Women’s Champions Cup began on Sunday with both Northern Conference quarter-finals. Thorengruppen were victorious in Bläk Boks and Pixb IBK won the match in Wallenstam Arena.
Classic v Thorengruppen
Classic and Thorengruppen are the teams that know each other pretty well, especially as they met also last year in the Champions Cup quarter-finals. Reagardless of an early match start, 501 spectators arrived to Bläk Boks to cheer for their teams on Sunday afternoon.
Thorengruppen got a great start to the game. Although the first minutes showed that Classic can play against the Swedish Champions and have the ball-control, Veera Kauppi shattered Classic’s dreams of scoring first. Moa Karestahl, Wilma Selin and Oona Kauppi scored one each in the first period and the game was 4-0 for Thorengruppen.
Suvi Hämäläinen and Elli Kylmäluoma, being the dangerous duo of Classic, worked together on the first goal for the home team. But Thorengruppen decided that this is the only goal Classic will get in this game. Veera Kauppi did a beautiful spin and made it 1-5 and Oona Kauppi puts the ball in the back of the net with a slapshot. Sofia Mittentag who is making her Champions Cup debut and who just recently transferred to Thorengruppen scored one more in the second period and Thorengruppen had a rather secure lead coming to the last period. Selin scored her second goal and Oona Kauppi finalised her hat-trick. Final score 9-1 for Thorengruppen.
In the post-match interview Oona Kauppi said the following when asked about the good spirit in the team and playing in Finland: “We love Finland. Everybody in our team loves Finland. No, I think this is really, really fun. We have had a good summer so now we are just enjoying the games. And finally we have these important games in the beginning of the season so it’s really nice and I mean it’s special for us that we are starting here in Finland so you just have to keep enjoying this moment because it is not so often that you get this kind of opportunities”.
Elli Kylmäluoma, best player from Classic, was happy about her team’s physical play and ball control and thought these are the main elements they can take with them to the re-match on Saturday.
Classic v Thorengruppen game replay and highlights on the IFF App
Thorengruppen IBK v Classic on Saturday 31st August at 13:30 in Thoren Arena
Pixbo IBK v TPS
In another repeat of the 2024 quarterfinals, Pixbo and TPS women’s side took each other on in game 1 of their 2025 Champions Cup match series on Sunday August, 25th. Last season in the same series it was Pixbo who were dominant with two victories (13-6, 9-4) and this time around game 1 was in Gothenburg, Sweden as Pixbo were hosts to TPS. Despite a long journey by ferry and then coach across Sweden, TPS kept things close throughout the first 40 minutes with every lead by Pixbo not quite being fully comfortable with it. After 2 periods of play it was only a 6-4 lead for Pixbo with the action fast flowing and endless. Mira Markström, one of many new signings for Pixbo was on fire throughout the contest and had 4 points from 6 goals in the first 2 periods. The forward who won Gold with Sweden at the 2024 U19 WFC in Lahti, has also won Silver with Sweden at the 2023 Women’s Ice Hockey U18 World Championships, proving how talented of an athlete she is. That ability will be key for Pixbo this season as they look to finally overcome Thorengruppen in both the SSL, Swedish Cup and Champions Cup, losing to their rivals in all 3 competitions last season. Markström scored a hat-trick against TPS and without her the match would for sure have been a lot closer between the two.
Captain of TPS Jenna Saario was one of the standout players during the game with a super patient, wall executed penalty shot goal to add to early 1st period goal and 2 points on the night. Despite this it wasn’t enough for Saario and TPS, after the game stating “I think we need to use that strength of ours (Speed and Physicality in attack) even more and be better in situations to not allow easy goals for Pixbo.”
Another new player getting her first point with new side Pixbo was forward Celine Stettler. Stettler assisted Pixbo’s 4th goal to Markström and spoke about how her first experiences in the Champions Cup with new her new team went “It was a lot of fun, the new season starting with these more serious games, I enjoyed it out there. It was a tight game but I think that’s an even nicer feeling to win a close match.” Stettler, alongside fellow Swiss forward Isabelle Gerig have both joined Swiss national teammate Lara Heini at Pixbo for the new season, making it a slightly more Swiss feel to the red and white shirts of Pixbo this season.
TPS have had a lot of departures this summer and came into this matchup with a more youthful squad. New signing Milla Granlund who won Silver with Finland at the 2024 U19 WFC in Lahti will look to make a bigger impact in the 2nd game of this Champions Cup series, going scoreless in Game 1.
Game 2 will take place at the Kupittaan Palloiluhalli in Turku, Finland with TPS facing a must win situation in order to force Overtime and keep their hopes of Champions Cup glory alive. The match begins at 16:00 CET/17:00 local (Finnish) time and is live on the IFF app.
Pixbo v TPS game replay and highlights on the IFF App
TPS v Pixbo IBK on Saturday 31st at 16:00 in Kupittaan Palloiluhalli
