Luko’s conquest of Europe in ice hockey got a point on Tuesday in Rauma. Valtteri Filppula, the triple gold medalist, and Sami Vatanen, the power defender of the Swiss series, led the Geneva-Servette CHL final with their power.
Rauman Lukko had a dream start in the second semi-final of the hockey Champions League, but eventually lost his 2-0 lead, when the Swiss champions Geneve-Servette, led by Finnish key players, won 3-2 in Rauma and went to the CHL final with 5-4 on aggregate.
Valtteri Filppula scored two goals for the winners and Sami Vatanen assembled the powers 1+1 as another important conductor of Servette. The place in the finals of the Ice Hockey Champions League was only the first for the Swiss team.
Lukko was the third Finnish team to conquer Europe. Previously, JYP won the CHL championship in 2018 and Tappara celebrated the victory last year
Tomi Lämsän the guards got a good and effective start to the match. The Swedish defender was responsible for Luko’s goals in the opening set Jakob Stenqvist and Canadian striker Brayden Burke.
The first complete hit was the basis of the 0-0 start victory for Luko kahnuti Henri Ikonenas a result of which Stenqvist was able to shoot Lenni Hämäläinen with the help of a good mask, a 1–0 home lead in 06:00.
Rauma’s Canadian striker Brayden Burke shot from a direct attack through the legs of a Servette defender for Luko’s easy 2–0 lead. Servette’s Finnish keeper sneaked a hit Jussi Olkinuoran from between the legs to the net in 11.15.
Lock guard Christopher Gibson was excellent at the end of the opening set, when Geneva-Servette, winged by five Finnish national team members, was at its strongest.
A black minute for Luka at the end of the second set
Lukko experienced a black minute at the end of the second period after being well on top of the game and leading by two goals for a long time.
Teemu Hartikainen did the preparatory work for Valtteri Filppula from the back corner to complete Geneve-Servette’s 1–2 lead at the end of the second period in 36:49. The slightly sloppy play of his own blue line cost Luko a setback.
Even more cold water was thrown down Luko’s neck by the away team’s star defender Sami Vatanen, who shot a wrist shot to equalize 2-2 at the end of the second set in 37:47.
In the third set, Geneve-Servette’s decisive hit was again the work of the Finns. Vatanen’s magical pass and Filppula’s timely drive to the goal and control from the back post gave the visitors a 3–2 lead in 45:05.
One minute before the end, Luka had one top spot to equalize when playing without a goalkeeper, but Servette’s Olkinuora held on with the winner’s goal with skill and luck.
Lukko had knocked down Austrian Innsbruck and Czech Pardubice earlier in the opening rounds of the CHL playoff stage. Geneve-Servette, on the other hand, had ended the dreams of DEL champion Munich and SHL champion Växjö for the CHL trophy before defeating Rauma’s Luko.
In the second semi-final pair and in its latter part, Sweden’s Skellefteå and Czech Vitkovice will meet. Skellefteå, who won the opening match 4–2, leads their home side 1–0.