Tappara Tampere’s Valtteri Kemiläinen has returned to the Finnish club’s squad after a lengthy injury just in time for their Champions Hockey League Quarter-Finals clash with last season’s Champions Rögle Ängelholm.
“It is great to be back!” started Valtteri Kemiläinen, “I think I was out for something like six weeks. It really felt like a long time watching the games from the stands.”
Tappara are in the Quarter-Finals for a second season in a row after beating Swiss side HC Davos in the first round of Playoffs. The team that finished top of Group C stuck to their proven concept with which they have been winning games all season long.
Our defensive game has been greatTappara Tampere’s Valtteri Kemiläinen
“Our defensive game has been great and that’s why we were able to defeat Davos,” mentioned Kemiläinen, who is one of the Finnish side’s best defencemen, “when you let in only a few goals over the two games, your chances of winning are pretty high.”
Their style of play is in their DNA – great defending is one of the Finnish ways of doing things in ice hockey. Tappara are one of the best, if not the best, team in that aspect.
“Because we are a Finnish team, the typical strengths for our game, like the defensive side of it and the strategic part, will be highlighted in the Playoffs,” said the 30-year-old.
Tappara will face last season’s CHL Champions Rögle in the Quarter-Finals. Funnily enough, when these two teams met for the first time in last season’s CHL Final, Kemiläinen was on the ice, but not in a blue and orange jersey, but in one with green and white colours.
Rögle, with Kemiläinen, won the game 2-1 to lift the European Trophy while Tappara were left empty-handed. Could he offer his new club any important insight into how the Swedes operate?
“I don’t think so,” he said, “the coaches watch so many clips that most likely I won’t need to jump in as a coach or an agent. Nothing remains a secret as there are so many videos these days.”
Patience and doing our own thing is a big part of our identity as a clubTappara Tampere’s Valtteri Kemiläinen
But Kemiläinen could offer some insight into the psychological aspect of Rögle’s game.
“Rögle are a team that play with a lot of passion. When they get into a rhythm, they’re successful,” highlighted Kemiläinen, “on the other hand, if they get frustrated and the game doesn’t go their way, they might lose it a little bit. That’s something we need to take advantage of.”
“Patience and doing our own thing is a big part of our identity as a club,” he added, highlighting what Tappara are best at, “sometimes it’s tough to find the flow, but we can keep on grinding. The result will eventually come.”
Tappara and Rögle will play the First Game of their Quarter-Finals series on Tuesday, 6 December at 18:05 CET. The Return Game will be the following week on Tuesday, 13 December at 17:35 CET.