2019–20 Naisten Liiga season

The 2019–20 Naisten Liiga season was the thirty-seventh season of the Naisten Liiga, the premier level of women's ice hockey in Finland, since the league’s establishment in 1982.
The season was cancelled by the Finnish Ice Hockey Association on 12 March 2020 in response to public health concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020 Aurora Borealis Cup Final between Kiekko-Espoo and KalPa was scheduled to begin on 14 March 2020. With the cancellation of the remainder of the season, the 2019–2020 season became the first and only Naisten Liiga season in which the Finnish Championship was not awarded.
== League changes ==
=== Season format ===
The season format designated for the 2019–20 season was a modified version of the format established for the 2018–19 season. While the opening series remained unchanged, the divisional series was expanded to six teams in each division. In order to fill the two empty slots of the Lower Division, two teams from the Naisten Mestis were added to the Liiga for the divisional series and onward. The playoff format was modified to account for the increased number of teams; eight teams would qualify for the playoffs rather than the previous six. This change allowed for a traditional single-elimination tournament to be played from the quarterfinal stage rather than having the top two teams automatically progress to the semifinal round.
Preliminary series
The preliminary series () is played as a double round-robin plus a two-game Opening Weekend Tournament; each of the ten teams plays a total of twenty matches. Points are awarded by match outcome, regulation wins earn three points, overtime wins earn 2 points, overtime losses earn 1 point, and no points are awarded for regulation losses. The points earned in the opening series determine which division a team will be sorted for the continuation of the season.
Divisional series
In the divisional series, the teams are grouped into two divisions of six teams. Each division is played as a double round-robin, each team plays a total of ten games. The top six ranked teams in the preliminary series qualify for the Upper Division (). Upper Division teams are guaranteed placement in the playoffs; the points earned in the ten divisional series games are added to the points totals from the preliminary series and used to establish the teams' playoff berths, from first to sixth.
The bottom four teams in the opening series move on to the Lower Division (), where they are joined by the top two teams from the Cross-Qualifiers () of the Naisten Mestis, the league directly below Naisten Liiga. The Lower Division teams compete for the seventh and eighth seed positions in the playoffs; only the top two ranked teams from the Lower Division earn places in the playoffs. Unlike the in Upper Division, all Lower Division teams start the divisional series with zero points, only points earned in the series are considered when the teams are ranked. 
Qualifying series
The Lower Division teams ranked third through sixth continue on to the qualifying series (). The points earned in the six qualifying series games are added to the points totals from the Lower Division divisional series. The two teams with the highest point totals qualify for the 2020–21 Naisten Liiga season, the two lower ranked teams are relegated to the Naisten Mestis for the following season.
== Teams ==
Team name 	Full team name 	Location 	Head coach 	Home venue 	Captain
HIFK 	Stadin Gimmat or HIFK Naiset 	Helsinki 	Saara Niemi 	Malmin jäähalli 	Karoliina Rantamäki
HPK 	Hämeenlinnan Pallokerho Kiekkonaiset	Hämeenlinna	Katja Pasanen 	Metritriski Areena 	Riikka Noronen
Ilves 	Tampereen Ilves Naiset 	Tampere 	Ville Tolvanen 	Tesoman jäähalli 	Johanna Juutilainen
KalPa 	Kalevan Pallo Naiset 	[[[Kuopio]]	Marjo Voutilainen	Olvi Areena 	Emma Ritari
Kiekko-Espoo 	Kiekko-Espoo Naiset 	Espoo 	Sami Haapanen 	Tapiolan harjoitussaree	Minttu Tuominen
Kärpät 	Oulun Kärpät Naiset 	Oulu 	Janne Salmela 	Oulun Energia Areena 	Saila Saari
Lukko 	Rauman Lukko Naiset 	Rauma 	Marko Toivonen 	Kivikylän Areena 	Maija Koski
Sport 	Vaasan Sport Naiset 	Vaasa 	Marko Haapala 	Vaasan Sähkö Areena 	Elina Ojala
Team Kuortane	Team Kuortane 	Kuortane 	Mira Kuisma 	Kuortaneen jäähalli 	Emilia Vesa
TPS 	Turun Palloseura Naiset 	Turku 	Matti Tähkäpää 	Marli Areena 	Minni Lehtopelto
Teams promoted from the Naisten Mestis to the Lower Division
Team name	Full team name 	Location 	Head coach 	Home venue 	Captain
APV 	Alavuden Peli-Veikot Naiset	Alavus 	Noora Mäkiranta	Alavus Areena	Pirjetta Turunen
RoKi 	Rovaniemen Kiekko Naiset 	Rovaniemi	Tuomas Liitola 	Lappi Areena 	Ella Lahtela
== Regular season ==
=== Preliminaries ===
Series was played from 7 September to 24 November 2019. Top six teams advanced to the Upper Division (), while teams ranking sixth through tenth progressed to the Lower Division ().
=== Divisional series ===
Upper Division
Lower Division
== Playoffs ==
The Naisten Liiga 2019–2020 Playoffs began 22 February 2020.
=== Bracket ===
 	Quarterfinal	Quarterfinal 	Quarterfinal	 	 	  	  	  	 	 	  	  	 
 	1 	Kiekko-Espoo 	3 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	8 	Sport 	0 	 	 	Semifinal	Semifinal 	Semifinal	 	 	 	 	
 	  	  	  	 	 	1 	Kiekko-Espoo 	3 	 	 	 	 	
 	Quarterfinal	Quarterfinal 	Quarterfinal	 	 	5 	Team Kuortane	0 	 	 	 	 	
 	4 	HPK 	2 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	5 	Team Kuortane	3 	 	 	  	  	  	 	 	Finals 	Finals 	Finals
 	  	  	  	 	 	  	  	  	 	 	SF1 	Kiekko-Espoo 	 
 	Quarterfinal	Quarterfinal 	Quarterfinal	 	 	  	  	  	 	 	SF2 	KalPa 	 
 	3 	KalPa 	3 	 	 	  	  	  	 	 	 	 	
 	6 	Ilves 	0 	 	 	Semifinal	Semifinal 	Semifinal	 	 	Bronze medal series	Bronze medal series	Bronze medal series
 	  	  	  	 	 	3 	KalPa 	3 	 	 	SF3 	Kärpät 	 
 	Quarterfinal	Quarterfinal 	Quarterfinal	 	 	2 	Kärpät 	2 	 	 	SF4 	Team Kuortane 	 
 	2 	Kärpät 	3 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	7 	HIFK 	0 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
===Quarterfinals===
 
=== Semifinals ===
== Statistics ==
===Scoring leaders===
Preliminary series
The following players led the league in points at the conclusion of the preliminary series on 24 November 2019.
Player	Team 	 	 	 	
 	KalPa 	20	26	22	48
 	KalPa 	19	19	24	43
 	Team Kuortane	20	21	18	39
 	Kiekko-Espoo 	20	10	26	36
 	Kiekko-Espoo 	20	18	16	34
 	Kiekko-Espoo 	20	17	17	34
 	Team Kuortane	20	18	14	32
 	KalPa 	16	14	18	32
 	HPK 	20	16	19	31
 	HPK 	20	11	18	29
Divisional series
The following players led the Upper Division in regular season points at the conclusion of the series on 2 February 2020.
Player	Team 	 	 	 	
 	Kärpät 	10	6 	10	16
 	KalPa 	10	11	3 	14
 	KalPa 	10	9 	5 	14
 	Team Kuortane	10	7 	6 	13
 	Kärpät 	10	4 	9 	13
The following players led the Lower Division in regular season points at the conclusion of the series on 2 February 2020.
Player	Team 	 	 	 	
 	HIFK 	10	11	11	22
 	HIFK 	9 	8 	11	19
 	Sport	8 	9 	8 	17
 	Sport	10	9 	8 	17
 	HIFK 	10	3 	14	17
===Leading goaltenders===
Preliminary series
The following goaltenders led the league in save percentage at the conclusion of the preliminary series on 24 November 2019, while starting at least one third of matches.
Player	Team 	 		 	 	 	 	 	
 	KalPa 	12		10	2	24	2	.939	2.00
 	Ilves 	15		5 	5	30	3	.939	2.17
 	Kärpät	10		5 	3	18	2	.939	1.78
 	Kärpät	10		5 	3	14	4	.936	1.40
 	TPS 	16		3 	9	58	1	.929	3.63
Divisional series
The following goaltenders led the Upper Division in regular season save percentage at the conclusion of match(es) on 29 January 2020, while starting at least one third of matches.
Player	Team 	 		 	 	 	 	 	
 	HPK 	5		4	1	5	1	.970	1.01
 	KalPa 	3		2	1	5	0	.955	1.69
 	KalPa 	5		3	1	9	0	.951	1.78
 	Kärpät	3		2	1	4	1	.949	1.34
 	Kärpät	5		4	0	9	0	.940	1.80
The following goaltenders led the Lower Division in regular season save percentage at the conclusion the series on 2 February 2020, while starting at least one third of matches.
Player	Team 	 		 	 	 	 	 	
 	HIFK 	4		3	0	4 	1	.961	1.00
 	Lukko	6		2	1	7 	0	.957	1.25
 	HIFK 	5		3	1	4 	3	.953	0.86
 	TPS 	7		2	2	18	0	.929	2.59
 	Sport	8		3	1	20	3	.927	2.45
== Awards ==
===Finnish Ice Hockey Association awards===
*Riikka Nieminen Award (Best Player): Tanja Niskanen, KalPa
*Tuula Puputti Award (Best Goaltender): Johanna Oksman, Kärpät
*Päivi Halonen Award (Best Defenceman): Nelli Laitinen, Kiekko-Espoo
*Katja Riipi Award (Best Forward): Elisa Holopainen, KalPa
*Noora Räty Award (Best Rookie): Krista Parkkonen, HIFK
*Sari Fisk Award (Best Plus/Minus): Matilda Nilsson, KalPa
*Marianne Ihalainen Award (Regular season most points): Saila Saari, Kärpät
*Tiia Reima Award (Regular season most goals): Elisa Holopainen, KalPa
*Emma Laaksonen Award (Fair-Play Player): Viivi Vainikka, Team Kuortane
*Student Athlete Award: Tanja Koljonen, Ilves
*U18 Student Athlete Award: Nelli Laitinen, Kiekko-Espoo
*Hannu Saintula Award (Coach of the Year): Marjo Voutilainen, KalPa
*Karoliina Rantamäki Award (MVP of the Playoffs): not awarded
*Anu Hirvonen Award (Best Referee): Johanna Tauriainen
*Johanna Suban Award (Best Linesman): Johanna Oksanen
Source: Finnish Ice Hockey Association
===2019–20 Naisten Liiga All-Stars===
All-Star Team
* Goaltender: Johanna Oksman, Kärpät
* Defenceman: Nelli Laitinen, Kiekko-Espoo
* Defenceman: Minttu Tuominen, Kiekko-Espoo
* Winger: Elisa Holopainen, KalPa
* Center: Tanja Niskanen, KalPa
* Winger: Matilda Nilsson, KalPa
All-Star Team II
* Goaltender: Tiina Ranne, KalPa
* Defenceman: Isa Rahunen, Kärpät
* Defenceman: Kreetta Kulhua, Ilves
* Winger: Kiira Yrjänen, Team Kuortane
* Center: Viivi Vainikka, Team Kuortane
* Winger: Ida Karjalainen, HPK
Source: Finnish Ice Hockey Association
===Naisten Liiga Player of the Month===
* September 2019: Matilda Nilsson, KalPa
* October 2019: Kiira Yrjänen, Team Kuortane
* November 2019: Emmi Rakkolainen, Kiekko-Espoo
* December 2019: Emmanuelle Passard, HIFK
* January 2020: Viivi Vainika, Team Kuortane
== Milestones ==
* On 20 October 2019, HPK forward and captain Riikka Noronen scored her 703rd career point, surpassing Linda Välimäki's record and taking sole possession of first on the all-time career points list
* On 24 November 2019, Lukko forward and captain Maija Koski played her 100th Naisten Liiga game
== References ==
== External links ==
*Naisten Liiga official website (in Finnish)
Category:Ice hockey in Finland
Category:2019–20 in Finnish ice hockey