Hej! NMU Lands Two Recruits

Word has started to circle that there are two verbal commitments who will be additions to the roster for the 2007-08 season. The first one is forward Greger Hansen of the Djurgården J20 team. In seventy four games played (two seasons at the SuperElit level) he has 23 goals and 32 assists.

The second player is defenseman Erik Gustaffson of the Timrå J20 team. In seventy nine games played (two seasons at the SuperElit level) he had 10 goals and 17 assists. Erik also recorded 119 pim's in his two seasons at the SuperElit level.

Both are rumored to be diamonds in the rough and are good pick ups for the program. There should be an official announcement from the university within a week. More details will be posted after they sign.

NMU Alums: Tarkki/Kärpät win Finnish Championship

Former Wildcat goaltender Tuomas Tarkki helped Oulun Kärpät defeat Jokerit 5-2 today (tonight in Finland) to win the Finnish Hockey League championship. Kärpät played a strong defensive game, giving Tuomas a chance to see just 19 shots. Tuomas went a perfect 10-0-0 in the post season, with¹ a save percentage of 95.42% and a goals against average of 1.3.

Not only was this the strongest defensive outing by Kärpät in the playoffs, but the five goals scored marks the most goals Kärpät scored in the playoffs.

Game box score is available here.

The game did head down to the wire, as Jokerit scored at 6:06 in the third to tie the game at 2-2. In a note of trivia, former Green Bay Gambler and tUMD Bulldog Tim Stapleton assisted on the tying goal and scored the first goal for Jokerit.

With just over four minutes left in regulation, Kärpät's Ross Lupaschuk scored to give Kärpät their third lead of the game. Jokerit pulled their goaltender twice in the waning minutes of the game, only have Kärpät stun them each time with empty net goals.

And if anyone can read Finnish, enjoy this article that discusses Tuomas. If anyone could translate it for us, it would be most appreciated.

Maalivahti Tarkki playoffsien paras tulokas

Philips palkitsi torstain ratkaisevan finaaliottelun jälkeen Kärppien maalivahdin Tuomas Tarkin playoffsien parhaana tulokkaana.

Sensaatiomaiset pudotuspelit pelannut Tarkki ponnisti voittajaksi SM-liigan kriteerien ulkopuolelta. Liigan virallisen tulkinnan mukaan Tarkki ei ole tulokaspelaaja, sillä hän on 27-vuotias, mutta huikea voittoputki pudotuspeleissä - kymmenen ottelua, kymmenen voittoa - oli näyttönä ylittämätön.

Congratulations to Tuomas Tarkki and to Oulun Kärpät!!

¹ - By my hand calculations. An easy to search database that we take for granted from USCHO and similar sites could not be easily located.