Finland is about to face the gold medal favorite Team USA in their opener of the women's Olympic hockey tournament, and they may do it with only two lines after Norovirus has left their roster ravaged.
After Olympic opener against Canada was postponed, Finland is hardly back to full strength, but they'll face the gold medal favorite Team USA no matter what, and no matter how many players they have available on Saturday.
"No new infections have occurred in the last 1.5 days," Finnish general manager Kimmo Oikarinen said in a translated comment Friday.
Finland has been in isolation after 13 players tested positive or were directly exposed to the virus.
"It is still too early to predict the lineup for tomorrow's game, but I believe that tomorrow's USA game can be played," Oikarinen added. Finland's head coach Tero Lehtera confirmed later that the team would play Team USA no matter what.
Friday 14 members of Team Finland took to the ice for practice, a group that included multiple goaltenders. It could mean Finland will take to the ice against the powerhouse Americans with as little as two lines of skaters and 1-2 extras.
Among those originally sick and isolated included all of Finland's past and present PWHL players including Michelle Karvinen, Susanna Tapani, Ronja Savolainen, Sanni Ahola, and Noora Tulus. Others sick or isolated originally included Julia Liikala, Emma Nuutinen, Emilia Vesa, Julia Schalin, Jennina Nylund, Sanni Vanhanen, Sini Karjalainen, and Elli Suoranta.
Only four Finnish were not ill or isolated including Petra Nieminen, Viivi Vainikka, Elisa Holopainen, and Ida Kuoppala. On the blueline Nelli Laitinen, Sanni Rantala, Siiri Yrjölä, and Jenni Hiirikoski remained out of isolation, as did goaltenders Anni Keisala and Emilia Kyrkkö.
Sanni Ahola was among the 14 players practicing with Team Finland on Friday adding a third goaltender to Finland's list.
Those who are sick or remain in isolation have not interacted with the remainder of the team and Finland says they have been added extra sterilization to the team's common areas and cleaning team spaces several times per day.
Finland will face a highly condensed schedule after the postponement of their opener against Canada. They'll face USA February 7, followed by a game against Czechia the following day on February 8. They'll have a day off before facing Switzerland on February 10 in what was supposed to be their final preliminary round game, followed by the rescheduled game against Canada February 12.