Lukko/PaRa

For the men's Liiga team, see Lukko.
Lukko/PaRa
CityRauma, Finland
LeagueNaisten Mestis
Founded2011 (2011)
Operated
  • Lukko Naiset,
  • 2011–2023
  • Lukko/PaRa,
  • 2024–present
Home arenaEurajoen jäähalli, Eurajoki
ColoursBlue, yellow
   
Head coachJere Auvinen
CaptainAda Ukkola
MediaLänsi-Suomi
AffiliatePaRa/Lukko
Parent club(s)Rauman Lukko ry
Panelian Raikas ry
WebsiteOfficial website
Current uniform

Lukko/PaRa is an ice hockey team in the Naisten Mestis. They are based in Rauma, a port city on the southwestern coast of Finland, and play at the Eurajoen jäähalli in Eurajoki. The team was formed in May 2024 via a cooperation agreement between Rauman Lukko ry, a minor club affiliated with the Lukko organization, and Panelian Raikas (PaRa).

History

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Lukko Naiset

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Rauman Lukko Naiset (lit. 'Rauma's Lock Women') was founded in 2011 as the representative women's ice hockey team of the ice hockey and ringette club Rauman Lukko ry – the minor and recreational affiliate of the professional men's ice hockey team Lukko. Lukko Naiset gained promotion to the Naisten Liiga (renamed Auroraliiga in 2024) for the 2016–17 season and remained in the Liiga until being relegated at the conclusion of the 2020–21 season.[1] They achieved promotion in the 2021–22 NSML qualification series and returned to the league after one season in the Naisten Mestis.

The team faced relegation four times in their first five seasons in the Naisten Liiga but were able to save themselves in the qualification series each time, until finally being relegated in the 2020–21 season.[2]

After starting the 2021–22 season in the Naisten Mestis, Lukko earned placement in the Alempi jatkosarja ('Lower division') of the 2021–22 Naisten Liiga season. In the 2022 post-season qualification series, they successfully saved themselves from relegation and maintained their place in the Naisten Liiga in the following season.[3]

Lukko Naiset withdrew from the Naisten Liiga and the team was dissolved in April 2023. Rauman Lukko ry, the team's operating association, cited difficulties in recruiting and retaining players as the principal reasons behind the decision.[4] Lukko Naiset players were not consulted prior to the announcement. Captain Maija Koski was shocked by the announcement and strongly felt that the team could have been saved if avenues of communication had been opened between the association and Lukko Naiset players.[5]

Lukko/PaRa

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In May 2024, a Lukko announced a new strategy for girls' and women's ice hockey via partnership with Panelian Raikas (PaRa), an ice hockey club in nearby Panelia. The strategy included the re-establishment of Lukko Naiset as Lukko/PaRa. The team began playing in the 2024–25 Naisten Mestis season, with the goal of being promoted to the Auroraliiga within three seasons. PaRa's existing team in the Naisten Suomi-sarja was renamed PaRa/Lukko and continued in league for the 2024–25 season.[6]

Season-by-season results

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This is a partial list of the most recent seasons completed by Lukko Naiset.
Note: Finish = Rank at end of series; GP = Games played, W = Wins (3 points), OTW = Overtime wins (2 points), OTL = Overtime losses (1 point), L = Losses, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, Pts = Points, Top scorer: Points (Goals+Assists)

Season League Regular season Post season results
Finish GP W OTW OTL L GF GA Pts Top scorer
2018–19 Naisten Liiga 9th 30 8 2 0 20 76 149 28 Finland E. Ylitalo 26 (12+14) Saved in relegation
2019–20 Naisten Liiga 9th 30 5 2 1 22 57 128 20 Finland E. Varpula 21 (12+9) Relegation series cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21 Naisten Liiga 10th 27 4 0 0 23 47 145 12 Finland M. Koski 20 (13+7) Relegated to Naisten Mestis
2021–22 Naisten Mestis Q 2nd[a] 12 11 0 0 1 84 18 33 Finland M. Koski 36 (18+18) Promoted to Naisten Liiga lower division series
Naisten Liiga 10th 10 4 0 0 6 19 32 12 Finland R-M. Kangasniemi 7 (2+5) Saved in relegation
2022–23 Naisten Liiga 9th 36 1 4 1 30 59 227 12 Finland A. Toivonen 24 (12+12) Saved in relegation
2023–24 Did not play
  1. ^ 1st in Lohko 2 (2.75 points per game)[7]

Players and personnel

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Team captaincy history

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  • Annika Järvinen, 2014–2016
  • Tiia Koskinen, 2016–2018
  • Elviira Ylitalo, 2018–19
  • Maija Koski,[8] 2019–April 2023
  • Ada Ukkola, 2024–

Head coaches

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Notable alumni

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Years active with Lukko listed alongside player names.

International players

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  • Canada Andrea Bevan, 2012–13
  • Iceland Gudrun Vidarsdóttir, 2012–13
  • Austria Ana Kahlhammer, 2020–2022
  • Canada Cheyann Newman, 2013–14
  • United States Shelley Payne, 2019–20
  • IsraelRussia Lyubov Tokar, 2020–21

References

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  1. ^ Biller, Philippe. "Championnat de Finlande de hockey sur glace féminin 2016/17" [Finnish Women's Ice Hockey Championship 2016-17]. HockeyArchives.info (in French). Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  2. ^ Foster, Meredith (11 February 2019). "The Naisten Liiga playoffs are set". The Ice Garden. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  3. ^ Seppä, Lassi (2 April 2023). "Aliisa Toivosen hattutemppu toi Lukon liigataipaleelle jatkoa, akatemiajoukkueiden sinnikkyys ei tuottanut nousua". Jatkoaika (in Finnish). Retrieved 3 April 2023.
  4. ^ "Lukko luopuu Naisten liigapaikasta". Rauman Lukko ry (Press release) (in Finnish). 27 April 2023. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
  5. ^ Seppä, Lassi (29 April 2023). "Kapteeni Maija Kosken Lukko-sydän murtui joukkueen lopetusuutisesta − "Aikuisten, maksavien pelaajien mielipidettä ei kysytty"". Jatkoaika (in Finnish). Retrieved 29 April 2023.
  6. ^ a b Pukkila, Tapio (20 May 2024). "Rauman Lukko tekee paluun naisten jääkiekkoon – tavoitteena liigapaikka Panelian Raikkaan kanssa". Yle Uutiset (in Finnish). Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  7. ^ "2021–2022 Naisten Mestis karsinta, lohko 2: Sarjataulukko" (in Finnish). Finnish Ice Hockey Association. 11 December 2021. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  8. ^ Laakso, Mika (3 September 2020). "Lukon kapteeni Maija Koski on jäällä suorapuheinen ja räiskyvä, mutta kentän ulkopuolella rauhallinen viilipytty". Jatkoaika (in Finnish). Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  9. ^ Anteroinen, Ari (29 November 2014). "Lukon naiskiekkoilijat järjestävät junnudiscon". Länsi-Suomi (in Finnish). Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  10. ^ Tanhuanpää, Asko (January 2019). "Marko Toivonen tyytyväinen Lukon naisten alkukauteen". SatakunnanViikko (in Finnish). Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  11. ^ Viljanen, Markus (20 August 2020). "Naisten Liiga: Sami Piilikangas otti vetovastuun Lukossa: "Minimitavoitteemme on sarjapaikan säilyttäminen"". Finnish Ice Hockey Association (in Finnish). Retrieved 16 March 2021.
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