… Seriously though, La Vuelta a España 2023 may have had the most chaotic start to a Grand Tour ever.
The organisers somehow forgot that the sun sets, with the first day’s time trial stage ending in darkness. Top contender Remco Evenepoel was not amused.
Torrential rain on day two led to the start-line being moved due to localised flooding, Jumbo-Visma and Soudal-Quickstep unsuccessfully trying to slow down the race on safety grounds, and several riders crashing throughout the stage, including one Remco Evenepoel.
Remco Evenepoel was not amused.
Remco Evenepoel won the third stage. He was briefly amused, until he managed to crash into a barrier and split his face open AFTER the finish-line, since the organisers situated the daily press pack too close to the finish.
Mr. Evenepoel, not amused.
So it’s been… Yes, yes, the hockey, treble winner versus treble winner.
Tampara Tampere won every major honour they could last season, taking the Champions Hockey League trophy home from Luleå in February before lifting the Finnish Liiga regular season and national titles. Not content with all of that, their Under-20 side topped their regular season standings and went on to claim the overall U20 SM-sarja crown.
Several players from that side are starting to push for a place with their senior club to replace the inevitable turnover that success on that level brings.
Former coach Jussi Tapola has taken on a new challenge with Swiss National League side SC Bern after coaching the club to three Liiga regular season and four national championship trophies in six seasons as coach, not to mention the CHL title. The Finns have turned to the highly-regarded and two-time World Champion-winning Swedish coach Rikard Grönborg.
Pre-Scout
It will come as no surprise that a Finnish Liiga side skate well, but Tampere are also excellent at moving the puck with quick, short passes a feature of their game.
On the top two lines controlled breakouts see a defenceman supporting their puck-carrying partner to their right, with the centre swinging to the left wing, the left winger often ending up on the right wing, and the right winger entering the offensive zone through the middle of the ice. The lower lines tend to swap offensive positions less often.
The initial puck-carrying defenceman may also drop the puck to his defensive partner and join the rush, with four Tappara players crossing the blueline at the same time.
If their defenceman has possession of the puck and is under pressure low in their zone, Tampere’s strong-side winger will stop on their half-boards or defensive blueline as an outlet pass option. On receiving the puck they make a strong pass to a central or weak-side forward who will already be skating up-ice.
Tappara may be more selective in using this play though, since Aalborg’s goal on Thursday came from pressing that winger and intercepting a rushed version of the pass.
Once in the offensive zone the forwards cycle with quick passes to create chances. When in possession the weak-side defenceman tends to lean towards centre-ice to shrink the offensive zone and offer a centre-ice shot. If the cycle isn’t working, one forward will move to the blueline to create an umbrella with three players at the top of the zone and two in front of the net, with typically the central player shooting. This can be the forward who has moved out or a defenceman can surf to the middle.
Tappara’s two powerplays are fairly balanced on talent and look to get an equal amount of time. They play the 1-3-1 system and tend to work the right side of the ice, with Carter Camper notable for controlling his unit, mirroring Rauman Lukko’s Julius Mattila and curling in from the top of the right circle.
Tampere can keep up a pretty relentless 2-1-2 forecheck in the offensive zone, with two forwards harrying
the puck carrier with the weak-side defenceman quick to pinch up to the half-boards. The Finnish side keep this shape through the neutral zone as well. At their own blueline Tappara sag to the top of the circles against a fast rush but will attempt a check when they have back-checking support.
Tappara layer their defensive zone with a defenceman and forward moving to the boards to battle for puck possession and their second defenceman covering the front of the net. In the event that both defencemen get pulled into the boards the centre will move to the front of the net.
The penalty kill is aggressive, rotating their two forwards in the 1-1-2 in the neutral zone forecheck and keeping that shape in the defensive zone. The high forward will look for a breakaway as soon as Tampere regain possession.
Notable Players
Nick Baptiste joined Tampere in the summer for his third season in Europe after a year with Kölner Haie in the Deutsche Eishockey League. He is adept at finding pockets of open ice to shoot from, which lends itself well to his bumper position on the powerplay. He collected two goals and an assist in Tampere’s pre-season games and netted both goals against Aalborg.
The scoring punch doesn’t end with the top two lines, with Petteri Puhakka another sniper who featured in pre-season play. He scored two goals in Tappara’s three pre-season games and will be a threat from the third line.
Known as the Kell Beattie of Tampere, Kasper Kulonummi won everything on offer last season, featuring prominently in Tappara U20’s U20 SM-sarja championship win and icing in several senior games both domestically and in the CHL. He was named in the U20 SM-sarja first all-star team and voted best defenceman, whilst tallying the most assists in the Playoffs. The Nashville Predators 2022 third round draft pick is an exciting offensive defenceman who is carving a place for himself on Tampere’s defence and second powerplay unit.
Also pushing for senior roster spots this season are Calgary Flame second round draft pick Topi Rönni, who split time between the senior and junior clubs last season, and Tappara U-20’s top scorer in 2022/23, Oskari Luoto. He has been on the fringe of Tampere’s pre-season squads after finishing second in the U20 SM-sarja in league points, topping the scoring in the Playoffs, and notching best forward, best player and 1st all-star team awards.
Depth Chart
Savinainen 19 – Tanus 27 – Camper 11
Levtchi 76 – Liedes 90 – Baptiste 73
Puhakka 91 – Somppi 15 – Halloran 17
Muzik 75 – Rönni 31 – Granath 86
Luoto 22 – Keskinen 20 – Tammela 89
Rautiainen 78 – Rauhala 42* – Nykänen 14
Vittasmäki 33 -Kemiläinen 13
Leskinen 28 – Bäckman 5
Tuulola 63 – Kulonummi 26
Manninen 41* – Sarri 70
Ahlroth 48
Heljanko 30
Randelin 34
Heikkinen 1*
PP1: 1-3-1. 28, 27-81-76, 90
PP2: 1-3-1. 26, 17-73-11, 19
*Club Captain Otto Rauhala is yet to ice for Tampere this season and would feature in the top nine if available.
*Oskari Manninen has partnered Joni Tuulola in Tampere’s three pre-season games, but did not ice against Aalborg.
*Vilho Heikkinen does not seem to be registered for CHL play as per the CHL team roster.
*****
The Belfast Giants can be proud of the effort they put in against Rauman Lukko. Realistically Tappara Tampere look like an even better side at the moment and any points picked up would be a bonus before the Giants embark on a tour of the ICEHL.
But you never know…
Sources
(1): Champions Hockey League
(2): Elite Prospects
(3): Tappara Tampere
FC Hockey Media 