Showing incredible character and resilience, TPS has earned its way into the championship series against Tappara in the U16 SM-Playoffs. One of the best teams this season, Tappara has been a mainstay at the top of the WHH rankings. In their lone SM-Series meeting during the regular season back on February 19th, Tappara skated away with a 4-3 victory.
Finding itself down in a series once again, it will take another comeback effort by TPS to have any chance of getting the title. Earlier today, Tappara secured a 6-3 victory in Game 1 of the best-of-three championship series. Eetu Orpana and Joonas Rajala each tallied two points, and Atte Joki added two goals as well. Olli Wahlroos (5G, 6A), Jeremi Virtanen (8G, 2A) and Wilmer Kallio (5G, 5A) have all done a serviceable job to this point for TPS. Wahlroos even leads all skaters in postseason scoring. But to contend with Tappara, more of the team’s depth players will need to chip in offensively.
Up front, Tappara brings a formidable squad of players experienced with piling up the points. While not leading the overall playoff scoring table, players such as Orpana and Rajala understand how to do damage when games are much more magnified at this time of year.
And if neither of those skaters is putting the puck in the net, Tappara can rely on its dynamic duo between the pipes to backstop them to wins. Eero Rönö and Petrus Virta are the guardians of the crease for Tappara. They have statistically been two of the best goaltenders since the SM-Playoffs began.
Rönö has recorded a .950 save percentage and sparkling 1.33 goals-against average thus far, compared to the .919 save percentage and 2.71 goals-against average of Virta. Attempting to get pucks past one of these goalies in any match would be a tall order for any club, but to have to beat them twice in a three-game series amplifies the task at hand.
But a challenge is not anything new to TPS, especially this playoffs. At the end of the regular season SM-Series in Finland, TPS found itself just outside the top four spots, which would have secured a bye in the first round of the playoffs. As a result, its playoff journey would begin in the wild card round, with a meeting with K-Espoo Ch. Unfazed by the task before them, TPS swept K-Espoo in two games.
The next club standing in their way was Jokerit. Despite falling in the first game, 5-2, TPS rebounded with two straight victories to take the series. Next up, another best-of-three matchup with Ilves. Again falling in the first contest, 6-1, Wahlroos scored three times over the next two games to lead TPS’s comeback in the series.
Prediction: TPS’ journey to this point hasn’t been easy, but they have admirably put it all on the line when the games matter most. While a loss in Game 1 was a minor setback, the team has proven that it can make the necessary adjustments to its game plan. While I believe Tappara will win the championship, TPS will make things interesting by winning Game 2 to set the stage for a winner-take-all Game 3 on Sunday.
WHH will have continued coverage of the Finland U16 National Championship, top performers, highlights and more! Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Discord and YouTube.
KalPa continued their impressive run during the U16 SM-Playoffs in Finland with a two-game sweep of Kiekko-Espoo. It took everything the club had, as the first game was decided via shootout and the second one required overtime as well. In that second game, Topi Veteläinen, one of KalPa’s leading scorers, skated into the zone before firing a perfect shot past Magnus Loponen to clinch the series victory. The goal clinched the series victory for KalPa, and ultimately eliminated the higher-seeded Kiekko-Espoo from the tournament.
As one of four teams that earned first-round byes from their top placement in the SM-Series, it seemed that Kiekko-Espoo was destined for a lengthy playoff run. When it was determined KalPa would be their first opponent, many expected a series win for K-Espoo. After all, they defeated KalPa in a 5-2 win during SM-Series action back on March 5th.
But KalPa had other plans, feeling good about their game fresh off a series sweep of JYP in the wild card round. Many of its top forwards hit their stride against JYP, including Rasmus Pakarinen (4G, 5A), Veteläinen (3G, 5A) and Onni Heikkinen (4G, 3A). All three forwards are among the top five in playoff scoring.
KalPa also displayed a flair for the dramatic in both victories, having to come from behind twice. They faced a 2-0 deficit in the first matchup, before Veteläinen cut into the lead late in the first period. With time dwindling down, Pakarinen evened things up in the third. And after a scoreless overtime, a shootout would decide a winner. Okko Saari, Veteläinen and Pakarinen would all score in the shootout to edge out a Game 1 win.
Game 2 saw K-Espoo maintain a 1-0 lead through the first two periods. However, the third period would bring on an offensive explosion by both teams trading goals. K-Espoo still maintained the one-goal lead at 3-2, until KalPa pulled their goalie. With the net empty, and just 24 seconds on the clock, Saari would tie the game up to force overtime for the second consecutive game. Shortly into overtime, Veteläinen received an incredible pass from Matias Häikiö. He skated into the offensive zone unbothered before ripping a perfect top-shelf shot over the shoulder of Loponen.
After opening its series with an impressive 7-3 victory, HIFK was unable to close things out and dropped the next two against Tappara. Tappara and KalPa will begin a best-of-three series on March 29th.
Ässät evened its series with Ilves with a 5-3 win after dropping the first game 10-0. After scoring two early goals, Ilves’ defense and Pyry Lammi’s 35 saves were enough to close out Game 3 with a 2-1 final. Ilves will move on to face TPS. Leading scorer Luukas Koski collected four points (2G, 2A) for Ässät, adding to his playoff total of 10 points (6G, 4A).
A slow start by TPS allowed Jokerit to take a 1-0 series lead with a 5-2 victory. Kallio Wilmer and Olli Wahlroos stepped up to lead their squad to wins in the next two contests to take the series.
WHH will have continued coverage of the U16 Finland National Championship. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Discord and YouTube for the latest news, top performers and more.
Over the course of a 4-1-1 record at the 2023 U15 Nordic Youth Trophy, Sollentuna HC managed to find the back of the net 45 times. Accounting for 10 of those goals were Victor Kumpulainen and Olle Fredén Ericsson, who finished first among Sollentuna skaters in total points with 15 and 14, respectively. As a result of their consistent play-making and scoring touch, Sollentuna was able to solidly defeat Färjestad BK in the gold-medal finale, 5-0.
Both players overcame slow starts to the tournament, with neither of them able to find the scoresheet in the team’s first three games. All that changed in the final game of group play against the Ullensaker Flyers. Just over a minute into the first period, Kumpulainen struck for his first goal and point, assisted by none other than Fredén Ericsson. Not finished there, Kumpulainen would add on four additional goals and two assists in the contest. Fredén Ericsson joined his teammate by collecting six more assists and a goal before the game’s end. 15 points between the two in what was a 23-1 rout.
In their first semifinal game against No. 3 Täby HC, the two forwards picked up right where they left off. Kumpulainen’s one goal and two assists and Fredén Ericsson’s three assists propelled the club to a 6-1 victory and a spot in the championship game. Not daunted by the task at hand, the scorching attack of Sollentuna was once again driven by their two stars. Kumpulainen added four more points to his total, with Fredén Ericsson notching a goal and two more assists in a 5-0 shutout, securing the Nordic Youth Trophy.
Suiting up in four games, including the final against Färjestad, Elias Fennrup finished the tournament as the top goaltender. In the four contests he saw action, Fennrup faced 98 shots, 97 of which he stopped. His best performance came against BIK Karlskoga, where he managed to post his second shutout by making 48 saves.
Not finished there, he stopped all 25 shots in the championship game for his third and final shutout of the tournament. Fenrrup’s partner in goal, Alex Sarenfält, manned the pipes in two contests, with one win.
Want more coverage of the top teams and top players in youth hockey? Follow WHH on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Discord and YouTube!
Over the weekend, the second round of the U16-SM Playoffs in Sweden was held, with eight teams looking to advance to the third and final weekend of the national tournament. IFK Täby HC and MoDo Hockey were victorious in Group E. In Group F, Växjö Lakers and Brynäs IF rose above the rest of the competition. All four secured their spots in the semifinals of next week’s finale.
For MoDo, it’s an opportunity to reign supreme over the U16 age group for the first time since 2002. The other three teams still left in the hunt — Brynäs, Täby and Växjö — are looking to make history, as not one of them has ever won the U16 SM-Playoffs in the tournament’s 51-year history.
MoDo continued its impressive postseason run with a 2-1-0 record in Group E. After collecting wins against fellow WHH-ranked Nacka HK and Södertälje SK, they were defeated by Täby in their final game of the round, 4-3. Elton Hermansson’s strong run of play allowed him to once again lead the team in scoring with one goal and five points in three games. In total, he has scored 11 points (4G, 7A) across six playoff games to date. The reliant goaltending of Edvin Lindqvist has also been a staple of MoDo’s victories. He posted a 2.50 goals-against average and .920 save percentage in the latest wins. If MoDo’s best players remain in form, they will have an excellent chance of securing a third U16 championship, which the club last took home in the 2001-02 season.
Täby handled its competition and skated to a 3-0-0 record in Group E. Equipped by an offense that consisted of three of the group’s top five scorers, the team was able to finish with a plus-5 goal differential. Viggo Björck (2G, 5A), Theo Stockselius (4G, 2A) and Melvin Novotny (2G, 4A) formed a fearsome power trio.
Brynäs followed up a 3-0-0 opening round with another 3-0-0 set in the second round. They were able to dispatch Växjö, IF Malmö Redhawks and HV 71, outscoring them by a total of 22-10. A crucial part of that dynamic offense was Hugo Östberg with his three goals, six points and plus-6 rating. But the true linchpin to the clubs’ success was defenseman Elias Kedling. Kedling’s persistent efforts held opponents in check, and he managed to chip in five goals as well. He led all defensemen in Group F in scoring.
If one area stood out from Växjö, it was its scoring depth. With four of the top 10 total point getters hailing from the Lakers, it became clear that no matter the matchup, this squad has numerous players who can lead on any given night. Noa Bräutigam’s incredible vision and play-making were on display every time he stepped onto the ice. Collecting one goal and seven points, his linemates were often the beneficiaries of his passes. Following him, Olle Ågren (4G, 2A), Albin Laskonen (2G, 4A) and Theo Bengtsson (3G, 2A) did the heavy lifting in tallying points.
MoDo will next take on Brynäs, and Täby will clash with Växjö when the semifinals begin on April 6th.
WHH will have continued coverage of the Sweden U16 National Championship, top performers, highlights and more! Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Discord and YouTube.
This weekend, 24 European teams will travel to Sweden to take part in the annual U11 Stockholm Trophy. This event features 17 teams from the host country of Sweden, three from Norway, two from Latvia and two from Israel. Participants will compete in a unique 3-on-3, cross-ice format with 15-minute periods.
Teams have been split up into three groups of eight. Each Division aptly named after iconic Hockey Hall of Fame inductees and Swedish natives Peter Forsberg, Mats Sundin and Nicklas Lidström.
| Forsberg Division | Sundin Division | Lidström Division |
| Brinkens IF White Malmö Redhawks Red One Ice Stars White Södertälje SK Trångsunds IF Blue Trångsunds IF White Ullensaker Flyers Red Viggbyholms IF White | AIK Black Bartulis HC 37 Orange Bartulis HC 37 Black Brinkens IF Red Malmö Redhawks White Nærbø Farmers Sollentuna HC Red Viggbyholms IF Red | AIK White Brinkens IF Black Järfälla HC One Ice Stars Blue Sollentuna HC White Spånga IS Blue Spånga IS White Ullensaker Flyers Blue |
The Stockholm Trophy is the first in a series of five tournaments this spring. It is followed by the U12 Lilla Resport, U13 Resport Trophy and the U14 and U15 Uplandia Trophy.
Want more coverage of the top teams and top players in youth hockey? Follow WHH on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Discord and YouTube!
Following opening round matchups at the U16 Sweden National Championship tournament, eight teams still remain in the chase for gold. For the second round, teams were split into two groups of four. The top two teams from each group will once again advance to the third and final round on April 6th. The final round consists of a four-team, single-elimination bracket. The two groups for the second round of action are:
| GROUP E #1 Nacka #2 Täby #5 Södertälje #6 MoDo | GROUP F Brynäs HV 71 Malmö Växjö |
Just by looking at the groupings, the journey to make it out of Group E will be the most difficult for teams looking to advance. Each team will play one game against its fellow group clubs.
Täby HC and Nacka HK both open their schedules with matchups against the two lower-ranked teams in the ‘Group of Death.’ Täby will drop the puck against Södertälje SK, while Nacka will lace the skates up versus MoDo Hockey.
In regular-season group play, Täby defeated Södertälje twice, by scores of 6-2 and 5-3. Not to mention last playoff round, they also notched another 4-0 win. Theo Stockselius, Marcus Nordmark and Melvin Novotny continued their offensive dominance, and all signs point to that continuing.
Nacka will be eager for revenge against MoDo, having been dominated by them in the opening round by a score of 7-2. Not phased by Nacka’s position in the WHH rankings, MoDo certainly raised some eyebrows with that victory.
Nacka is bolstered by Rasmus Lindstrom Calland (5G, 2A) and Teodor Friberg (2G, 5A). Just behind them in overall scoring are Elton Hermansson and Vincent Wedin, who have both collected six points for MoDo. If MoDo continues to rely on Edvin Lindqvist in net, it could also mean they are in for bigger things down the road. Winning all three games in the first round, Lindqvist skated to a 2.00 goals-against average and .920 save percentage.
Regardless of how Group E shakes out, the two teams to advance from this foursome will likely be the favorites to win in the third, and final round. While Nacka and Täby may come into the weekend as the early odds-on favorites, both MoDo and Södertälje have shown the ability to compete with top-level teams in the past. This group is going to be tight, and I wouldn’t be surprised if every team picked up a win while also suffering a loss. Determining who moves on and who goes home could come down to the slimmest of margins.
Both the Växjö Lakers HC and Brynäs IF closed out the opening round of the National Championship playoffs with 3-0-0 records. Brynäs and HV 71 went head-to-head last round, with Brynäs claiming a 5-3 victory. The loss was HV 71’s only one of the first round. We will get to see that matchup one more time in the second round, as both teams advanced to Group F.
Similarly, Växjö and IF Malmö Redhawks shared a group in the previous round, with five Växjö players scoring at least two points in a 7-4 victory. That rematch will take place over the weekend as well.
With those previous meetings, Group F should give fans some exciting matchups to keep an eye on. Växjö’s top line of Albin Laksonen, Noa Bräutigam and Olle Ågren were spectacular in an offense that put up 17 goals in just three games. Brynäs’ top offensive producers were Leo Sundqvist and Gustav Hillström, each with four points. If one team can play spoiler here it’s HV 71, who bring the top four scorers from Group D into battle. They are led by Theo Sonestedt’s three goals and eight points, with Noel Skarby, Fabian Merkle Rohdin and Karl Annborn rounding out the quartet.
Despite all the offensive weapons, these games just might come down to goaltending. Both HV 71’s Edward Rydh and the Lakers’ Maximilian Olofsson stood out as the top netminders in their first round groups. Rydh brings a 1.99 goals-against average and .946 save percentage into play. Olofsson comes equipped with a 3.00 goals-against average and .908 save percentage, with one shutout.
WHH will have continued coverage of the Sweden U16 National Championship, top performers, highlights and more! Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Discord and YouTube.
In the opening round of Finland’s U16 SM-Series playoffs, HIFK, TPS, Ässät and KalPa all swept their best-of-3 series. Now joining the fray will be Kiekko-Espoo, Tappara, Ilves and Jokerit.
Tappara and HIFK squared off once during the SM-Series regular season, with the former coming away with a 10-5 victory. Eetu Orpana, Joonas Rajala and Eemil Kokkonen all put up four points for Tappara. Orpana and Rajala also finished tied for first in overall league scoring at the end of the regular season with 37 points.
The lone standout for K-Espoo was Matias Vanhanen, who ended up with nine goals and 25 points. He only produced one assist in the opening series against Lukko. However, for HIFK to have any chance of overcoming Tappara, he will have to find the scoresheet with the same frequency as he did earlier in the season.
Series Prediction: Despite HIFK coming off a sweep, Tappara brings one of the deepest teams into the playoffs. A fact further supported by their 15-1-0 record during SM-Series matchups. HIFK did not have an answer for the dynamic offense of Tappara, and I don’t see much changing in that regard. Tappara sweeps 2-0.
Luukas Koski and the rest of Ässät kicked off their playoffs with an impressive sweep of Kärpät. Koski led the way in those games, scoring four goals and six points. Aleksi Juusela (2G, 2A) and Jesse Julienmaa (4A) aided the majority of the club’s offense as well.
Heading into their next series against Ilves, those three players will have to continue their consistent contributions. After all, Ilves brings three of the top five scorers from the regular season into these games, and they are all well rested. Jalmari Melanen’s ability to find teammates anywhere on the ice was on display as he racked up six goals and 36 points in just 16 games. Just behind him, Jiko Laitinen (25G, 9A) and Rasmus Rinne (12G, 17A) rounded out a dependable trio of scorers.
Ilves edged out a 6-4 win against Ässät on January 13th. They followed that up with a heavy 10-0 shutout to open this series up in Game 1. Eight players collected two or more points.
Series Prediction (Ilves up 1-0): Ilves didn’t waste any time in finding its legs after a lengthy layoff and proved why they are still among the elite of their birth year. Their power trio of forwards will continue to best that of Ässät, and Ilves will take the series 2-0.
Only one skater from K-Espoo tallied enough points to earn a spot in the Top 10 of total point getters in the regular season. Aapo Vanninen’s dependable two-way play helped him record six goals and 29 points to lead his team. He even finished the regular season in the midst of a three-game point streak.
In the previous meeting between the two clubs on March 5th, Vanninen produced a goal and an assist to help defeat KalPa 5-2. A close battle that saw K-Espoo pull away with two goals in the third period.
KalPa enters this series with four players having scored four or more points in their two-game sweep of JYP. Rasmus Pakarinen (2G, 4A), Samuli Kosoen (5A), Onni Heikkinen (3G, 1A), and Topi Veteläinen (1G, 3A) picked up most of the offense. Veteläinen was the regular-season leader for KalPa, notching 12 goals and 24 points.
Series Prediction: With the layoff for K-Espoo and a good portion of KalPa forwards hitting their stride in their quarterfinal series, this one can go the distance. Even if KalPa takes advantage of a sluggish start from their opponent, eventually Vanninen and co., will warm up to the task and move on after a 2-1 series win.
Jokerit goaltenders Oekka Korhonen and Sakari Savolainen were statistically two of the best in SM-Series play. Korhonen skated to a 2.53 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage. Savolainen put up a 2.24 goals-against average and .903 save percentage. Their play was a large reason why their club was able to secure the fourth and final spot in the overall rankings, granting them a first-round playoff bye. They will be back in action this week against TPS, who finished just behind them in the league standings in fifth.
The one regular-season game between these two ended in victory for TPS in a close 3-2 tilt.
Aaron Paju and Jeremi Virtanen will try to continue their point production from the last series, where they each recorded four and three points, respectively. Refreshed from their first-round bye, Lauri Kouhia (5G, 12A) and Rasmus Kämäräinen (9G, 7A) are threats to once again top the leaderboard in point collection.
Series Prediction: This will be the most even matchup, given how close the regular season ended for these two teams. Jokerit has the goaltending, while the forwards for TPS pack a little more offensive punch. It will be a series of whether or not Jokerit’s defense can support the players in the crease. Eventually, I like TPS’ attack to wear down Jokerit and they will win the series in three tight battles.
WHH will have continued coverage of the U16 Finland National Championship. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Discord and YouTube for the latest news, top performers and more.
Heading into the opening playoff series of the U16 Finland National Championship, eight teams were vying for the chance to move on to the quarterfinals of the tournament. Following an action-packed week, the top seed in each of the four series, No. 7 HIFK No. 8 TPS, No. 9 Ässät and No. 10 KalPa, all punched tickets to the next round.
TPS was able to handle Kiekko-Espoo Ch in its opening-round series in two games largely due to the depth of its roster.
Game 1: TPS 4, K-Espoo Ch 2
Game 2: TPS 4, K-Espoo CH 1
The dynamic play-making of Aaron Willow (3A) connected often with Jeremi Virtanen (3G) to provide most of the team’s offense. At least nine other players recorded one point across the two games. In comparison to K-Espoo Ch, only five players tallied points, with Aku-Wilhelmi Lindroos leading the way with two goals. As a result of the series win, TPS will move on to play No. 5 Jokerit on Thursday.
JYP’s start to its two-game series against KalPa was anything but boring.
Game 1: KalPa 8, JYP 3
Game 2: KalPa 4, JYP 1
The team racked up 14 penalty minutes by the 11-minute mark of the opening period. But they would take advantage while on the penalty kill, when Rafael Pihlman managed to slip a shot past Patrik Kerkola for a short-handed goal. With each team finding the back of the net in the second period, it would be knotted at 2-2 entering the final frame. Chances and goals would continue to be traded and JYP would cut into a 4-2 KalPa lead looking like things could be tied up. However, KalPa pulled away with four more goals to end the game with the 8-3 victory. Six players scored two or more points, with Topi Veteläinen topping the list with one goal and three assists.
A 4-1 final would close out Game 2 and the series for KalPa. Rasmus Pakarinen led both teams with two goals and six points, tied with Ässät’s Luukas Koski for most points among players in the opening round of games. KalPa will play No. 1 Kiekko-Espoo in the next round.
HIFK entered its series against Lukko with extra motivation. After all, Lukko had shut out HIFK 3-0 in a lone matchup during SM-Series play on Feb. 4th.
Game 1: HIFK 3, Lukko 2
Game 2: HIFK 4, Lukko 1
Just when it seemed as if things were heading to overtime in Game 1, Waltteri Toivainen played the hero when he put a power-play goal home to put HIFK up 3-2 late in the period. But perhaps more impressive than that was HIFK’s goaltender Vili Varonen (39 saves) won the goaltending duel over Jooa Sammalniemi (32 saves). Sammalniemi was awarded the SM-Series’ best goaltender at the end of season awards. Despite another 31 saves from Sammalniemi in Game 2, Rasmus Baggström was still able to get two shots past him, propelling HIFK to the 4-1 win. Varonen was able to stop 21 shots, adding up to a .952 save percentage and 1.57 goals-against average for the two games. He will have to continue to be on his game in net, as awaiting HIFK in the quarterfinals is No. 2 Tappara.
In a SM-Series meeting on Feb. 22nd, Kärpät edged out a shootout victory against Ässät. In that game, Luukas Koski did not get on the scoresheet. He more than made up for his absence when the two teams met again in the playoffs.
Game 1: Ässät 6, Kärpät 1
Game 2: Ässät 5, Kärpät 3
Koski scored four goals and six points, helping eliminate Kärpät in two games. Aleksi Juusela (2G, 2A) and Jesse Jullenmaa (4A) would finish just behind him to lead the club. Koski scored five of those six points in the opening 6-1 win alone. Also assisting in the sweep was the strength of Pyry Lammi in the crease, who made 33 and 32 saves in Games 1 and 2, respectively. Ässät will now face off with No. 2 Ilves when the next round of games begin on March 22nd.
WHH will have continued coverage of the U16 Finland National Championship. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Discord and YouTube for the latest news, top performers and more.
On Monday, the regular season awards and all-star team selections for the U16 SM-Series in Finland were handed out. With playoffs right around the corner, the league paused for a moment to recognize some of the players in the league this season.
Eetu Orpana was considered the best of the best this season amongst his fellow Finnish stars, earning the Teppo Numminen Award as the most valuable player. Compiling 14 goals and 37 points in 15 games for No. 2 Tappara, he was arguably the most consistent forward from any club. He was also awarded the Sami Kapanen Award as best overall forward. He put an exclamation point on his stellar season by tallying at least one point in eight of the team’s final nine regular season contests.
Jooa Sammalniemi of No. 6 Lukko was one of the best goaltenders this year at stopping the puck. Garnering a .919 save percentage and 2.89 goals-against average over eight games, he was consistent as the last line of defense for his squad.
No. 3 Ilves reaped the benefits of having a dynamic playmaker on the blue line this season. Ossi Tukio ended SM-Series play as the team’s fifth-best scorer. In 35 games he scored seven goals and 24 points to bolster Ilves’ attack. While being equipped with the ability to jump into a rush with ease or get shots through traffic from the point, Tukio was also dependable in his own end. The native of Tampere was only whistled for one penalty.
Despite three players finishing with 37 points, Joonas Rajala was given top placement having done so by scoring the most goals with 21. After him, the next highest point total on Tappara was Juho Kuisma with 20.
Finishing the season fourth overall in scoring with 34 points, Jiko Laitinen burst onto this scene in his first year of SM-Series play. His dynamic ability to find the back of the net was on full display all season long, as he also finished as the leading goal scorer with 25. A menace on special teams, he was able to add five power-play goals and three shorthanded goals to his credit as well.
Head coach Samuli Simula led his team to a second-place finish this season with a 14-2-0 record. Ilves did not participate in SM-Series play last season, and prior to that season, they finished fourth.
Goaltender: Jooa Sammalniemi – Luuko
Defender: Ossi Tukio – Ilves
Defender: Reinis Auzins – Ilves
Forward: Joonas Rajala – Tappara
Forward: Eetu Orpana – Tappara
Forward: Rasmus Kämäräinen – Jokerit
Goaltender: Pyry Lammi – Ässät
Defender: Emil Vänninen – Tappara
Defender: Erno Uusitalo – K-Espoo
Forward: Jalmari Melanen – Ilves
Forward: Jiko Laitinen – Ilves
Forward: Olli Wahlroos – TPS
Want more coverage of the top teams and top players in youth hockey? Follow WHH on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Discord and YouTube!
The postseason has arrived in Finland for 2007-born teams. Tournament play will kick off this week with four best-of-3 series to determine who will move on. Winners of these matchups will be tasked with going up against the top-tier clubs that earned first-round byes following regular-season play. Those teams were No. 1 Kiekko-Espoo, No. 2 Tappara, No. 3 Ilves and No. 5 Jokerit.
At no point during the regular season did No. 8 TPS or Kiekko-Espoo Ch play each other. That will change, as they will begin their three-game series this Wednesday.
TPS has been a mainstay in the Top 10 of Finland for most of this season. They have consistently gone up against the premier clubs in the country, making the cut to carry on their schedule into the SM Series. Going 17-7-0 in the qualifying series, they followed that up by going 8-8-0 in the SM Series, totaling a 25-15-0 record in group play.
The dynamic trio of Olli Wahlroos (33G, 35A), Wilmer Kallio (21G, 40A) and Jesse Pärssinen (22G, 28A) have done the heavy lifting on offense.
Following the opening qualifying series with a record of 10-14-0 , K-Espoo CH did not make the cut for the SM Series. As a result, they were placed in the lower continuation series with teams such as JYP, TuTo, and Sport. It was in this group where the club went 10-6-0. Aku-Wilhelmi Lindroos collected 15 goals and 25 points to become the second-best point getter in the group. In total, he amassed 24 goals and 41 points this season over 42 games. Goaltender Eetu Virrane also compiled a respectable .925 save percentage and 2.08 goals-against average.
Series Prediction: This has the makings of a mismatch, with TPS possessing stronger scoring depth throughout its lineup. While impressive, I doubt Lindroos alone can will his team to a series win here. TPS sweep 2-0.
Much like TPS and K-Espoo Ch, No. 10 KalPa and JYP have not dropped the puck against the other this season. The two teams will get a chance to make up for lost time when the playoffs begin this week.
KalPa has played the top competition of its birth year quite close, often losing to many of the higher-ranked teams by a goal or two. They have also had No. 4 Kärpät’s number, beating them in two games. Topi Veteläinen has been a consistent source of offense, with 30 goals and 56 points in 37 games. JYP will counter with Eelis Sinivuori and his 14 goals and 39 points.
Series Prediction: Both teams have had to battle to get where they are. KalPa going up against the best of its birth year and JYP scratching and clawing its way to one of the top two coveted spots in the lower continuation group. It’s two desperate teams that have been playing playoff-style hockey for several weeks already. I could see this one going the distance, with KalPa edging out the series win.
No. 6 Lukko and No. 7 HIFK have familiarity with one another. These teams have played twice during the SM-eries schedule, with Lukko taking both games by scores of 3-0 and 10-7. But HIFK is no stranger to adversity, needing to come up with big wins in its final two games of the season to secure a playoff spot.
Comparing their records in group play, they could not be closer. Lukko has skated to 26-14-0, with HIFK comes in at 26-15-0. In the shutout victory, three different skaters tallied goals for Lukko, with Sakari Vatka recording a goal and an assist. Jooa Sammalniemi turned aside 28 shots for the shutout. In the goal-scoring explosion in their next meeting, seven skaters recorded at least two points for Lukko.
With HIFK’s attack joining the conversation, six skaters on its end also put up multi-point performances. Matias Vanhanen stood out, collecting two goals and two assists. Vanhanen was among one of the best scorers in the SM-Series with nine goals and 25 points. Altogether, he totaled 26 goals and 74 points in 40 games for HIFK. Jarel Tukiainen, leading scorer for Lukko in the SM-Series, has garnered seven goals and 23 points. To date collectively this season, he has 27 goals and 68 points to his name.
Series Prediction: While HIFK has demonstrated it can find the net against Lukko, Sammalniemi was not in net for that 10-7 game. If he is in the crease for Lukko, HIFK will have a long series trying to get pucks past him. Statistically, Sammalniemi was the best goaltender during SM-Series play, with a .919 save percentage and 2.89 goals-against average. I see HIFK sneaking a win here, but goaltending pushes Lukko to the series victory.
No. 4 Kärpät and No. 9 Ässät met once during the regular season, but it was a game that went the distance. Following regulation, which saw both teams trade goals back and forth for its entirety, no winner was determined in overtime either. Aleksi Tynkilä would grab the winning goal in a shootout to determine a winner. He was the eighth shooter off the bench and secured the 4-3 win for Kärpät.
Team depth is important at this juncture of the season, and these two sides possess a wealth of it. Kärpät’s roster is made up of six players with 10 or more points, whereas Ässät has five. Special teams have been a struggle for both as well, with only four power-play goals from each. Kärpät has also allowed the second-most power-play goals in the SM-Series with 19.
Luukas Koski will try to add to his season total of 21 goals and 46 points for Ässät. The clear leader by five points for Kärpät is Urho Mattila. In 27 games, he has racked up 13 goals and 34 points.
Series Prediction: This might be the most even series of the opening-round matchups. Special teams will be crucial, and if Ässät can get its man advantage working, it could make quick work of the opponent. Kärpät wins in three games.
WHH will have continued coverage of the U16 Finland National Championship. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Discord and YouTube for the latest news, top performers and more.