norwich Cadets (NCAA D3) HPK [10]
Buffalo Beauts (PHF) HPK
() RoKi [11]
Alena Mills KRS Vanke Rays (ZhHL) HPK [10]
Noora Räty KRS Vanke Rays (ZhHL) HPK [12]
Minttu Tuominen KRS Vanke Rays (ZhHL) Kiekko-Espoo [13]

Intra-league transfers

Player 2019–20 team 2020–21 team ref.
Elisa Holopainen KalPa Kiekko-Espoo [13]
Julia Liikala HPK HIFK [14]
Matilda Nilsson KalPa HIFK [15]
Sanni Rantala Team Kuortane Kiekko-Espoo [13]
Kiira Yrjänen Team Kuortane Kiekko-Espoo [13]

League departures

Player 2019–20 team 2020–21 team ref.
Vaasan Sport (Damettan)
Anna Kilponen Tampereen Ilves KRS Vanke Rays (ZhHL)
Team Kuortane (EWHL)
Meeri Räisänen HPK JYP U20 Akatemia (U20 Mestis)
Jenna Suokko Tampereen Ilves Buffalo Beauts (PHF) [16]

Teams[]

Location of teams in the Naisten Liiga
   Green pog.svg: Upper division; Purple pog.svg: Lower division
Team Location Home venue Head coach Captain
Stadin Gimmat
or HIFK Naiset 		Helsinki.vaakuna.svg Helsinki Saara Niemi Karoliina Rantamäki
HPK Kiekkonaiset Hämeenlinna.vaakuna.svg Hämeenlinna
Ilves Naiset Tampere.vaakuna.svg Tampere Linda Leppänen Anna Kilponen
KalPa Naiset Kuopio.vaakuna.svg Kuopio Niiralan Monttu Marjo Voutilainen
Kiekko-Espoo Naiset Espoo.vaakuna.svg Espoo Tapiolan harjoitusareena Minttu Tuominen
Kärpät Naiset Oulu.vaakuna.svg Oulu Raksilan jäähalli
RoKi Naiset Rovaniemi.vaakuna.svg Rovaniemi Lappi Areena
Sport Naiset Vaasa.vaakuna.svg Vaasa Vaasan Sähkö Arena Pauliina Suoniemi
Team Kuortane Kuortane.vaakuna.svg Kuortane Kuortaneen jäähalli Mira Kuisma
TPS Naiset Turku.vaakuna.svg Turku Kupittaan jäähalli Terhi Mertanen
Team promoted from the Naisten Mestis to the lower division
APV Naiset Alavus.vaakuna.svg Alavus
Lukko Naiset Rauma.vaakuna.svg Rauma


Preliminary series[]

The preliminary series began on 11 September and concluded on 12 December 2021. The Finnish Ice Hockey Association opted to use the points per game ranking system first implemented in the 2020–21 season to allow for the potential of cancelled matches due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[17] Some games in the preliminary series were rescheduled, however, each team was able to play all twenty matches.

The top six ranked teams will advance to the regular season, also called the upper division series (Finnish: Ylempi jatkosarja), while teams ranking seventh through tenth will progress to the lower division series (Finnish: Alempi jatkosarja).

Standings[]

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Final Result
1 Kiekko-Espoo 20 20 0 0 0 137 25 +112 60 Advanced to Upper division
2 HIFK 20 17 0 0 3 100 31 +69 51
3 Oulun Kärpät 20 13 1 0 6 67 38 +29 41
4 Tampereen Ilves 20 9 2 2 7 59 42 +17 33
5 Team Kuortane 20 9 1 2 8 65 72 −7 31
6 TPS 20 7 3 1 9 72 68 +4 28
7 HPK 20 7 2 1 10 47 68 −21 26 Proceeded to Lower division
8 RoKi 20 6 0 2 12 43 83 −40 20
9 KalPa 20 2 1 2 15 36 78 −42 10
10 Vaasan Sport 20 0 0 0 20 27 148 −121 0
Updated to match(es) played on 12 December 2021. Source: Leijonat

Official ranking

Teams were officially ranked by average points per game with ties broken by greater number of games played, followed by best goal difference, then greater number of goals.[18]

Schedule[]

Player statistics[]

Scoring leaders

The following players led the league in points at the conclusion of games the preliminaries on 12 December 2021.[19]

Player Team GP G A Pts PIM
1 Elisa Holopainen K-Espoo 19 19 23 42 2
2 Matilda Nilsson HIFK 20 28 12 40 18
3 Estelle Duvin TPS 17 23 16 39 49
4 Kiira Yrjänen K-Espoo 20 20 15 35 6
5 Emmi Rakkolainen K-Espoo 16 13 16 29 4
6 Sofianna Sundelin Kuortane 17 14 13 27 8
7 TPS 14 11 16 27 33
8 Julia Liikala HIFK 20 11 15 26 6
9 K-Espoo 20 14 11 25 31
10 Kärpät 20 13 12 25 6
11 Kuortane 19 7 18 25 0

The following skaters were the top point scorers of teams not represented in the scoring leader table at the conclusion of the preliminary series, noted with their overall league scoring rank:

  • 22. (F), KalPa: 18 GP, 6 G, 13 A, 19 Pts, 4 PIM
  • 25. (F), RoKi: 19 GP, 11 G, 6 A, 17 Pts, 6 PIM
  • 27. (F), Sport: 16 GP, 10 G, 6 A, 16 Pts, 2 PIM
  • 49. Riikka Noronen (F), HPK: 19 GP, 2 G, 10 A, 12 Pts, 40 PIM

Elisa Holopainen was the leading point scorer in the preliminaries for the third consecutive season

Goaltenders

The following goaltenders lead the league in save percentage at the conclusion of the preliminary series on 12 December 2021, while starting at least one third of matches.[20]

Player Team GP TOI W L S GA SO SV% GAA
1 Noora Räty HPK 14 822:47 7 5 493 24 2 .954 1.75
2 HIFK 12 717:13 9 3 315 18 3 .946 1.51
3 Anni Keisala Ilves 15 891:38 6 7 462 27 3 .945 1.82
4 K-Espoo 12 680:00 12 0 231 14 3 .943 1.24
5 Kärpät 11 660:06 8 3 301 19 2 .941 1.73
6 Kärpät 9 537:17 6 3 261 17 2 .939 1.90
7 K-Espoo 8 460:00 7 0 129 9 1 .935 1.17
8 RoKi 10 559:41 4 5 351 33 0 .914 3.54
9 TPS 12 726:44 4 6 367 37 1 .908 3.05
10 RoKi 7 388:02 2 4 250 27 0 .903 4.17
11 Kuortane 10 546:15 6 4 234 26 3 .900 2.86

Vaasan Sport was the only team not represented in the top goaltenders table at the conclusion of the preliminary series. Sport’s best goaltender was , who played in thirteen games and recorded a .860 save percentage and 7.38 goals against average.

Regular season[]

The preliminary series began on 11 September and concluded on 12 December 2021. The Finnish Ice Hockey Association opted to use the points per game ranking system first implemented in the 2020–21 season to allow for the potential of cancelled matches due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[21] Some games in the preliminary series were rescheduled, however, each team was able to play all twenty matches.

The top six ranked teams will advance to the regular season, also called the upper division series (Finnish: Ylempi jatkosarja), while teams ranking seventh through tenth will progress to the lower division series (Finnish: Alempi jatkosarja).

Standings[]

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Final Result
1 Kiekko-Espoo 20 20 0 0 0 137 25 +112 60 Playoff quarterfinals
2 HIFK 20 17 0 0 3 100 31 +69 51
3 Oulun Kärpät 22 14 1 0 7 73 40 +33 44
4 Tampereen Ilves 20 9 2 2 7 59 42 +17 33
5 TPS 22 9 3 1 9 80 73 +7 34
6 Team Kuortane 22 9 1 2 10 69 83 −14 31
Updated to match(es) played on 15 January 2022. Source: Leijonat

Official ranking

Teams are officially ranked by average points per game with ties broken by greater number of games played, followed by best goal difference, then greater number of goals.

Pos Team PpG
1 K-Espoo 3.00
2 HIFK 2.55
3 Kärpät 2.00
4 Ilves 1.65
5 TPS 1.55
6 Kuortane 1.41

Schedule[]

Player statistics[]

Scoring leaders

The following players led the league in points at the conclusion of games played on 15 January 2022. Scoring statistics were carried over from the preliminaries and points scored in the regular season are added to those totals.

Player Team GP G A Pts PIM
1 Estelle Duvin TPS 19 26 18 44 49
2 Elisa Holopainen K-Espoo 19 19 23 42 2
3 Matilda Nilsson HIFK 20 28 12 40 18
4 Kiira Yrjänen K-Espoo 20 20 15 35 6
5 TPS 16 13 20 33 33
6 Emmi Rakkolainen K-Espoo 16 13 16 29 4
7 Sofianna Sundelin Kuortane 17 14 13 27 8
8 Julia Liikala HIFK 20 11 15 26 6
9 Kuortane 21 8 18 26 0
10 K-Espoo 20 14 11 25 31
11 Kärpät 22 13 12 25 8

Goaltenders

The following goaltenders lead the league in save percentage at the conclusion of games played on 15 January 2022, while starting at least one third of matches. Goaltending statistics were not carried over from the preliminaries, only statistics accumulated in the regular season are used.

Player Team GP TOI W L S GA SO SV% GAA
1 Kärpät 1 60:00 1 0 20 0 1 1.00 0.00
2 Kärpät 1 60:00 0 1 31 2 0 .939 2.00
3 TPS 2 120:00 2 0 49 5 0 .907 2.50
4 Kuortane 1 60:00 0 1 31 5 0 .861 5.00
5 Kuortane 1 56:57 0 1 28 5 0 .848 5.27

References[]

  1. ^ "Kerholaisen kilpakiekon koti on HPK Liiga Oy – Naisten jääkiekkotoiminta liigaorganisaation alaisuuteen". Hämeenlinnan Pallokerho (Press release) (in Finnish). 17 June 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ Niskanen, Anne-Maria (17 June 2021). "HPK:n naisten jääkiekko on jatkossa osa HPK Liigan toimintaa". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). Retrieved 4 July 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ Lainesalo, Joonas (27 May 2021). "Harri Nummela HPK:n naisten päävalmentajaksi – "Hyvä saada uusia kuvioita"". Hämeen Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 4 July 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ "Samuli Hassi RoKistä Kärppien liiganaisten luotsiksi". Lapin Kansa (in Finnish). 9 April 2021. Retrieved 4 July 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ Annala, Päivi (7 April 2021). "Oulun Kärppien naisten liigajoukkueen uusi päävalmentaja on Samuli Hassi". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). Retrieved 4 July 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ^ Leppäsyrjä, Jussi (3 March 2021). "TPS:n naiset eivät kuvia kumartele kiekkoliigan pudotuspeleissä – "Mitään muuta tavoitetta kuin mestaruus ei voi olla"". Turun Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 5 July 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ^ "Kokenut olympiakävijä Terhi Mertanen luotsaa TPS:n kiekkonaisia seuraavat kaksi vuotta". Turun Sanomat (in Finnish). 19 March 2021. Retrieved 5 July 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ^ Lehtisaari, Matti (19 March 2021). "Naisleijonien arvokisamitalisti Terhi Mertanen TPS:n päävalmentajaksi". Yle Urheilu (in Finnish). Retrieved 4 July 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. ^ Koivunen, Pertti (28 July 2021). "Nicole Andenmatten Kerhon naisten liigajoukkueeseen – Jutta Stoltenberg on tehnyt jatkosopimuksen HPK:n kanssa". Hämeen Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 12 September 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. ^ a b Lainesalo, Joonas (24 August 2021). "HPK:n kiekkonaisille vahvistukset USA:sta ja Tshekistä – "Mills on erinomainen kansainvälisen tason kiekkoilija"". Hämeen Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 25 August 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ^ Pirkkiö, Jaarli (8 September 2021). ""Pystymme haastamaan kaikki joukkueet" – päävalmentaja Tuomas Liitola uskoo RoKin mahdollisuuksiin viikonvaihteessa alkavassa Naisten Liigassa". Lapin Kansa (in Finnish). Retrieved 12 September 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. ^ Niemeläinen, Jonne (21 June 2021). "Noora Räty palaa Naisten Liigaan seitsemän vuoden tauon jälkeen – "Pelivuoteni ovat vähissä"". Yle Urheilu (in Finnish). Retrieved 4 July 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. ^ a b c d Karttunen, Anu (20 May 2021). "Kiekko-Espoolle kaksi kivikovaa pelaajavahvistusta – liigan paras pelaaja ja kokenut maajoukkuetähti Espooseen". Yle Urheilu (in Finnish). Retrieved 5 July 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ^ Rautiainen, Reima (9 September 2021). "Leijonien ykkösvahdin paikasta käydään naisten liigassa hurja kamppailu – "Siinä kisaa kaksi kokenutta vahtia ja minä hieman nuorempana"". Helsingin Sanomat (in Finnish). Retrieved 12 September 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  15. ^ Karhu, Ann-Christine (19 August 2021). "Tredje gången gillt för Damlejonens Matilda Nilsson: "Efter att mattan drogs under fötterna i april har jag hela tiden trott på att det blir VM-debut i augusti"". Svenska Yle (in Swedish). Retrieved 12 September 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  16. ^ Rice, Dan (11 August 2021). "Beauts Roster Complete, Full Season 7 Schedule Released". The Hockey Writers. Retrieved 12 September 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  17. ^ Malmberg, Henna (20 August 2021). "Sijoitukset sarjataulukoissa – Määräävänä tekijänä pistekeskiarvo". finhockey.fi (in Finnish). Finnish Ice Hockey Association. Retrieved 19 September 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  18. ^ "2021-2022 Naisten Liiga, alkusarja – Sarjataulukko". tulospalvelu.leijonat.fi (in Finnish). Finnish Ice Hockey Association. 19 December 2021. Retrieved 19 December 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  19. ^ "2021–22 Naisten Liiga, alkusarja – Pelaajatilastot". tulospalvelu.leijonat.fi (in Finnish). Finnish Ice Hockey Association. 12 December 2021. Retrieved 19 December 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  20. ^ "2021–22 Naisten Liiga, alkusarja – Maalivahtitilastot". tulospalvelu.leijonat.fi (in Finnish). Finnish Ice Hockey Association. 12 December 2021. Retrieved 19 December 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  21. ^ Malmberg, Henna (20 August 2021). "Sijoitukset sarjataulukoissa – Määräävänä tekijänä pistekeskiarvo". finhockey.fi (in Finnish). Finnish Ice Hockey Association. Retrieved 19 September 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

External links[]

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