Tuomas Tarkki

Tuomas Sakari Tarkki (born 28 February 1980) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey goaltender and the goaltending coach of the Finnish women's national team. He played college ice hockey in the NCAA and professionally in the Finnish Liiga, the American Hockey League (AHL), the Swedish Elitserien, the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), the Czech Extraliga, and the Danish Metal Ligaen.

Playing career After playing his junior ice hockey career with Lukko, including three SM-liiga games as a backup, Tarkki studied at the Northern Michigan University and played four years of college hockey with the Northern Michigan Wildcats men's ice hockey program. In the 2004–05 season, he was an AHCA All-America selection and was named both the CCHA Player of the Year and CCHA Goaltender of the Year in 2005.

After college, he spent a year in the North American minor leagues before returning to Finland to replace the injured Andy Chiodo as the Kärpät starting goaltender.

On 9 December 2006, Tarkki made SM-liiga history by facing his younger brother, Iiro Tarkki, who was in goal for SaiPa. This was the first time in the league that two brothers had played against each other in goal. Tuomas made 31 saves and registered a shutout while Iiro, five years his junior, allowed four goals on 20 shots.

International play Tarkki made his debut with the Finnish national team on 15 December 2007, in the Channel One Cup on the Euro Hockey Tour, playing one game against the . Tarkki had a dismal game, allowing five goals on 23 shots.

Personal life Tarkki is married to former Finnish women's national team defenseman Saija Tarkki .

Career statistics Regular season Season Team League GP W L T MIN GA SO GAA Sv% 1996–97 Lukko SM-l 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 -- -- 2001–02 Northern Michigan University NCAA 4 2 1 0 145 6 0 2.48 91.4% 2002–03 Northern Michigan University NCAA 6 2 1 0 244 11 0 2.70 88.7% 2003–04 Northern Michigan University NCAA 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -- -- 2004–05 Northern Michigan University NCAA 34 20 8 5 1974 68 3 2.07 93.0% 2005–06 Gwinnett Gladiators ECHL 7 4 2 1 425 20 1 2.83 91.0% 2005–06 Chicago Wolves AHL 31 13 10 4 1685 91 1 3.24 88.8% 2006–07 Kärpät SM-l 26 17 5 3 1530.52 49 4 1.92 93.68% International Season Tournament GP W L T MIN GA SO GAA Sv% 2007 EHT 1 0 0 1 65 5 0 4.62 78.26%

Awards and achievements Award Year College All-CCHA First Team 2004-05 AHCA West Second-Team All-American 2004–05