Groomed for success

Canadiens captain Koivu ties the knot in Finland

TURKU, Finland (AP) -- Convinced after lengthy discussions during a serious illness, about life, relationships and a possible future together, Montreal Canadiens captain Saku Koivu married Hanna Norio in western Finland.

"The last hour before the ceremony I was tense, but I slept well the night before," Koivu, 28, told reporters outside Turku Cathedral after Friday's ceremony.

Only specially invited guests, among them many hockey players, attended the wedding, after which the couple were chauffeured by Koivu's younger brother Mikko -- a promising player -- in a Rolls Royce to dinner. Not only cans rattled, tied to the car's the rear fender, but also a hockey helmet and a pair of skates.

Among the guests were Koivu's friend Martin Rucinsky, a former Montreal player now with the New York Rangers, Jere Lehtinen of the Dallas Stars and Ville Peltonen, the two other players from the top line on the Finnish team winning its hitherto only World Championship title in 1995 in Stockholm, Sweden. Peltonen, who scored a hat trick in the final against Sweden, plays in the domestic league.

Last September, Koivu was struck by a cancerous illness, but he recovered to help the team in postseason games. Koivu signed a one-year extension contract this summer with Montreal.

Norio, Koivu's girlfriend since 1998, also hails from Turku, but lived in Saudi Arabia and Sweden as a kid. She has studied biochemistry in her hometown, and also attended McGill University in Montreal. She is fluent in English and French.

The honeymoon is soon over for Koivu. He will travel to central Europe for a hockey camp held by Russian coach Vladimir Yurshinov, who coached Koivu in Turku for a few years. Many players think that there is no better way to prepare for a grueling NHL season than attending Yurshinov's summer camps.

 

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