The legs of Pelicans’ star players have not been enough for the speed of the SM league finals, writes Urheilu’s Simo Arkko.
Simo Arkkourheilhu journalist
follows the SM league finals moment by moment on its website. The Hockey Tour broadcasts every league final live. All finals will be heard live at Areena, the third final also on Radio Suomen’s soundwaves. The preliminary studios of the ice hockey round can be enjoyed in video form for the first time in the finals.
LAHTI. Tampere’s Tappara once again takes the interest from the hockey SM league finals.
It’s true. Despite big changes and a season rich in phases, this is happening this spring as well. Tappara, who leads the final series, is marching to its third consecutive championship.
Tappara has been in the finals no less than nine times in the last 11 springs. Now, based on the victories and especially their game performances, it is already firmly in the fifth championship in this period.
Before the start of the season, Tappara changed its way of playing when it hired a head coach Rikard Grönborgin to change the culture.
Tappara’s identity of work was preserved, but it got a new color on the attacking end. The players were allowed to play and play so violently that they backfired as counterattacks and goals in their own end.
The freshness has been preserved in the finals. Tappara has created a lot of dangerous situations with his sharp counterattacks. In the second final as well, the Pelicans players had several top saves to thank Niklas Kokkoa.
The biggest difference between Pelicans and Tappara is in playing the defensive zone. Tappara’s defensive game has been on track for a long time now and the goal has been very well done.
In the last four matches, Tappara has conceded only three goals.
For the Pelicans, the biggest problem isn’t even the best goalie in the league Christian Heljanko. Breaking in front of the goal has become the most significant challenge.
Tappara allowed the Pelicans to shoot a lot from a distance and the mask of the night. These Heljanko knocked in when the people of Lahti couldn’t get their sticks free to direct the puck into the net.
When the Pelicans got the top plot from the core, Tappara blocked. With feet, clubs and in every possible way. The Pelicans were banging their heads against the wall.
The difference between the teams became concrete in Tappara’s opening goal. Spotted the defender Otto Rauhala shot from the line and was wearing a mask Heikki Liedes expertly directed the puck into the net.
The mask was of such high quality that the puck could have ended up in the net even without guidance.
The Pelicans were at their best when they were able to switch to a quick direct attack. This is how it also got its narrowing goal, when Lubos Horky narrowed the game to 1-3 at the end of the second period.
The Pelicans got a narrow one at the end of the final set, but the big picture is sad for the people of Lahti.
Nothing has changed from previous years. Even though before the start of the season, the spring of the SM league was going to be extremely even, the finals have been gamely again from Tappara’s display.
The Pelicans have a big mountain to climb.