TPS was the receiving party for 54 minutes, but pushed the match into the extra round with a tremendous tight end. Waltteri Merelä and Charles Bertrand scored Tappara’s goals.
The 10,500 spectators crammed into the Turkuhall were disappointed when the puck bounced in the sequel to the ax breasts. Killer attacker Charles Bertrandin the feed bounced off the TPS defender Ruben Rafkin from the skate to the Turku team’s own goal, and thus the people of Tampere moved to a 2–0 lead in the match series.
Tappara’s coach Jussi Tapola was not entirely satisfied with his own performance.
– In the name of honesty, TPS was better than us in the field game. Here, however, the game is about winning and that is the most important thing. We know we need to improve. On Wednesday, there was more of an acquaintance, it was a first date and now we start dating and socializing from now on, Tapola said in an interview with Sport.
– The little one was caught, nothing more than the next game. Tappara came along well in the game. They were ready for our pressure. Towards the end, we improved. We were active and got a lot of places, TPS defender Elmeri Eronen inch to after the game.
Guests Waltteri Merelä scored the first goal of the match when he scored Brady Austinin past the loose disc in the backpack that bounced off the shot Andrei Karejevin. The Tampere players dominated the game until the end of the third round.
However, TPS’s number one chain, known as “black death,” did not give up. Markus Nurmi and Juuso Pärssinen plotted after 54 minutes. Nurmi fed the puck in front of the goal, from which Pärssinen lifted a little black paint to the ceiling and TPS got the life on it.
Soon after Tyler Steenbergen was close to riveting TPS’s winning goal after defeating Tappara’s defense Jack Rodewald released him to the vacancy, but Tappara Otto Leskinen got his bat raised so much that the bet failed.
– The rest went to haste and not enough responsibility was taken. We’ve been to tough places before, so we know how to handle this, Merelä, who scored his first goal in the playoffs, said.
The game started fast
There was no lack of atmosphere in the crowded Turkuhalli, as both teams tackled hard as the opening round progressed. Eronen admitted that TPS was supposed to be active and shows that it is now played in Turku. He also praised the home audience.
– It’s like being the sixth field player. It helps us a lot and gives us energy when there is a lot of audience.
The final series will continue as early as Monday, when the teams meet in Tampere.
– If we continue to put pressure on what we achieved today in the third installment and overtime, and if we get the goal with superiority, then we will certainly be able to win the game, Elmeli Eronen added.
All finals of the Finnish Championship can be listened to live on Puhe. On Sunday, you can listen to the decisive fifth women’s hockey final Kiekko-Espoo – HIFK from 3.50 pm from Puhehe.
TPS – Tappara 1-2 and. (0-1, 0-0, 1-0, 0-1)
17.53 0–1 Waltteri Merelä (Brady Austin, Mikael Seppälä)
54.31 1–1 Juuso Pärssinen (Markus Nurmi, Samuli Vainionpää)
62.41 2–1 Charles Bertrand (Kristian Kuusela, Casimir Jurgens)
TPS, Andrei Karejev 11 + 8 + 6 + 0 = 25
Tappara, Christian Heljanko 7 + 11 + 10 + 2 = 30