[7] The team’s change in fortune was due in no small part to the exemplary net minding of newly acquired Canadian goaltender Kassidy Sauvé, who maintained a series leading .964 save percentage and 0.88 goals against average across eight games in the lower division.
[1] Reigning Finnish Champions Kiekko-Espoo earned placement in the semifinals after defeating eighth-seeded KalPa Kuopio in four quarterfinal games.
[9] In net, Tiia Pajarinen, the 2021 Aurora Borealis Cup MVP, played three of four games for Kiekko-Espoo and maintained a sublime .946 save percentage, good for third in the league, and a league-leading 1.00 goals against average (GAA).
In the only upset of the quarterfinals, fifth-seed TPS Turku shutout fourth-seed Ilves Tampere in three games to earn the first semifinal berth in team history.
[9] Their victory was propelled by the elite scoring of their top-line – centre Estelle Duvin and wingers Maija Otamo and Emmi Metsä-Tokila – each of whom netted 2 goals in the quarterfinals.
[10] Goaltender Mila Houni was a surprise standout for TPS in the quarterfinals, following an unimpressive regular season that culminated in a .892 save percentage and 3.97 goals against average across thirteen games.
[1] After coming back from a two-game deficit to push the series to game five, HIFK were unable to overcome the defending champions and Kiekko-Espoo ultimately claimed their sixteenth Finnish Championship title.