Finland’s women’s hockey team ended in heartbreak two weeks ago. Their tournament was cut short by a 1-0 quarterfinal loss to Switzerland.
Now, Finland alternate captain and Gophers senior captain Nelli Laitinen is back in Minnesota — preparing for a smaller stage than the Olympics, but one with a similar level of urgency.
“It’s a new season with the playoffs beginning,” Laitinen said. “Nothing is guaranteed.”
That reality sets in on Friday as the No. 4 Gophers open the WCHA tournament against St. Cloud State University. The Gophers enter the postseason after being swept by Minnesota-Duluth last weekend. Though St. Cloud is unranked, the margin for error will still be small.
The Gophers will get graduate forward Abbey Murphy and senior forward Josefin Bouveng back from the Olympics as well, all having their own takeaways from the experience. For Laitinen, it reinforced how unpredictable hockey can be.
“Anything can happen,” Laitinen said. “That’s what I’m trying to bring to these playoffs with the Gophers as well, just trying to bring that experience and have that mentality.”
Gopher assistant coach Greg May echoed that, emphasizing that playoff hockey demands desperation.
“It’s the time of year where we need to start playing with desperation,” May said. “Nothing is guaranteed other than these first two games.”
At the Olympics, Laitinen experienced how quickly momentum can shift and how one single detail can change the outcome of a game. That perspective shapes her locker-room leadership and reminds her that even if they fall behind, their belief should not.
“Even if we’re down, we can still come back and win in overtime,” Laitinen said.
The turnaround from Milan to Minnesota was quick. Laitinen returned to campus and immediately rejoined the lineup last weekend. There has not been much time for her to process Finland’s loss, and that is not necessarily a bad thing.
She is back in her classes and in team practices. It is an opportunity to reset and get back to her routine.
“Mentally, I’m here in Minnesota right now, focusing on our team,” Laitinen said. “Getting back to the basics has been helping a lot.”
There is another layer to the matchup against St. Cloud this weekend, though. A few of Laitinen’s national teammates, including goaltender Emilia Kyrkkö, will line up on the opposite benches. Just a few weeks removed from sharing a locker room, they will now battle in a best-of-three series.
“We’ve always had a good relationship with that,” Laitinen explained. “We’re teammates on the national team, but also rivals when it comes to conference play. We obviously both want to win, so we have to battle hard and treat them now as rivalries.”
That familiarity does not disappear when the friendships pause. They know each other’s habits well, and those details could be a difference maker.
“I can maybe give some little details on Kyrkkö, how to play against her and how to score against her,” Laitinen added.
Still, it will not be easy to beat St. Cloud this weekend. The Huskies have a good defensive structure backed by strong goaltending. That is a formula built for playoff hockey.
“They’re kind of a pain to play against defensively,” May said. “ They’re a team that capitalizes on mistakes.”
For Minnesota, that means being disciplined. That is a message Laitinen is sending to her team, to take it one game and one period at a time.
“Nothing comes easily,” Laitinen said. “We have to work to earn a goal or a win. We have to address that in the locker room.”
There is certainly confidence within the team, but it is not complacency.
While Minnesota’s strength lies in its offense, including league-leading goal scorer Murphy, Laitinen believes what truly sets them apart is not their system or statistics. It is the connection and genuine friendship they have.
“We’re a super tight group,” Laitinen said. “We’re best friends with each other. We’re going to stand by each other no matter what.”
In postseason games, that bond matters. The St. Cloud tournament carries some extra sentiment to Laitinen.
It is her final conference run in a Gophers jersey.
“Obviously, it’s a little different when you know you aren’t coming back next year,” Laitinen said.
She is trying not to let that add any extra pressure, though, instead choosing to be present. She wants to enjoy every moment with the team and take in the atmosphere.
When asked about the legacy she hopes to leave behind, she mentioned the jersey she takes pride in wearing every night.
“It has always been such an honor for me,” Laitinen said. “I just want to try to do everything for the ‘M’ in my jersey and try to get the natty back home.”
