KalPa Naiset

Kalevan Pallo Naiset or KalPa Naiset are an ice hockey team in the Naisten Liiga (NSML), the premier women's ice hockey league in Finland. Founded in 1990, they play in Kuopio, the largest city in the eastern-central province of North Savo, at the Olvi Areena and Lippumäen jäähalli. The team has won one Aurora Borealis Cup silver medal, in 2021, and three bronze medals, in 1995, 1996, and 2017.

Kalevan Pallo Naiset
2021–22 Naisten Liiga season
CityKuopio, North Savo, Finland
LeagueNaisten Liiga
Founded1990 (1990)
Home arenaOlvi Areena
Lippumäen jäähalli
ColoursBlack, gold
   
Owner(s)Juniori-KalPa ry
General managerJukka Koskinen
Head coachMarjo Voutilainen
CaptainJohanna Juutilainen
AffiliatesKalPa Akatemia
Websitejuniorikalpa.fi

In 2020, the team qualified for the Aurora Borealis Cup playoff final and were set to face the reigning champions, Kiekko-Espoo, when the playoffs were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic before the first game of the finals. By making it to the playoff finals, KalPa was guaranteed at least a silver medal, which would have been the highest finish in team history, but with the cancellation of the season no Finnish Championship (SM) medals were awarded.[1]

Season-by-season results

This is a partial list of the most recent seasons completed by KalPa Naiset.
Note: Finish = Rank at end of regular season; GP = Games played, W = Wins (3 points), OTW = Overtime wins (2 points), OTL = Overtime losses (1 point), L = Losses, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, Pts = Points, Top scorer: Points (Goals+Assists)

Season League Preliminaries and regular season Post season results
Finish GP W OTW OTL L GF GA Pts Top scorer
2015–16 Naisten SM-sarja 6th 28711194712424 Jo. Juutilainen 32 (10+22) Lost quarterfinal, 0–2 (HPK)
2016–17 Naisten SM-sarja 3rd 28171461007257 T. Niskanen 36 (15+21) Won bronze medal, 1–0 (HPK)
2017–18 Naisten Liiga 6th 301421131129247 T. Niskanen 44 (20+24) Lost quarterfinal, 1–3 (Blues)
2018–19 Naisten Liiga 4th 301900111548357 T. Niskanen 79 (31+48) Lost bronze medal, 0–1 (Kärpät)
2019–20 Naisten Liiga 3rd 30174231246461 E. Holopainen 62 (37+25) Won semifinal, 3–0 (Ilves)
Finals cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21 Naisten Liiga 2nd 25181061215156 E. Holopainen 64 (39+25) Lost final, 1–3 (K-Espoo)
2021–22 Naisten Liiga 2nd 3083217709632 Jo. Juutilainen 34 (9+25) Lost quarterfinal, 1–3 (K-Espoo)

Players and personnel

2021–22 roster

As of 20 December 2021[2][3]
No. Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace
31 Susanna Airaksinen G L 30 2020 Kuopio, North Savo, Finland
29 Iiris Falck F L 22 2021 Anjalankoski, Kymenlaakso, Finland
20 Veera Holopainen F L 16 2021
37 Jenna Juutilainen G L 32 2020 Varkaus, North Savo, Finland
17 Johanna Juutilainen (C) F L 32 2020 Varkaus, North Savo, Finland
12 Liisa Kastikainen F L 21 2016 Outokumpu, North Karelia, Finland
2 Inka Katajisto F L 22 2018 Pyhäselkä, North Karelia, Finland
8 Venla Kirjavainen D R 19 2017 Varkaus, North Savo, Finland
24 Mirka Kivi D L 19 2019 Valkeakoski, Pirkanmaa, Finland
16 Tanja Koljonen D L 26 2020 Mikkeli, South Savo, Finland
21 Kaisla Kortelainen F L 20 2020
14 Ella Lappi F L 23 2014 Elimäki, Kymenlaakso, Finland
5 Elli Mäkelä (A) D L 21 2020 Kotka, Kymenlaakso, Finland
61 Tanja Niskanen (A) F L 29 2016 Juankoski, North Savo, Finland
18 Eveliina Nurmi D L 25 2017 Alavus, South Ostrobothnia, Finland
25 Venla Nurmi D L 23 2021 Alavus, South Ostrobothnia, Finland
46 Noora Oksanen D L 19 2019 Jyväskylä, Central Finland, Finland
49 Veera Paroinen F L 17 2021
15 Emilia Pekkarinen F L 23 2021
45 Veera Pohjala D L 21 2021
55 Tiina Ranne G L 27 2017 Harjavalta, Satakunta, Finland
22 Salla Rantanen F L 29 2012 Riihimäki, Kanta-Häme, Finland
27 Tuuli Repo D L 26 2021 Kuopio, North Savo, Finland
19 Erika Rönkä F R 16 2021
23 Emmi Tirkkonen F L 18 2020

Coaching staff and team personnel

  • Head coach: Marjo Voutilainen
  • Assistant coach: Sami Luomala
  • Team managers: Taina Lappi, Sofia Lipponen & Teija Savolainen-Lipponen
  • Equipment managers: Irina Ivanoff, Jani Kirstinä & Pekka Maukonen

Team captains

  • Johanna Juutilainen, 2010–11
  • Isa Rahunen, 2011–12
  • Marjo Voutilainen, 2012–13
  • Venla Hovi & Anni Kettunen, 2013–14
  • Johanna Juutilainen, 2015–2018
  • Tanja Niskanen, 2018–19[4]
  • Tiina Ranne & Emma Ritari, 2019–20[5]
  • Emma Ritari, 2020–21
  • Johanna Juutilainen, 2021–

Head coaches

  • Mikko Miettinen, 0–2000
  • Seppo Tirronen, 2000–
  • Marjo Voutilainen , 2016–present

Awards and honours

Finnish Championship

Sources: [6][7]

Player awards

  • Riikka Nieminen Award (Player of the Year)
    • 2020–21: Elisa Holopainen[8]
    • 2019–20: Tanja Niskanen
    • 2018–19: Elisa Holopainen
  • Katja Riipi Award (Best forward)
    • 2020–21: Elisa Holopainen
    • 2019–20: Elisa Holopainen
    • 2018–19: Elisa Holopainen
  • Marianne Ihalainen Award (Top point scorer)
    • 2018–19: Elisa Holopainen
  • Tiia Reima Award (Top goal scorer)
    • 2020–21: Matilda Nilsson
    • 2019–20: Elisa Holopainen
    • 2018–19: Elisa Holopainen
  • Sari Fisk Award (Best plus/minus)
    • 2019–20: Matilda Nilsson
  • Emma Laaksonen Award (Fair-play player)
    • 2020–21: Johanna Juutilainen
    • 2016–17: Tanja Niskanen
  • Hannu Saintula Award (Coach of the Year)
    • 2019–20: Marjo Voutilainen

Player of the Month

  • September 2020 – Elisa Holopainen[9]
  • September 2019 – Matilda Nilsson[10]

All-Stars

First Team

  • 2020–21: Elisa Holopainen (W), Matilda Nilsson (W)
  • 2019–20: Elisa Holopainen (W), Tanja Niskanen (C), Matilda Nilsson (W)
  • 2018–19: Tanja Niskanen (C), Elisa Holopainen (W)
  • 2014–15: Matilda Nilsson (W)
  • 2013–14: Venla Hovi (W)

Second Team

  • 2020–21: Tiina Ranne (G)
  • 2019–20: Tiina Ranne (G)
  • 2018–19: Matilda Nilsson (W)
  • 2017–18: Matilda Nilsson (W), Elisa Holopainen (W)
  • 2016–17: Matilda Nilsson (W), Tanja Niskanen (C)

Team records

As of 10 April 2022

Single-season records

Career records

  • Most career goals: Tanja Niskanen, 257 goals (301 games; 2006–2022)
  • Most career assists: Tanja Niskanen, 231 assists (301 games; 2006–2022)
  • Most career points: Tanja Niskanen, 488 points (301 games; 2006–2022)
  • Best career points per game, over 30 games played: Elisa Holopainen, 1.91 points per game (129 games; 2016–2021)
  • Most career points, defenceman: Emma Ritari, 102 points (251 games; 2009–2021)
  • Most career penalty minutes: Salla Rantanen, 306 PIM (236 games; 2012–2022)
  • Most games played, skater: Tanja Niskanen, 301 games (2006–2022)
  • Most games played, goaltender: Jenna Juutilainen, 115 games (2009–2022)

All-time scoring leaders

The top regular season point scorers in KalPa Naiset history.

Note: Nat = Nationality; Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game;   = 2021–22 KalPa player

Points
Nat PlayerPosGPGAPtsP/G
Tanja NiskanenF 3012572314881.62
Johanna JuutilainenF 280128198326 1.16
Matilda NilssonF 1891641403041.61
Elisa HolopainenF1291331142471.91
Marjo VoutilainenF 177861011871.06
Salla RantanenF23687911780.75
Kati KovalainenF7072 35 107 1.53
Emma RitariD25134681020.41
Tanja KoljonenD1121770870.78
Eija RahunenF802854821.02
Tiina PaananenF58 4635811.40

Source(s): Elite Prospects[11]

Notable alumni

Years active with KalPa listed alongside players' names.[12]

International player(s)

  • Nozomi Kiribuchi, 2015–16

References

  1. Pulkkinen, Aki-Petteri (27 May 2020). "Näkemys: Naiskiekolle ei jäänyt kaudesta mitään käteen − Korona ryösti vuoden työn". Jatkoaika.com (in Finnish). Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  2. "Naisten Liiga (W) - KalPa". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  3. "Kokoonpano KalPa - Naisten Liiga, alkusarja". tilastopalvelu.com (in Finnish). Finnish Ice Hockey Association. June 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  4. Foster, Meredith (30 November 2018). "Q&A with Tanja Niskanen". The Ice Garden. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  5. "Naisten Liigan avausturnaus Kuopiossa - esittelyssä kauden 2019-2020 joukkue". juniorikalpa.fi (in Finnish). 4 September 2019. Retrieved 13 September 2019.
  6. Suomen Jääkiekkoliitto; Liiga. Aaltonen, Juha (ed.). Jääkiekkokirja 2019–2020 (PDF) (in Finnish). Helsinki: Uusi Suomi/Kiekkolehti. ISSN 0784-3321. OCLC 476321083.
  7. "Juniori-KalPa ry - KalPan naisille SM-hopeaa". Juniori-KalPa ry (in Finnish). 26 March 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. Niemeläinen, Jonne (16 March 2020). "Huikeat tehot kerännyt 19-vuotias KalPa-hyökkääjä Elisa Holopainen palkittiin Naisten Liigan runkosarjan parhaana – huomenna edessä kauden tärkein peli". Yle (in Finnish). Retrieved 30 March 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. Mennander, Pasi (1 October 2020). "KalPan Elisa Holopainen Naisten Liigan syyskuun pelaaja". leijonat.fi (in Finnish). Finnish Ice Hockey Association. Retrieved 13 February 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. Mennander, Pasi (2 October 2019). "KalPan Matilda Nilsson Naisten Liigan syyskuun pelaaja". leijonat.fi (in Finnish). Finnish Ice Hockey Association. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  11. "KalPa - All Time Regular Season Player Stats". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 10 April 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. "KalPa - All Time Overall Totals Player Stats". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
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