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Olympic hockey medals with a north east flavour
Photograph of Finnish National Team coach Jukka Jalonen who was head coach of the then Newcastle Jesters between 1999 to 2001.
The Gold and Bronze medals at this year's Winter Olympics in Vancouver may have been won by Canada and Finland respectively, but the coaches behind those successes have one thing in common.
Canada's Mike Babcock and Finland's Jukka Jalonen (pictured) both spent time in the north east, with Babcok as player-coach of Whitley Warriors in 1987, while Jalonen was Head Coach in Newcastle for two seasons - taking the side to a Playoff Final and a Cup Final in 1999 and 2000.
The Olympic hockey final was broadcast live on BBC2 bringing the sport to possibly its largest ever audience on terrestrial television.
Newcastle Vipers, who play in the UKs ice hockey Elite League are looking to cash in on the current spotlight being shone on ice hockey.
Head coach Rob Wilson, a Toronto native, said: "Our team this year has a mix of Americans and Canadians so there has been some good natured banter these two weeks.
"We played in Edinburgh on Sunday when the Final was on, and we stayed after the game and watched the Final as a squad. The emotions went back and forth I can tell you.
"But at the end of the day, the Canadians in the squad had the last laugh and I'm sure the US players will be reminded of the result each day in practice this week."
Wilson actually played under Finland coach Jalonen with the Newcastle Jesters in 2000-2001 and has no hesitation in putting the Finn at the top of his list when it comes to coaches he's played for.
"Without doubt Jukka is the best coach I've played for. Technically he is brilliant, tactically he is so aware. He comes across as being so calm and relaxed, but he is a tough customer and knows when to bawl out a player and when to put an arm round.
"The year I had with the Jesters was probably my twelfth season in the UK, but still I learned from Jukka and improved as a player.
"I would like to think I've taken the best bits from his coaching style - as I tried to do from all my coaches - and incorporate it into my coaching techniques.
"I'm delighted for Jukka to have won the bronze medal. He had a tough time with the Jesters but since then he has gone from strength to strength and his success is richly deserved."
On the coverage that the ice hockey had on mainstream TV this past fortnight, Wilson says that British clubs should attempt to capitalise while viewers still have it in their minds.
"It's been great having so much hockey on the TV for non-hockey fans to see, and hopefully become interested in our great game. The BBC have done a good job with the tournament as a whole, then to have the Final on live primetime on Sunday evening - the British clubs couldn't have asked for a better advertisement.
"What we have to do now is try to bring some viewers from their armchairs into the rinks and arenas and get them hooked on the live action."
Wilson's Vipers are playing their next home game on Saturday 6 March at Whitley Bay Ice Rink, with a 6.30pm face off. Tickets are available in advance from the club by telephone on 0191 2610909, in person at 16 Shakespeare Street, Newcastle, or online at www.vipershockey.co.uk.
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| 11th February 2012 19:15 | ||
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| 12th February 2012 00:00 | ||
6-2 |
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| 5th February 2012 18:30 | ||
4-5 |
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2-4 |
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| 5th February 2012 17:00 | ||
6-1 |
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| 4th February 2012 19:30 | ||
4-1 |
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6-2 |
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| 4th February 2012 19:00 | ||
| Club | GP | W | L | OL | GF | GA | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belfast Giants | 41 | 33 | 8 | 3 | 167 | 83 | 69 |
| 2 | Nottingham Panthers | 40 | 30 | 10 | 2 | 182 | 87 | 62 |
| 3 | Sheffield Steelers | 35 | 30 | 5 | 0 | 133 | 77 | 60 |
| 4 | Coventry Blaze | 40 | 25 | 15 | 1 | 153 | 113 | 51 |
| 5 | Cardiff Devils | 39 | 20 | 19 | 10 | 124 | 112 | 50 |
| 6 | Braehead Clan | 39 | 22 | 17 | 2 | 146 | 127 | 46 |
| 7 | Hull Stingrays | 41 | 11 | 30 | 4 | 107 | 165 | 26 |
| 8 | Edinburgh Capitals | 38 | 11 | 27 | 3 | 89 | 170 | 25 |
| 9 | Dundee Stars | 40 | 7 | 33 | 5 | 95 | 163 | 19 |
| 10 | Fife Flyers | 39 | 7 | 32 | 5 | 79 | 178 | 19 |
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| 8th February 2012 19:45 | ||
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| 11th February 2012 17:45 | ||
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| 11th February 2012 18:00 | ||
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| 11th February 2012 18:30 | ||
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| 11th February 2012 19:00 | ||
3-0 |
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| 5th February 2012 18:30 | ||
4-2 |
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| 5th February 2012 18:00 | ||
6-3 |
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| 5th February 2012 17:30 | ||
6-8 |
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| 5th February 2012 17:30 | ||
3-0 |
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| 4th February 2012 19:30 | ||
1-3 |
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| 4th February 2012 19:00 | ||
| Club | GP | W | L | OL | GF | GA | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Guildford Flames | 38 | 26 | 12 | 3 | 172 | 111 | 55 |
| 2 | Manchester Phoenix | 39 | 24 | 15 | 3 | 145 | 123 | 51 |
| 3 | Slough Jets | 37 | 24 | 13 | 2 | 167 | 117 | 50 |
| 4 | Sheffield Steeldogs | 38 | 22 | 16 | 4 | 119 | 101 | 48 |
| 5 | Milton Keynes Lightning | 37 | 22 | 15 | 1 | 116 | 99 | 45 |
| 6 | Basingstoke Bison | 38 | 21 | 17 | 2 | 135 | 126 | 44 |
| 7 | Swindon Wildcats | 39 | 15 | 24 | 5 | 126 | 134 | 35 |
| 8 | Bracknell Bees | 37 | 13 | 24 | 8 | 107 | 142 | 34 |
| 9 | Peterborough Phantoms | 38 | 14 | 24 | 2 | 123 | 164 | 30 |
| 10 | Telford Tigers | 39 | 9 | 30 | 2 | 106 | 199 | 20 |
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- Effinger has no regrets
- Hartmanis wants wins for fans
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