Tappara, which has been in the hockey CHL since 2014, has won the unofficial European club team championship as the second Finnish club.
19:47•Updated 20:51
Tappara has conquered the Champions Hockey League by defeating the host team Luulaja 3–2 (2-0.0-0.1-2) in the CHL final. Previously, among the Finnish teams, only JYP from Jyväskylä had succeeded in the trick in 2018.
Jussi Tapolan the guards turned last year’s narrow CHL final loss into a championship, even though the third period of the final match was mostly a battle for survival for Tappara due to the cold. Christian Tanus, Niko Ojamäki and Jori Lehterä excelled as Tampere scorers.
– When the buzzer sounded, my skin was almost covered in goosebumps. I almost started to cry, but I stopped myself. When I looked (Walter) The sea, then such a good group came out of there. It’s good that someone cries a little. It was harder to win 3–2 than 3–0, so you could throw your helmet on the ice right away. There was such a mood, said Lehterä, the father of the winning goal in the CHL final.
The most important individual player of the CHL season was the goalkeeper Christian Heljanko, who was also in great shape in the final match, saving 34 opponents’ itch. Heljanko was recognized as the MVP player of the CHL season.
The loss to Luolaja, led by six Finns, was only the first of the CHL season. They played in the ranks of the team Leo Komarov, Julius Honka, Juhani Tyrväinen, Joonas Rask, Tomi Sallinen and Olli Nikupeteri.
– We had a bad start to the match and things went in the wrong direction. Yes, we fought at the end, but the guy’s veskari played really well, Sallinen told .
Tappara sealed his valuable victory with an effective start to the match. Kirvesrinnat scored two goals in about seven minutes, after which it was easier to play.
Juhani Tyrväinen a cold snap cost Lulaja a goal at the beginning of the match. Christian Tanus shot with superiority, accurate wrist shot to the back corner of the puck in 1:42. Mikael Seppälä made a creditable mask for the 1-0 hit, which he initiated Maxim Matushkin.
Tappara’s CHL season point total Niko Ojamäki was able to shoot from the middle sector to give Tappara a 2–0 lead with his 8th Euro hit of the season in 7:26. Ben Thomas and Juuso Ikonen made the assists hit.
Luulaja dominated the last two sets, Heljanko man in place
In the second period, Luulaja was better on top of the game, but wasted its search time due to inefficiency. Heljanko, who boasted self-confidence in difficult moments, blocked a Luulaja striker in the 36th minute, among other things by Einar Emanuelsson drive through.
Right at the beginning of the third period, in time 41:00 Jori Lehterä pushed from behind the goal to give Tappara a 3–0 lead with a small one Linus Fröberg with the help of a racket. Tanus and Brother Matti Savinainen.
At the end, Tappara got himself into trouble by freezing to death. Erik Gustafsson was able to break Heljango’s zero, when Lehterä, with his carelessness, offered Luolaja a position of superiority with five against three, which the home team did not miss after taking out the goalkeeper. The reduction to 1–3 was made in 52.04.
In the 55th minute, Luulaja played with six against three, when Geoff Platt and Casimir Jürgens were sitting in the ice hall. Led by Heljango, Tappara held on for a while, but Tyrväinen narrowed it down with superiority, again playing without a goalkeeper to 2–3 in 57.50. In the last moments, Tappara held on without a setback, and the party got going.