Bracket
Season reviews
HIFK
IFK Helsinki placed second in the regular season, despite having a greater number of games won than first place Kiekko-Espoo, as the result of a six point deduction issued by the disciplinary committee of the Finnish Ice Hockey Association. The penalty was incurred after it was identified that necessary international transfer documents had not been submitted ahead of the 2022–23 Naisten Liiga season for Michaela Pejzlová. Though the team finished in second place, HIFK players topped the league charts in nearly every major metric. Czech centre Michaela Pejzlová won theHPK
HPK Hämeenlinna finished the season in third place after amassing 66 points and earning a goal difference of +52. The team achieved their best end-of-season rank in eight seasons as the result of excellent goaltending and quality depth scoring. Alternate captain Kiti Seikkula led HPK in points and goals, with 22 goals and 45 points in 31 games. Her point total was followed by Slovak forward Júlia Matejková's 16 goals and 22 points in 29 games and Czech left winger Tereza Pištěková's 24 assists and 35 points in 32 games. The three linemates ranked tenth, twelfth, and thirteenth on the league scoring table, respectively, and Seikkula was eighth in the league for goals scored. An additional three HPK players – right winger Ines Lukkarila, center Ella Välikangas, and defenseman Heta Seikkula – exceeded the twenty-point mark and another two players – Czech winger Barbora Juříčková and defenseman Oona Koukkula – earned 19 points on the season. Both parts of HPK's goaltender tandem, Eline Gabriele and Janika Järvikari, ranked in the league's top-five of net minders playing at least one-third of their team's minutes for both save percentage and goals against average. Gabriele played half of HPK's games and recorded a very good 91.3 save percentage and solid 1.94 GAA, while Järvikari recorded a sublime 93.1 save percentage and league-leading 1.42 GAA. Canadian goaltender Kassidy Sauvé, who had masterfully backstopped the team during the 2022 Aurora Borealis Cup playoffs, signed with HPK in December 2023 and played in six regular season games during January and February, amassing a shaky 88.0 save percentage during that time.KalPa
KalPa Kuopio finished the regular season ranked fourth in the league, with 60 points and a goal difference of +38. Star left winger Elisa Holopainen tallied 57 points despite missing all of September and most of October while rehabilitating from a major leg injury. Her 32 goals and 25 assists in nineteen games led all KalPa players in points and goals. Captain Johanna Juutilainen led the team in assists (26) and she ended the season with 46 points in 32 games. Other notable contributors to KalPa’s scoring were defenseman Sanni Rantala, who notched 34 points (13+21) in 30 games, and forward Tilli Keränen, who recorded a career-best 30 points (14+16) in 28 games. Goaltender Tiina Ranne led the league in time on ice, with nearly 1,235 minutes in net, and her 21 games played tied Olivia Last of TPS for most played. Her 90.2 save percentage ranked ninth of all goaltenders playing at least one-third of their team's minutes and her 2.53 goals against average ranked seventh. Backup net-minders Aino Laitinen and Jenna Juutilainen recorded save percentages of 91.2 in eight games and 89.9 in four games, respectively.Ilves
For the second consecutive season, Ilves Tampere amassed 59 points and were seeded fifth at the conclusion of the regular season. The team's +8 goal difference was one goal higher than their +7 for the 2022–23 season. Alternate captain Anniina Kaitala led the team in both goals (21) and points (34), and her eight power play goals ranked first in the league. First line centre Emilia Varpula was Ilves' assist leader, recording 27 assists and 33 points in 31 games, and alternate captain Helen Puputti notched 32 points (13+19) in 31 games. Elli Suoranta was the top scoring defender for Ilves, tallying 28 points (13+15) in 27 games.Team Kuortane
For the third consecutive season, Team Kuortane placed sixth in the league. The team struggled to score throughout the season and were shutout in ten games during the 32-game season, ultimately recording a –34 goal difference. Raili Mustonen led the team in points, scoring 7 goals and 15 points in 30 games, and ranked 51st on the league scoring table. Sofia Kari was Kuortane's leading goal scorer, with 9 goals and 14 points in 31 games, and Aino Krook led the team in assists, with 11 assists and 14 points in 32 games.Quarterfinals
The best-of-five quarterfinals () began on Friday, 23 February and concluded on Sunday, 3 March. The top eight teams from the regular season qualified for the quarterfinal round. In three of the four series, home ice advantage was granted to the higher seeded teams for the first, third, and fifth games.(1) K-Espoo vs. (8) TPS
---- ----(2) HIFK vs. (7) Kärpät
---- ----(3) HPK vs. (6) Kuortane
HPK swept the season series with Team Kuortane, winning all four games in regulation. The teams' last playoff meeting was in the 2020 Aurora Borealis Cup quarterfinals, which Team Kuortane won in five games. ---- ---- HPK Hämeenlinna swept the series in three games, though the first game was pushed to the(4) KalPa vs. (5) Ilves
Ilves won three of four games in the 2023–24 season series, though their third meeting was pushed to overtime before Elli Suoranta scored to conclude the game in Ilves’ favor. KalPa won the only game of the series in which Elisa Holopainen played. In the 2023 playoffs, Ilves lost to HPK in four quarterfinal games and KalPa beat HPK to win Finnish Championship bronze. All four games of the season series were close affairs, ending with a one-goal difference. Ilves won the first three encounters, though the third game was pushed to overtime before Elli Suoranta scored the game winner. KalPa won the only game in the series in which Elisa Holopainen played. The teams last met in the postseason during the quarterfinals of the 2020 Aurora Borealis Cup playoffs, which KalPa won in three games. ---- ---- ----Quarterfinal statistics
;Scoring leaders The following players led the league in points at the conclusion of the quarterfinals on 2 March 2024. ''Note: This table includes games played during the quarterfinals only. For cumulative playoff totals, see Player statistics.'' The following skaters were the top point scorers of teams not represented in the scoring leader table at the conclusion of the quarterfinals on 2 March 2024, noted with their overall scoring rank: : 24. Eevi Ilvonen,Semifinals
The best-of-five semifinals () began on Tuesday, 5 March and concluded on Sunday, 10 March.K-Espoo vs. KalPa
The last postseason encounter between KalPa and Kiekko-Espoo came in the semifinals of the 2022 Aurora Borealis Cup playoffs, which Kiekko-Espoo won in four games. KalPa went on to win Finnish Championship bronze against HPK and Kiekko-Espoo took home silver after being swept in the finals by HIFK. ---- ----HIFK vs. HPK
HIFK and HPK's last playoff meeting was in the 2023 semifinals, which HIFK swept in three games. HIFK went on to win the Aurora Borealis Cup for the first time. HPK lost the 2023 Finnish Championship bronze medal game to KalPa. ---- ---- ----Semifinal statistics
;Scoring leaders The following players led the league in semifinal points at the conclusion of the semifinals on 10 March 2024. ''Note: This table includes games played during the semifinals only. For cumulative totals, see player statistics.'' The following skater was the top point scorer of HPK, the only team not included in the scoring leaders table, noted with her overall scoring rank: : 16. Ines Lukkarila, HPK: 3 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 2 Pts, 4 PIM ;Goaltenders The following goaltenders had played at least two semifinal periods in net at the conclusion of the semifinals on 10 March 2024, sorted byBronze medal game
The Finnish Championship bronze medal game () was played on Saturday, 16 March 2024.Finals
The best-of-five Finnish Championship finals ( or ), also called the grand finale (), began on Saturday, 16 March and the Aurora Borealis Cup will be awarded no later than Saturday, 23 March 2024. ---- ---- ----Player statistics
Scoring leaders
The following players led the league in playoff points at the conclusion of the playoffs on 21 March 2024.Goaltenders
The following goaltenders played at least two periods of a playoff match at the conclusion of the playoffs on 21 March 2024, sorted byReferences
Game references
External links