Ice Diaries: WHL Final Preview
It is difficult to imagine a better plot than the one unfolding in Russia this week—with reigning champions Agidel Ufa looking to defend their crown against the WHL’s newest arrivals, the KRS Vanke Rays of Shenzhen.
While only three points separated the first and second-place finishers of Russia’s Women’s Hockey League, Agidel claimed three of four regular season matchups against their Chinese rivals. What electrifies this post-season clash is the fact that both teams have rarely met at full-strength, adding an unfamiliar dimension to the WHL’s top rivalry.
The Vanke Rays defeated Agidel last summer during a pre-season tournament in China, but several of Ufa’s top performers—including Russian Olympian Olga Sosina—were absent for national team duty. Vital members of the Vanke Rays’ roster arrived after the season began, including U.S. Olympian Megan Bozek and 2014 WHL champion goaltender Noora Räty. Jessica Wong has recently returned to the lineup and notched a goal in her first appearance since November, helping to seal the deal on Shenzhen’s defeat of Tornado Dmitrov in the semifinals.
“Ufa is the most complete team in the WHL. They have three solid lines with plenty of fire power and high-end talent,” said Brian Idalski, head coach of the KRS Vanke Rays. “The defensive core is physical, but all of the defenders skate well and move the puck very well. In net, both goaltenders have proven that they can win in this league and could start in the finals. To top that all off, the core of their group has been together and knows what it takes to win a championship.”
Ufa secured two decisive victories over Biryusa in the semifinals of the WHL Championship. Czech forward Alena Mills leads the playoff scoring race thus far, notching three assists and one goal in two games versus Krasnoyarsk. Olga Sosina scored twice in Ufa’s sweep, and defender Maria Batalova posted four assists. Ufa’s first line continues to churn out points as they have all season, a fitting match for the Vanke Rays’ star-studded top five.
“The KRS Vanke Rays are a good team with nice skating. They’re playing modern, aggressive hockey as we like—so, we expect good games,” said Agidel head coach Denis Afinogenov. “We need to play our game, aggressive and active in the enemy zone. Physical conditions could decide the series.”
U.S. Olympian Alex Carpenter delivered both goals in the Vanke Rays’ come-from-behind victory against Tornado in Game 1 of the semifinals. The second matchup—a 6-2 thrashing in Dmitrov—saw two goals from Megan Bozek and three assists from Leah Lum, with starting goaltender Kimberly Newell notching a victory in her first post-season start for the Vanke Rays.
While both teams’ top lines have largely driven scoring in the regular season, Räty believes that the clash against Ufa may ultimately boil down to depth.
“[Ufa] has one very good line and our first line is scoring most of the points, so they may eliminate each other and we’ll need more players to step up and score,” Räty said in an interview last month. “It will come down to who has the second or third line player that will contribute on the scoresheet.”
Agidel are league incumbents and hometown favorites. The entirety of the finals will be played in Ufa due to the outbreak of the coronavirus in China, which has prevented the Vanke Rays from returning home since December. The teams will play in separate arenas for “home” and “away” matches, but the comforting familiarity will certainly play to Agidel’s advantage.
The Vanke Rays, on the other hand, are fighting for something beyond what can be determined on the ice—a dose of psychological rocket fuel entering the WHL’s final stages. Sporting patches and helmet stickers that read “Wuhan Strong” and “China Strong,” the Vanke Rays represent a glimmer of hope for their home country, which continues to battle against the devastating impact of the coronavirus.
From decorated Olympians to exciting up-and-comers, the WHL Finals will showcase two rosters brimming with global talent. The first clashes will take place on March 6th, 7th and 11th, with additional games scheduled on the 12th and 15th if necessary. You can tune-in online from anywhere in the world, and the WHL will make streaming links available across their various social media platforms
