The most superior star of the Finnish team, Maestro of the puck game Mikael Granlund is in a bad stalemate, writes Jussi Paasi.
Jussi Paasi
Leijonat lost in a rude way to Austria in the World Cup. It was the famous shock defeat. The puck found its way in the last second of the game Harri Säterin behind the back.
The loss is still not the biggest problem for the Finnish team. A bigger dilemma can be found in the word radar pair.
Such is always needed in the hockey team’s offensive chain. A duo that operates on the same wavelength. It would be especially important to have a working pair of radars in the team’s first chain. Then there is a third link that completes the chain.
No radar pair has been found for the Lions’ number one spot. Not to mention the whole trio.
Jukka Jalonen had decided that they would form a pair of radars in Finland’s top chain Mikael Granlund and Valtteri Puustinen. It sounded like a good pairing before the start of the tournament.
To Jalonen’s chagrin, Granlund and Puustisinen just didn’t have any kind of playful chemistry during the four matches.
No radar and no mate. At the same time, the search has also included the third link in the chain.
In the opening game, the top two were planted next to each other Juha Jääskä. Did not work. After that, the only 18-year-old was tried out for just under two games From Konsta Helenius. Did not work.
For Thursday’s match against Austria, Granlund and Puustinen got their chains Jere Innalan. Did not work.
Playing the new number one chain was constant forcing. No common thread could be found in the trio’s excerpts.
In addition to that, Innala has a huge monkey on his back, expressed in hockey terms. Scoring is painful when Innala can’t get the puck into an empty net. Frustration shines through the grips, even though the dock worker works with good morale from shift to shift.
Fortunately for Jalonen, two of Finland’s attacking chains are playing like a dream. Oliver Kapanen forges a sensational mark in the form of goals Jesse Puljujärvi and Ahti Oksanen well supported.
A chain of four, that is Saku Mäenalanen – Hannes Bjorninen – Iiro Pakarinen works like an artificial kidney. The trio was in a downright terrible attack against Austria, both offensively and defensively.
But Leijon lacks a number one chain. It is Jalonen’s crown of sorrows. Frankly, a big problem.
Against Great Britain and Norway, the number one chain was not much needed. The opponents were that fast. In the Austria game, Granlund’s skill would have already been used a lot.
On Saturday, the Lions’ opponent will be Canada, which is full of NHL stars.
Granlund is the team’s most superior star. The maestro of the puck game. No suitable berths have been found for him, and that makes it difficult for the Lions against tougher countries.
It’s hard to see how the combination of Granlund and Puustinen would suddenly start to work when there haven’t been any signs of it in four games.
At the end of the Austria game, Jalone and his coaching staff moved Granlund to play with Puljujärvi and Kapanen.
It will be really interesting to see who Granlund plays with on Saturday. Against Canada, the Lions’ strongest trio is badly needed around him. Not to mention next week’s playoffs.
Granlund is certainly hurt by the situation at least as much as Jalos. The number one star is in a stalemate. That’s enough for the coaching staff to think about.
The Ice Hockey World Cup will be played in the Czech Republic from 10 to 26. May. follows the events in the app, on the website, on Sports Screen and on Sports Radio.