Jesperi, Kasperi Kotkaniemi reunited in Montreal

BROSSARD - Jesperi Kotkaniemi recently added a few key supporters to his cheering section at the Bell Centre.

His 20-year-old brother Kasperi made the trip from Finland for a three-week stay and took in his very first NHL game last weekend when the Canadiens battled the Chicago Blackhawks.
Jesperi hadn't seen Kasperi since August, so he was eager to welcome him to Montreal for a visit.
"It was good for him to get here so he could see some games," said Jesperi. "It's fun that he's able to share these NHL moments with me."
Just having him in the building alongside their parents, Mikael and Kati, was something special for the 18-year-old centerman. The pair has always been close.
"We've always shared pretty much the same friends, and we were always playing on the same team. We did everything together," mentioned Jesperi. "We don't have a lot of free time right now, so I just try to spend every minute that I can with them."
The significance of having family members in the stands for these extra meaningful games certainly isn't lost on the Canadiens' No. 15, whose paternal grandfather and step-grandmother are in town as well.
"It's a big thing. We're not from a big place. It's fun that everyone has a chance to come here and see what it's like to win here," explained Jesperi. "It almost feels like playoffs have started already. It's fun to get them in there for important games."
On the homefront, Kotkaniemi jokes that Kasperi's arrival has made things slightly more boisterous at his Old Montreal pad. But, he doesn't mind at all.
"There's a whole big group again. It's definitely feeling like home. We're loud all the time," cracked Jesperi. "Someone is talking all the time with four people in a small apartment. It's funny. We talk a lot about hockey. I like that."

Mutual support
While Jesperi has been enjoying his rookie season on this side of the pond, Kasperi has been plying his trade with their hometown club in Pori.
Kasperi is a goaltender. He made the jump from Ässät's U20 squad to the Finnish Elite League contingent during the year and debuted in late December.
And Jesperi couldn't have been prouder.
"It was good. He finally got his chance. He's always been a good goalie, but everyone was saying that his problem was that he was too small. I didn't see that as a problem," said Jesperi, of the 5-foot-9 netminder. "He's been good wherever he's played. He finally got that respect for doing a good job. He's there where he belongs."
The pair talk strategy quite a bit during their long-distance conversations.
"Even though he's a goalie, he likes to talk a lot about what players are doing and the game, in general. He gives me advice, what he's seeing and what I can use to help me score," explained Jesperi. "I try to help him a little bit with playing in the Liiga now. I was there last year in my hometown, so I tell him some things about how to be a pro player."
Admittedly, Jesperi wouldn't mind if the Canadiens added Kasperi to the fold at some point down the road.
"We can only hope that Montreal drafts him," said Jesperi with a smile.