Porin Ässät (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈporin æsːæt]; Finnish for Pori Aces) is an ice hockey team based in Pori, Satakunta, Finland.[1] They have had a women's reprecentative team in 1982–95 and 1999–2003.
| Ässät Gold Stars | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Nickname | Pata Porin Punakone (The Red Machine of Pori) |
| City | Pori |
| League | None at reprecentative level |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Home arena | Isomäki Areena Atsora Areena (capacity: 6 500 in Isomäki 530 in Astora) |
| Colors | |
| Owner(s) | Porin Ässät ry |
| General manager | Niina Valli |
| Head coach | Tuuli Harjunpää |
| Parent club(s) | Porin Ässät |
Porin Ässät was formed in 1967 but women's hockey was introduced to the club in 1982. Ässät was one of the ten founders of the Naisten SM-sarja (now Naisten Liiga). Ässät folded in 2004, but in 2020 it re-started as an ice hockey school for women with the name Ässät Gold Stars.
History edit
In the SM-sarja (1982–1995) edit
1982–83 edit
Ässät Hockey's women's team was established in 1982 and it was one of the 10 founders Naisten SM-sarja.
Ässät was tied with Tiikerit at 2nd in the Group A. Ässät played a match against Tiikerit which would decide who makes it to the playoffs. Tiikerit beat Ässät 7-6 and thus Ässät did not make the playoffs. Ässät played Anne Bäckman led the league with 42 points in 7 games played.
1990–91 edit
Ässät finished 4th in the regular season. Ässät lost to EKS in the bronze medal game.
1994–95 edit
Ässät finished 7th in the regular season and was relegated to the I-divisioona. After that the team took a break and returned in 1999.
In the I-divisioona and II-divisioona (1999–2003) edit
First season in I-divisioona and SM-sarja qualification attempt edit
Ässät finished 4th in the I-divisioona regular season and got to play for the Naisten SM-sarja qualification series (Karsintasarja in Finnish). Ässät finished 6th in the eight-team qualification series and thus did not get promoted back to the SM-sarja.
Last seasons and disestablishment (2000–2003) edit
Ässät played in I-divisioona for 2000–01 and 2002–03. It played in the II-divisioona in 2001–02.
Ässät's women's reprecentative team was disbanded at the end of the 2002–03 season.
The brightest star and statistically the best player on the Ässät Women team was Sari Fisk.[2]
Establishment of the Ässät Gold Stars (2020–present) edit
Ässät has had a hockey school for women called Ässät Gold Stars since 2020.[3] In the junior departement, Ässät has a girl skating school and a team for U10 girls called Ässät Red Stars.[4]
Arguably the best female player to come out of the Ässät junior department after the collapse of the senior team is Sofianna Sundelin, Olympic and World Championship bronze medallist who currently plays for St. Cloud State Huskies in the NCAA Division I.[5][6]
Notable alumni edit
Sari Marjamäki (née Fisk) (four-time European champion and six-time World Championship bronze medallist)[2]- Sofianna Sundelin (Olympic bronze medallist and a World Championship bronze medallist)[7]
- Anne Haanpää (née Bäckman) (4-time European champion)[8]
- Sanna Kanerva (1995 European champion)
- Sanna Sainio (top-three point scorer for Ässät)
Tatyana Tsaryova (first-time World Championship bronze medallist)[9]
International players edit
Lena Kofod 1999-2000- Violetta Simanova 1999-2000
- Tatjana Tikhonov 1999-2000
Sandra Toon 1999-2000- Tatyana Tsaryova 1999-2000
1999–00 I-divisioona & SM-sarja qualification roster edit
| No. | Nat | Player | Pos | S/G | Age | Acquired | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Charlotte Pettersson | G | |||||
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Maria Rönni | G | |||||
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Katariina Fisk | D | |||||
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Tuuli Harjunpää | D | R | 43 | Uppsala, Sweden | ||
|
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Kati Hietanen | D | |||||
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Lena Kofod | D | L | Herlev, Denmark | |||
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Johanna Lähdetkallio | D | |||||
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Petra Salminen | D | L | 41 | Pori, Finland | ||
|
Tatyana Tsaryova | F | L | 46 | 1999–00 | ||
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Tatyana Tikhonov | F | L | 40 | Riga, Soviet Union | ||
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Violetta Simanova | F | L | 50 | 1999–00 | ||
|
Sandra Toon | F | |||||
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Eveliina Koskinen | F | 40 | ||||
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Susanne Koskinen | F | L | 50 | Pori, Finland | ||
|
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Eeva Paitula | F | 43 | ||||
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Annika Pitkänen | F | |||||
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Sanna Sainio | F | L | 51 | 1987–88 | Pori, Finland | |
|
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Henna Salminen | F | |||||
|
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Satu Vallinkoski | F |
Franchise records edit
These are the top-five-point-scorers in franchise history. Figures are updated after each completed Liiga season.
- * – current Ässät player
Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games Played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points
|
Honours edit
Awards named after Ässät players edit
- Sari Fisk Award, named after Sari Fisk
Awards won by players edit
- Marianne Ihalainen Award (1): Anne Haanpää, 1982–83 -
- Tiia Reima Award (1): Anne Haanpää, 1982–83 - Sari Marjamäki, 1992–93 -
Logo history edit
-
Ässät's logo 1982–2003. Ässät junior team's and the men's team still used this logo until 2023.
Notes edit
References edit
- ^ "Ässät at eliteprospects.com". www.eliteprospects.com. Retrieved 2022-05-04.
- ^ a b "Sari Fisk at eliteprospects.com". www.eliteprospects.com. Retrieved 2022-05-03.
- ^ "Ässät Gold Stars". Porin Ässät ry (in Finnish). Retrieved 2022-05-04.
- ^ "Ässät Red Stars". Porin Ässät ry (in Finnish). Retrieved 2022-05-04.
- ^ "Porin Ässät ry - Sofianna Sundelin - Ässistä MM-kisoihin". Porin Ässät ry (in Finnish). Retrieved 2023-01-19.
- ^ "Ässäkasvatti Sofianna Sundelin tekee unelmastaan totta Kuortaneella – MM-mitalistilla jääkiekko on etusijalla". Satakunnan Kansa (in Finnish). 2019-01-20. Retrieved 2023-01-19.
- ^ "Sofianna Sundelin at eliteprospects.com". www.eliteprospects.com. Retrieved 2022-05-03.
- ^ Podnieks, Andrew (ed.). IIHF Media Guide and Record Book 2011. Moydart Press. p. 589.
- ^ "Tatyana Tsaryova at eliteprospects.com". www.eliteprospects.com. Retrieved 2022-05-04.
- ^ "Ässät 1999–00". www.eliteprospects.com.