– I didn’t think to get bitter. Disappointed of course, that’s the top feeling.
This is how Ilves’ head coach started the interview Antti Pennanen after the Good Friday quarter-final break.
The first big bang of the SM league spring was finished, and only the first of the four quarter-final series has been decided.
And it was resolved in such a way that KalPa, who finished seventh in the regular season, sent the big champion favorite, Tampere Ilves, to the summer holidays with a 4–1 win. KalPa won the last match 4–2 in Tampere.
After the match, Ilves fans wildly booed their own.
“I can’t say how I feel”
In the fifth quarter-final, Ilves took the lead in less than a minute Petr Kodytekin by hitting
– Strong energy at the beginning, strong charge and intensity were visible. Then a couple of bad ices, the guy got the lead.
– Today, as in the whole series, the opponent was undeniably very effective. We didn’t succeed in that, it’s a big picture, a disappointed Pennanen chatted.
In the opening set, KalPa went alongside and passed Jaakko Lantan mixed Oliver Kapanen with hits. At the beginning of the second period, Ilvesen succeeded Ville Meskanen. When KalPa ran away again in the middle of the match Jaakko Rissanen and with Lanta’s hits, it was “hey hey Ilves”.
Pennanen emphasized that he was not criticizing his defenders or the goalkeeper’s play, but KalPa succeeded in what Ilves missed.
– We had challenges in terms of efficiency, as well as with special situations and starts. I am satisfied with how much the players put themselves into the game. You have to remember that KalPa played very well.
The winner of the points exchange of the regular season Oula Palve achieved 0+2 performances in the playoffs. He was amazed in the interview.
– Well, it certainly is… I can’t really say how I feel about this. Just feeling a little empty, confused as to what exactly happened here. I felt that there was a good mood and form even at the end of the regular season, we played well in many games, but we just didn’t get those victories.
Where did Ilves’ superiority go?
One of the great reasons for wonder is Ilves’ superiority. In the regular season, it was the best in the league. In the playoffs, Ilves played more than 36 minutes of superiority and didn’t even score a goal.
– KalPa played a really good understrength. Almost the entire season has been dominated by me. In the first two games, I wasn’t allowed to be with the puck at all, KalPa pressured me away. We were embarrassed. There were places then. The result doesn’t lie, but there were a few mega places that should have been placed, Palve wondered.
According to Pennanen, Ilves’ biggest problems were getting into the attack zone.
– Yes, chances started coming when we got to the attacking area. They tried to stomp and twist it, but couldn’t get it quite like that…
Palve was of the opinion that there was no bigger problem with Ilves loading or the game’s structure.
– Even though we lost this big (match series 1–4), if you look at the games more closely, we played well. It didn’t stick to that either. Everyone fought, skated and did chores. Little things. KalPa was able to take the goal posts away from us.
The difference between the top players?
Palve didn’t go into Finnish himself when asked about his personal efficiency in the playoffs.
– I don’t see that I played differently than in the regular season. It was exactly the same way they fought there. Small is the sample, only five games here. Couldn’t get more out of it.
In the regular season, Ilves had five men with more than 20 goals and five men with more than 40 points. KalPa’s corresponding readings were one and two.
However, in the semifinals, for example, KalPa’s number one opponent Juuso Mäenpää – Oliver Kapanen – Matyas Kantner was a completely different class from Ilves’ solution players.
Ilves’ best power men reached three points, and Eemeli Finland was the only one to score more than one goal.
When Pennase was asked about the success of Ilves’ top players, he sighed deeply and for a long time.
– As ambitious players, they will certainly wonder if they should have gotten more. Then, on the other hand, I appreciate Eemeli Suomei, that not many people would have played with that injury. He is a tough warrior, Pennanen revealed.
– But they are certainly disappointed, and without a doubt, the first chain of the road race was damn good. That’s not us… Yes, the guys gave their all.
How will the Ilves camp try to deal with this bitter end of the season?
– Well, I can’t say anything about that. All in their own way, I guess. There is no more reasonable answer now, Palve replied.
At the same time, Pennanen’s nearly two-season stint in Ilves ended. He replaced the one who got fired Bunch of Myrrh in October 2022, when Ilves was at the top of the league.
– Disappointed taste overall. Then again, as a place, Ilves was an excellent work community.
– Let’s see if this will be the last of my career in the SM league. Time will tell, 45-year-old Pennanen suddenly thought at the end of the interview.
The Toronto Parable
This season is remembered, for example, for the Toronto comparisons of Pennanen, Leijoni’s next head coach. With them, Pennanen referred to the pressure that Toronto’s players face in the puck-crazy city at the same time that success twists and turns. Toronto’s last championship was in 1967.
Ilves’ previous championship is from 1985. The previous final place is from 1998.
In recent years, Ilves has invested heavily in its players and organization. They have been possible especially thanks to the improved economic situation and Tampere’s new arena.
In the previous two seasons, Ilves already won bronze. Before the current season, Ilves announced a player budget of 3.1 million euros. HIFK, Kärpät and Tappara were narrowly ahead, when KalPa’s player budget was said to be 2.1 million.
This season, Ilves finished second again in the regular season. But in the quarterfinals, KalPa deservedly advanced. Of course, in a fast-paced, colorful and entertaining series of matches, the first three matches went to overtime. KalPa won two of them, Ilves won the last one.
After that, KalPa took a big home win in the ecstatic Niirala team, even though Ilves was still leading in the final set.
If in the regular season the Ilves players had a blast in the power point tables under the leadership of Oula Palvei, who won the point exchange, in the quarter-final series the situation changed. KalPa defended closely, but was also able to control the puck according to their style of play.
– If this is not shocking, then a massive surprise is. When you look at the games and the result behind, this is not so surprising, Urheilu’s expert Top Nättinen pointed out earlier.
In KalPa’s sensation, Nättinen emphasized, among other things, the team’s greedy skating, 100% understrength, continuity, game identity that has remained for years, spectacular puck control in the offensive zone and patience.