In the Ice Hockey Championship League, Jukurit and JYP fought on Friday for important points in terms of the playoffs. Emotions heated up already in the opening set, when JYP’s Canadian striker Braden Christopher fooled himself into the shower during a game break. Christoffer hit the 16-year-old Jukuriden From Konsta Helenius with a cross stick to the neck and that was the end of his game.
In actual game time, they only managed to score Michal Kovarcik and Tobias Winberg and finally a solution was sought in the extended period.
The most telling situation of the match and the entire round was seen in extra time, when Juhamatti Aaltonen was able to escape through the drive-thru. Then another puck flew onto the ice from the Jyväskylä stand.
Jukurit got a penalty shot for the situation, and Aaltonen got through again with a smart JYP keeper Wine Vehviläinen with. However, Veiniläinen, who had defended brilliantly throughout the match, got in the way of the puck, and the decision stretched to a contest for the winning goal.
He became the hero of the Jukurites Liam Kirk, who managed to score the only goal. Jukurei, who is fighting for the last playoff spots, liked the points.
After the match, Urheilu’s expert Top Nättinen went to the evening’s Ice Hockey round hot on the heels of the round’s most talked about situation.
– The role of the viewer is to be a viewer. That (penalty shot) was deserved, it should have even been a goal. If a JYP fan has thrown it onto the field, it should be forever banned from all hockey games in the world. No one is bigger than the company. In that situation, you place your own beloved club in the most important match of the season… So if it was a supporter of JYP, Nättinen thought.
– I wonder if it would be a Jukurei supporter, unless it’s some rule geek. This needs to be clarified. In theory, when the puck could have been thrown from the stands by a member of the Jukurei team, who is also on the trip as an extra player. I don’t blame anyone, but in theory it is possible, and it will be punished more severely..
Also the head coach of Jukurei Olli Jokinen the head coach wondered about the situation.
– According to Aaltonen, the situation would have been the same even if the home team had gone through. It didn’t matter. I’ve never seen anything like that before, even though I’ve been involved in hockey to some extent, Jokinen commented to STT.
The defeat tasted bitter for Vehviläinen, who made a great save. The people from Jyväskylä, ranked 13th in the series, now have seven points to the playoff line, while there are eight matches left in the regular season.
– It doesn’t matter a damn about your own game if the team loses. With rankers, it’s always a coin toss. Maybe the guy deserved his victory, the disappointed JYP guard commented to STT.
Urheilu’s expert Nättinen believed that Jyväskylä’s games will not continue after the regular season. In the regular season, JYP will face its main opponents Jukurit, KooKoo and HPK.
– If they happen to win those games, they have a theoretical chance… But yes, it has been in the one and a half percent range for a long time already before this week. JYP got a three-game winning streak, the point streak continues.. Yes, it needs three wins, it’s too far. Jukurit, HPK, four or three wins out of eight games is enough for them, but JYP should take six wins at that point.. Unfortunately, it won’t happen, Nättinen saw.
14 goal celebration in Helsinki
HIFK and SaiPa offered the Helsinki audience the joy of 14 goals, which finally ended with HIFK’s 9–5 victory. Among the successes of the people of Helsinki were those who scored a hat trick Eetu Koivistoinen and powers 1+2 knocked out Leevi Teissala.
The loss was the 14th in a row for Serie Jumbo SaiPa. The team has already lost its chance for the playoffs, and it traveled to Helsinki with an insufficient lineup. On Tuesday, the team suffered an embarrassing 0-8 loss to Tappara.
KalPa, on the other hand, claimed an important 3–1 win over Pori Äss for a direct playoff spot. The team is now fifth in the series.
In addition to Jyväskylä, a solution was sought in Oulu and Lahti through a longer formula.
Like Helsinki, the crowd in Oulu was treated to goals, as Kärpät and HPK scored a total of ten goals in regular time. HPK’s 6–5 winning goal was finally scored in overtime Michael Joly in 64.10.
KooKoo bullied the Pelicans in Lahti and finally claimed an important 4–3 victory after the winning goal race. In the end, the hero of the guests became the only one who succeeded in scoring in the competition for the winning goal Teemu Rautiainen. The teams will meet again on Saturday.
The SM league table can be seen on page 223 of teletext.
HIFK-SaiPa 9–5
JYP-Jukurit vl. 1–2
Kärpät-HPK and. 5–6
Pelicans-KooKoo vl. 3–4
Aces-KalPa 1–3