Porin Ässät (women's ice hockey)

Porin Ässät (Finnish pronunciation: [ˈporin æsːæt]; Finnish for Pori Aces) is an ice hockey team based in Pori, Satakunta, Finland.[1] They have had a women's reprecentative team in 1982–95 and 1999–2003.

For the parent organization, see HC Ässät Pori Oy.
Ässät Gold Stars
NicknamePata
Porin Punakone (The Red Machine of Pori)
CityPori
LeagueNone at reprecentative level
Founded1982 (1982)
Home arenaIsomäki Areena
Atsora Areena
(capacity: 6 500 in Isomäki
530 in Astora)
Colors     
Owner(s)Porin Ässät ry
General managerNiina Valli
Head coachTuuli Harjunpää
Parent club(s)Porin Ässät
Sections of Porin Ässät
Ice hockey
(Men's)		 Ice hockey
(Women's)		 Football
(Men's)
Esports

Porin Ässät was formed in 1967 but women's hockey was introduced to the club in 1982. Ässät was one of the ten founders of the Naisten SM-sarja (now Naisten Liiga). Ässät folded in 2004, but in 2020 it re-started as an ice hockey school for women with the name Ässät Gold Stars.

History

In the SM-sarja (1982–1995)
Ässät women's jersey used by Tiina Paasikunnas

1982–83

Ässät Hockey's women's team was established in 1982 and it was one of the 10 founders Naisten SM-sarja.

Ässät was tied with Tiikerit at 2nd in the Group A. Ässät played a match against Tiikerit which would decide who makes it to the playoffs. Tiikerit beat Ässät 7-6 and thus Ässät did not make the playoffs. Ässät played Anne Bäckman led the league with 42 points in 7 games played.

1990–91

Ässät finished 4th in the regular season. Ässät lost to EKS in the bronze medal game.

1994–95

Ässät finished 7th in the regular season and was relegated to the I-divisioona. After that the team took a break and returned in 1999.

First season in I-divisioona and SM-sarja qualification attempt

Ässät finished 4th in the I-divisioona regular season and got to play for the Naisten SM-sarja qualification series (Karsintasarja in Finnish). Ässät finished 6th in the eight-team qualification series and thus did not get promoted back to the SM-sarja.

Last seasons and disestablishment (2000–2003)

Ässät played in I-divisioona for 2000–01 and 2002–03. It played in the II-divisioona in 2001–02.

Ässät's women's reprecentative team was disbanded at the end of the 2002–03 season.

The brightest star and statistically the best player on the Ässät Women team was Sari Fisk.[2]

Establishment of the Ässät Gold Stars (2020–present)

Ässät has had a hockey school for women called Ässät Gold Stars since 2020.[3] In the junior departement, Ässät has a girl skating school and a team for U10 girls called Ässät Red Stars.[4]

Arguably the best female player to come out of the Ässät junior department after the collapse of the senior team is Sofianna Sundelin, Olympic and World Championship bronze medallist who currently plays for St. Cloud State Huskies in the NCAA Division I.[5][6]


Notable alumni

International players
  • Denmark Lena Kofod 1999-2000
  • Russia Violetta Simanova 1999-2000
  • Russia Tatjana Tikhonov 1999-2000
  • Canada Sandra Toon 1999-2000
  • Russia Tatyana Tsaryova 1999-2000

1999–00 I-divisioona & SM-sarja qualification roster

[10]

No. Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace
Finland Charlotte Pettersson G
Finland Maria Rönni G
Finland Katariina Fisk D
Finland Tuuli Harjunpää D R 43 Uppsala, Sweden
Finland Kati Hietanen D
Denmark Lena Kofod D L Herlev, Denmark
Finland Johanna Lähdetkallio D
Finland Petra Salminen D L 41 Pori, Finland
Russia Tatyana Tsaryova F L 45 1999–00
Russia Tatyana Tikhonov F L 39 Riga, Soviet Union
Russia Violetta Simanova F L 50 1999–00
Canada Sandra Toon F
Finland Eveliina Koskinen F 39
Finland Susanne Koskinen F L 49 Pori, Finland
Finland Eeva Paitula F 42
Finland Annika Pitkänen F
Finland Sanna Sainio F L 51 1987–88 Pori, Finland
Finland Henna Salminen F
Finland Satu Vallinkoski F

Franchise records
See also: Porin Ässät (men's ice hockey) § Franchise records

These are the top-five-point-scorers in franchise history. Figures are updated after each completed Liiga season.

  •  *  – current Ässät player

Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games Played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points

Honours

Awards named after Ässät players

Awards won by players

Logo history
  • Ässät's logo 1982–2003. Ässät junior team's and the men's team still used this logo until 2023.
    Ässät's logo 1982–2003. Ässät junior team's and the men's team still used this logo until 2023.


Notes

    References
    1. "Ässät at eliteprospects.com". www.eliteprospects.com. Retrieved 2022-05-04.
    2. "Sari Fisk at eliteprospects.com". www.eliteprospects.com. Retrieved 2022-05-03.
    3. "Ässät Gold Stars". Porin Ässät ry (in Finnish). Retrieved 2022-05-04.
    4. "Ässät Red Stars". Porin Ässät ry (in Finnish). Retrieved 2022-05-04.
    5. "Porin Ässät ry - Sofianna Sundelin - Ässistä MM-kisoihin". Porin Ässät ry (in Finnish). Retrieved 2023-01-19.
    6. "Ässäkasvatti Sofianna Sundelin tekee unelmastaan totta Kuortaneella – MM-mitalistilla jääkiekko on etusijalla". Satakunnan Kansa (in Finnish). 2019-01-20. Retrieved 2023-01-19.
    7. "Sofianna Sundelin at eliteprospects.com". www.eliteprospects.com. Retrieved 2022-05-03.
    8. Podnieks, Andrew (ed.). IIHF Media Guide and Record Book 2011. Moydart Press. p. 589.
    9. "Tatyana Tsaryova at eliteprospects.com". www.eliteprospects.com. Retrieved 2022-05-04.
    10. "Ässät 1999–00". www.eliteprospects.com.
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