Hockey|Niko Hovinen returned from retirement between the posts.
SaiPa–HIFK 0–2
In June Niko Hovinen announced the end of his long hockey career. However, Hovinen, 36, stood in HIFK’s goal on Saturday when the Helsinki team faced SaiPa in Lappeenranta.
Hovinen’s return could not have been more handsome. The Helsinki veskari saved 17 times in the match, when HIFK sought an away victory by Ronald Knot and Kristian Vesalainen with a score of 2–0. He was chosen as the number one star of the match.
Hovinen admitted in Kisapuisto’s uumen that the match was exciting.
“More because it’s been so long since the last match, and he’s coming out of retirement. However, here we play for points, that’s how we want to succeed,” Hovinen said.
“Even though it was a clean sheet, there is still a lot of work to be done.”
Hovinen said that the match weighed on his legs more than usual. The last game of the two-meter-tall veskar was the quarterfinal match against the Pelicans on April 2. Although there wasn’t too much feeling for the game, Hovinen assures that he is physically still in the condition required to play in the SM league.
“The only way to get game stress is by playing, but it’s good that the first match is now under way,” said Hovinen.
Courtier says that he practiced physics in the summer as usual, despite quitting. Hovinen, who currently lives in Turku, started going on the ice a few weeks ago with Tuto, who plays in Mestis.
“Big thanks to Tuto for letting me go on the ice”.
Hovinen says that he has been mulling over his decision to quit for “some time”. The family also gave the green light for a return, and after HIFK, already familiar from last season, got in touch, things started to happen quickly.
Hovinen signed a contract with HIFK for the rest of the season. Started the season as the first goalkeeper of the Helsinki club Roope Taponen is still sidelined with an injury picked up in the Saturday, September 28 game against the Pelicans.
“The call came on Tuesday and the names were on the paper on Wednesday. I was already at work on Thursday.”
Courtier sat on the bench against Kärpp on Friday against the Slovak Rastislav Elias when dealing with prevention work. At the end of Saturday’s fight, HIFK supporters who arrived in Lappeenranta chanted Hovisen’s nickname for a long time.
In hockey circles, Hovinen is known as “Pappi”.
“It feels good. Nice reception from the fans. It’s nice that they had arrived, surely it was a tougher journey home for them too when we got the win”.
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