HIFK gained a home advantage and leads the Finnish Champions League playoffs with a 2-1 win. Veli-Matti Savinainen, who scored two goals, made sure that Tappara did not give up home advantage in the Lukko series.
Jere Innala decided a 4–3 victory for HIFK in the third semi-final match of the hockey league against Turku Palloseura on Thursday. With the win, HIFK robbed himself of the home lead and leads the playoffs with a win of 2-1.
HIFK was already victorious at the end of the third round when Innala took HIFK’s two goals. Elmeri Erosen however, two goals in the last minutes brought the Turku players to the levels, and the solution moved on to the extra time.
– Annoying loss after a nice rise. We had a really good feeling and a strong belief in victory, Eronen said.
TPS dominated the opening round, but with HIFK’s goal Niilo Halonen withstood the pressures of the people of Turku. Halonen already had more battles in the opening round than in Tuesday’s home game.
In the second installment of HIFK Olli Palola got through alone, but Andrei Karejev saved the home team with great footwork. A couple of minutes later, Palola was again alone in front of the goal and got a great pass Otto from Paajanen. For the second time, Palola made no mistake and took HIFK to the lead.
The home crowd was not pleased with that one Miikka Salomäki increased the leadership of the guests. Captain of the TPS Juhani Jasu hit an important narrowing hit at the end of the batch as the man certainly placed the puck that bounced off the defender into the net.
– The tenacious battle in which we continued to press to the end, the HIFK coach rejoiced Samuel Tilkanen.
Savinainen overtook Luko, Vittasmäki’s long unpainted pipe ended
Defender of Tappara Veli-Matti Vittasmäki rose to a big role at both ends of the pitch when the people of Tampere took second place in the semi-finals on Thursday with a 3–1 home win from Luko.
Veli-Matti Savinainen helped the hosts lead 2–1 in the match series with two hits, but Vittasmäki, 31, was able to enjoy the goal in the playoffs for the first time in his career.
– I got the puck in the line, I swam a bit in the middle and the shot was moderately successful, the defender who needed 63 matches and 96 shots for his first playoff game repeated.
In return, the Tappara kit was accused of negligence Mikko Petmanin In a 1-1 draw with the first minutes of the second installment.
– I tried to make a small touch in front of myself, but I didn’t succeed and I was playing on my own. Witches sometimes hurt, Vittasmäki said.
Wrestling with special situations, Lukko surrendered on Thursday with undercutting and stagnation, and failed to take advantage of Tappara’s four cools with his overpowering. At the same time, Rauma’s non-overwhelming goal was already stretched to 11 matches.
– All the time, you work on it, and try to find solutions. I trust it will be fine. It comes when there is a soul at play, Luke’s only finished Petman said.
The match series will continue on Saturday in Helsinki and Rauma.