Tappara had to recognize Rögle as better in the hockey CHL final. Rögle managed to celebrate the first championship in club history in front of his fanatical home with 2-1 goals.
In the good-paced and steady CHL final show, Tappara scored 1-2 goals for Rögle from Sweden. In the defense of the winners boned Valtteri Kemiläinen reached Olympic gold and CHL championship within a couple of weeks. Tony Sund was also one of the Rögle players who raised trophies.
The home team Rögle escaped in the second round to lead 2-0 when Daniel Zaar hit the match again. Tappara was on the move with a good look, especially in the second installment, but lost a few scenes. Rögle was the scorer.
Tappara’s flame of hope caught fire when Waltteri Merelä narrowed down with an accurate shot after the final set had been played for just over four minutes. Tappara’s drastic final letter did not bring an award at the end. At least the business didn’t get caught up.
– Extremely disappointing. And especially because we were very involved in the game. There were more than one finish. Still, lamentation no longer helps, the guy did one more and won, Merelä bundled the mood of Tappara camp.
Merelä reminded that SHL teams do not get much delayed matches in matches and therefore it makes the game faster than in the home SM league.
– In top-level matches, like this one today, winning is always small. Rögle scored one superior goal and we didn’t again. It decided. We got to learn by spring, luckily there is still a chance to fight for the championship. We have a good track record on the team. Let there be a tough team that wins us in the series four times in the spring, Merelä reminded.
Almost 5,000 spectators had crammed into Ängelholm’s horn spectator stand, and the setting for the puck carnival was the best A-class. Rögle sucked in extra power from the spectators.
– There was a really good mood in the auditorium. Nothing can be taken away from them. Probably the best atmosphere I’ve been to myself. And we must also give credit to the corner of the Tappara fans who had managed to go here to encourage, Merelä added.
“Only winners will be remembered”
Disappointed head coach of Tappara Jussi Tapola noted that once again the finesse and brutality of the sport became clear.
– Only the winners will be remembered, and now we were on the losing side. Gamingly, the players put everything in the league, Tapola said.
Despite the loss, the final place was a rare treat in Finnish. In addition to Tappara, only Kärpät has been seen in the finals and JYP is the only Finnish team to have won the tournament. The people of Jyväskylä celebrate the victory in the 2017-18 season.
Tapola considered the CHL as a whole to be a success.
– CHL is the right top series. It has raised a lot of its profile, and is a tough and respected series. The appreciation will rise further in the coming years. I myself have been involved in this for a long time, and now it is starting to be at the level that was originally planned. There are top teams up against them and these give a huge amount to both the players and the whole club, Tapola incense.
Tappara lost the CHL final, but rose to the top of the League at the same time on Tuesday. Quite a freak was due to the fact that the Finnish Champions League decided to move to the league table according to the points average on the same day.
Hockey CHL final, Ängelholm
Rögle – Tappara 2–1 (1–0, 1–0, 0–1)
02.53 1–0 Zaar (Bengtsson, Jonsson)
29.22 2–0 Zaar (Tambellini, Stål Lyrenäs) yv
44.23 2–1 Sea (Morley, Levtchi)
Goalkeepers
Christoffer Rifalk Rögle 23/24 fight
Christian Heljanko Tappara 24/26 fight