HOKEJ: Saipa wins the opening match of Liiga’s final against Calpa while Ilves ends third
Saipa’s first match in a series of finals in Liiga will be one to remember with love, especially for Hatrick Juuso Heikkila’s scorer, as they went out of the comfortable 6-2 winners in the calpa. Meanwhile, an overtime win for Ilves means that they won the bronze medal match against Lukko.
With a title of Maiden Ligiga on the line for both teams, it was surprising that the opening period in the best seventh series was courageous, with any pair able to put a glove on their opponents.
It took up to the 10th minute of the second period for the blocking to break – Jesper Mattila selected Lasse lappalainen From behind the net, and the latter was able to release a clean strike that gave the local party’s lead.
Seven minutes later, Sauna was finally taken to the table when a long pass by path GAIN Siconand he put the ball on a plate to Heikkila to finish in front of the net.
After scoring once, visitors regained their faith and took the lead only 16 seconds later. Kalapudas Anti stole the pellet in the offensive area from Tuomas Salmelaand played a one-two with Roni Carvine Before you bury a past strike Stefanos Lekkas.
Two became three for Saipa early in the third, as Heikkila was in the right place to enter the house as the ball was ricocheting from Lekkas and its defender.
By the fourth minute, he had finished his hattrick – the protection of the calpa gave him very large space on his left arm, allowing him to place the ball straight in the upper corner of the net.
Matyas Kantner gave the hope of the house when he chose a lost ball from a face and finished masterfully Kari PiiroinenBut this hope was destroyed within a minute while Saipa added one fifth.
Shorthended, Lappeenranta’s side was able to explode from their protective area and play the ball up to Will Petmanwho left and avoids Lekkas to put the game in bed.
Kalapudas scored in a blank network from within its protective area to add the last flowering to a 6-2 Win, while Piroinen chose an assist.
Saipa now has the opportunity to decide the daylight between teams Second gamewhich they expect tonight.
The first two from the regular season had to fight with a battle for the bronze medal but the hosts lockwho ended up at the top of the pile after 60 games, end up with empty hands after losing 5-4-4 In the over time to Lynx.
Four times the visitors from Tampere received the superiority, and four times they returned again. Carl Klinberg scored the first two goals of Lynx while Ponthus westerholm scored the first and last draws for Lukko.
But during the oversized schedule, there would be no chance that the local team would level the results if they went back for the fifth time. Inevitably, they did only in the fourth minute, when Ville He rode the pellet on the roof of the net.
Bronze is a small step by silver a year ago, but at least Ilves finish their campaign in a high. Despite the conclusion in a sour note, Lukko’s fourth place is their best conclusion as they last won the title in 2021.