Tappara has signed a player contract with goalkeeper Niko Hovinen for four matches. Hovinen’s contract is valid for the Jokerit-Tappara match on Saturday and for Tappara’s three matches next week.

The experienced Hovinen, 38, arrives at Tappara to cover for the absences of Juha Metsola and William Gammals.

– Metsola and Gammals are out of the lineup, and we needed reinforcement in the goalkeeper department. We got a familiar face and a good personality to cover the absences, commented Tappara’s GM Janne Vuorinen in the club’s statement.

Hovinen previously represented Tappara in the spring of 2023, when he joined the team for the remainder of the season from Sport. At that time, Hovinen played four matches for Tappara with a save percentage of 91.5 and won the Finnish championship with the club at the end of the season.

In the previous three seasons, Hovinen played for HIFK in the Liiga. Last season, he played 14 matches with a save percentage of 85.6.

Hovinen is a world champion with the Lions from the spring of 2011.

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