Top Scorer for the Lions last season, Antti Suomela continues his momentum with a great start to the season alongside his compatriot Ahti Oksanen and of Damien Riat. For his second year with the LHC, our number 11 is now accustomed to playing on the National League ice or in everyday life in Lausanne. Encounter.
Son entente avec Ahti Oksanen
During the 2022-23 season, the two Finnish attackers played together in the Swedish club IK Oskarshamn. Aligned side by side, the two players created a real chemistry on the ice that we found in Lausanne at the start of the season.
Antti Suomela: “I started playing with Oks two years ago in Sweden, and right away we connected on the ice. We knew what we were doing. I think it’s all in the way we understand each other and our vision of hockey. Every time I get the puck, Oks knows what I might think and it’s the same on his side.
It happened right away, and it’s cool to see that it’s still there, that we still like playing together, and that we play well together. Everyone can see the offensive actions we can create, but I think we can also defend well. There are always things to improve, but it’s a pleasure to play with him, and I hope it lasts for many more years. »
Damien’s contribution to the duo
Since the start of the season, the two Finnish players have been well established at the heart of the LHC front row with the Swiss international Damien Riat.
Antti Suomela: “Damien has been really good to us because he always works really hard and always does what the coaches ask. So it’s really very easy to understand what he wants and what he’s going to do on the ice. We can always count on him, if I make a mistake, he will be there behind me to support me. It was really beneficial for Oks and me to have Damien in the same line. So far, it’s working very well.”
His second year in Lausanne
Arriving in the summer of 2023, the number 11 of the LHC did not need much time to acclimatize to the National League, but also to life in Switzerland on a personal level.
Antti Suomela: “Coming back here for a second year is of course easier. I know the places and I know what’s going on. I know everyone in the organization, what everyone expects from me and how they want me to play. It’s an advantage to know the league, I know how the opponents play. During the summer I couldn’t wait to start again knowing that I was going to find Oks and that I was going to play with Damien on the wings.
From a personal point of view, it’s a bit the same. I know the city, I know where to go if I want a good meal, that kind of thing. And it’s the same for my girlfriend. We really love being here, it’s nice to live this life, whether it’s for hockey or outside of it. I have nothing negative to say about Lausanne, it’s really nice.”
The Finnish LHC Legion
With the coming of Janne Kuokkanen and of Lauri Pajuniemi during the summer in addition toAhti Oksanenthe LHC now has four Finnish players in its contingent.
Antti Suomela: “It’s quite fun to have four Finns on the team. It’s always nice to speak in your mother tongue, you can joke a little more, you’re more at ease. At the same time, we spend so much time with everyone that we don’t really hang out together. Overall, I have no problem speaking English, and no one does. So it doesn’t really make a difference on a daily basis, even if it’s a little extra to find teammates who share the same culture and who speak the same language.
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