Defender Ben Blood dazzled in the rink and with his two goals led Pelicans to a 3–2 away win over Ilves in the third match of the semifinals. At the same time, the team from Lahti took the lead in the series with a 2–1 win.
– A very tough and tenacious defensive battle. (Patrick) Bartosak was amazing in goal, for sure he won this match for us. At first we were a little scared. Hats off to the team, that even if the puck game doesn’t go well, the company is always good. It finally brought a chance to win today, enthused the Pelicans coach Tommi Niemelä.
Ilves dominated the match for the majority of the game, but Pelicans, who persistently defended with tied fives, were sharper in their own manipulative positions. The shots were scored for Ilves 55–31. Ilves’ expected goal in the match was 3.8.
– You can say that we played well but we lost. I am satisfied with the team’s attacking play and the number of goals scored. Five-on-five attacking was good, can’t blame the players for that. The opponent’s guard was good. Certain defensive things need to be sharpened in the future, we scored goals too cheaply, home team coach Antti Pennanen stated.
The visitors’ goalkeeper, Bartosak, especially in the third period, made one more important, amazing mattress save. A few of Ilves’ shots hit the goal post.
– A big, massive robbery in the first away game. The Pelicans got a lot of confidence from this. It wasn’t pretty, but only the result counts. Bartosak gave his team a chance to win. Defense alone does not win these games, and this wasn’t even a slimy bus parking robbery, added Puhee’s puck expert Top Nättinen.
Pelicans’ Blood scored three times in the opponent’s area in the match and scored two goals from these positions with a high percentage. In the third situation, a stick was found broken on the US team, for which a referee would have whistled a penalty.
In the third set, the 3–2 winning goal was answered by Blood, who shot the puck irresistibly into the top corner at 135 km/h.
– A really good shot, would any goalkeeper have even taken that bet. Ilves didn’t use their own chances, and then the Pelicans had a half-time situation, from which Blood scored with a huge shot, Nättinen described.
Blood had scored two goals in the 39 previous playoff games of his career, but doubled his number of important spring goals with one in the Ilves semifinal on Thursday.
Ilves succeeded with superior forces, Pelicans tied with five
Lynx Eetu Tuulola pole draft and Matias Mäntykivin after the drive through, Pelicans started the scoring in the match.
First the Pelicans Konsta Hirvosena had a chance to make a move in front of the goal, the return puck after that was snatched by Ben Blood with his timely ascent to the goal in 14:01.
Ilves rose to 1–1 with their second advantage of the set in 17:00. Tampere’s “sleeping duo” woke up when Henrik Haapala got a shot from a direct pass, the puck between Bartosak’s legs. Petri Kontiola offered a great cross-sweeping pass to hit.
– It was bigger than just one goal when Haapala and Kontiola finally succeeded in the playoffs, expert Top Nättinen evaluates Puhee’s puck broadcast.
After two sets, the home team had dominated the match, but the tenacious team from Lahti “hangs” on the result before the third set.
Kontiola overwhelmingly offered the place To Tommi Tikawho knocked Ilves into a 2–1 lead with another special situation hit at the beginning of the second set.
Tyler Kelleher loaded directly from the feed Joni Ikonen from the transverse pass the readings 2–2 to 35.00. Kelleher already completed his fifth hit of the playoffs spring.
At the end of the second period, Pelicans’ Konsta Hirvonen sneaked through, but the shot went wide Jakub Malek too to the shield. The run-through saves of the match were recorded in the match 1–1.
Kontiola, who primed two of Ilves’ overpowering hits, shook his team’s game tool into the top bar once in the fourth overpowering one.
The next two matches of the semifinal series will also be played in Tampere Areena on Saturday and Tuesday.
The 3rd semi-final of the Ice Hockey Championship League (with 4 wins to the finals):
Lynx – Pelicans 2-3 (1-1,1-1,0-1)
14.01 0-1 Blood (Hirvonen, Ikonen)
17.00 1-1 Haapala (Kontiola, Jokipakka) yv
24.52 2-1 Tikka (Kontiola, Lancaster) yv
35.00 2-2 Kelleher (Ikonen, T Vilén)
48.14 2-3 Blood (Kelleher, Bryggman)
Goalkeepers Audience: 11946
Malek 4+ 6+ 4 = 14
Bartosak 7+ 8+ 8 = 23
Wins 1-2