“Did we come to Pori? Do not hear!” Aces beat Ilves 5–2 – a great example of the power of the Pori audience from the goalkeeper of the legendary champion team

In the previous SM league season, Ässät was the worst in the entire regular season, 15th. The playoffs in Pori were last enjoyed in the 2017–18 season.

Until now. Ässät restored faith in Pori hockey with their eighth place in the regular season. After that, Ässät knocked out Turku Palloseura in the 1st round of the playoffs.

Pori’s Isonmäki arena is best known for its intoxicating atmosphere. Sports expert Top Nättinen expected a sports romantic drama from the quarter-final series between Ässie and Ilves.

– The arena is full in Tampere, Isomäki is full in Pori. Great fans. In terms of atmosphere, the two loudest home teams, Nättinen cheered before the quarterfinals.

Pori’s championship spring 2013 has become iconic in Finnish ice hockey. At that time, the goalkeeper played in Ässi Juha Järvenpää, who currently works as a commentator on Puhe’s Jääkeikkokirots. The Aces’ number one goalie was currently a puck-stopper in Carolina’s NHL team Antti Raantawho had a tremendous playoff run.

Järvenpää has experienced what Pori fans are capable of at their best. Järvenpää tells quite an example from the 2013 Tappara final series.

– It was already crazy from the warm-up. I remember when Tappara’s players shot warm-up shots at the goalkeeper. If a goal was scored in the warm-up, the audience would already crowd the screen. An old friend, who played in Tappara at the time, even said that they had an agreement among the team that no one would score a goal for the goalkeeper in the early heat. That the audience can’t get involved that way.

– The audience’s presence and pressure can be felt on the opponent’s side.

Could the mood get as infernal this spring?

– Absolutely I believe. A lot of that depends on success, but as we’ve seen this season, it also depends on the team showing big heart, tough heart and tenacity. They have thus won the audience back. This is a traditional Danube town, Järvenpää reminded.

In nature, such as has been presented by, among others, Konkari Jesse JoensuuÄssät has conquered its audience again.

Read more: Comment: What does it mean to have a soul in the game? The answer can be found in Pori

Järvenpää felt that the audience played a big role in the deciding match of the 1st round of the playoffs, when the home team was able to turn the match around after TPS took the lead.

Can the fans from Pori be condensed somehow?

– Surrendering is not tolerated here. Tear, grate, carcass. If not with skill, then with raw guts.

Aces lead in each set

In the first quarter-final on Saturday, regular season runner-up Ilves didn’t give Ässi a chance, but won clearly 5–1.

Today the Monday dances in Pori started with the joy of the red shirts. The first set was halfway through when Joachim Rohdin even when he fell, the puck hit the back post, from where it was transferred to the net by the golden helmet Roope Talaja.

Isomäki caught fire. In Puhe’s Ice Hockey tour, the broadcast was moved to Pori, but the commentator Järvenpää didn’t hear it: “Did you come to Pori? You can’t hear it here!”

Ilves came to level with a stylish attack mill in 11.10. Leo Loöf brilliantly found the goal with a cross pass Matias Mäntykivin.

In the second set, Ässät took the lead again, in 23:51. On the matter Niklas Appelgren. However, Ilves quickly caught up again when Konkari, who was playing his last playoff games Petri Kontiola finished with superiority. Kontiola hit the net after receiving a pass to the center from Mäntykivi.

Kontiola didn’t fan himself, but skated straight towards the substitution box, gave the passes to his teammates and sat at the end of the bench.

The third period had been played for exactly four minutes when the 19-year-old defender Aleksi Heimosalmi took Aces into the lead again. Aces therefore scored the first goal in each set.

The starting points for the match series between Ässi and Ilves were clear. Ilves plays active and fast speed hockey, Ässät tries to slow down, make the matches low-goal and physical. The Aces were even dubbed a “pub team” at Puhe’s Ice Hockey Tour.

Therefore, Ässät even managed to surprise expert Nätti, who said that the team did not just play turtle defense on home ice, but got long periods of attack and the superiority looked fresh.

Aces withstood the attacks of the triple set of tassel ears and the goalkeeper Niklas Rubin played a top game. Ässat eventually won 5–2, when Rohdin put the puck into an empty net twice.