Laine and Korpisalo spent close to an hour in the lobby, signing autographs to pictures and pucks, handing out hockey cards, posing for pictures and bantering with patients, parents and staff.
The visit, according to Jukka Salminen, chief of pediatric surgery at the hospital, was as important as any treatments administered that day.
"These children, they are very sick and many of them spend a lot of time in this hospital," he said. "It's boring and it's very important to have some joy because when they feel well, they also recover better. To see these great stars, it's very nice."
Korpisalo is a native of Helsinki. The goalie, who comes home each offseason, said he knows the vital role the hospital plays in the city, helping children with serious medical issues find health and hope.
"You see they're fighting through it," he said. "You know, every kid here, they're warriors, so it is great to come to see them here and see the joy in seeing us. It's such a little thing for us, but for them it makes their day and that makes our day, too."
Laine and Korpisalo have much left to do during their stay in Finland, which culminates with two regular-season games against the Avalanche.
Korpisalo has some outings planned with teammates to show off Finnish history and culture.
For Laine, memories remain to be made as he spends the next four days in his hometown of Tampere, visiting the sites of his childhood and catching up with friends.
Each player will receive a hero's welcome when introduced before each game at Nokia Arena, yet Laine says it will be hard to top the way he felt Tuesday.
"These are always great moments and obviously I'm glad that these guys allowed us to come here today," he said. "For some kids, hopefully, it's something that's going to cheer them up for a long time.
"It's a great memory to have those pictures and autographs. You know, we will still remember this day the same way hopefully they will. It was just a very great experience overall."
