In Pori, Derek Barach and Jesse Joensuu lifted Ässät to a 2–1 victory over Turku Palloseura with their goals in the last eight minutes of the final set, and at the same time to the quarterfinals with a 2–1 victory.
22:07•Updated 22:11
TPS Teemu Kivihalme on Thursday was really close to quieting the noise of the Pori audience for this season. He took TPS into the lead at the beginning of the third period with his 1–0 goal, securing a spot in the hockey league’s quarterfinals.
Aces Derek Barach however, blew the Isomäki arena into a roar that has not been heard in Pori for a while. However, it was only a foretaste of what was to come when the captain Jesse Joensuu directed Aleksi Heimosalmen into the blue line stroke.
The match ended with a 2–1 win for Ässie, and the people of Pori will continue their season in the quarterfinals against Tampere Ilves after knocking out TPS from the playoffs with a 2–1 win.
– We knew that against TPS we had to do our absolute best. In the third period, when I was tense, I just tried to psych the team that if you give tackles and shots, that’s enough, Joensuu stated.
For some TPS supporters, the defeat was so bitter that they broke the benches in their stands in anger. According to Urheilu’s information, at least 12 benches had been torn out, and the supporters of the teams also clashed verbally. The vigilant action of the organizers fortunately kept the clubs’ fan groups apart.
– It’s a big disappointment. We took too many ices, and we weren’t able to take advantage of our positions. It’s been a bit of a sin all season. We also had every chance to go on, but our offensive game was not sufficient, the head coach of TPS Jussi Ahokas regretted.
The attendance record for the Aces’ first playoff round was broken again. The sold-out Isomäki arena attracted 6,150 spectators.
– When the crowd is roaring like that, it’s not nice for the TPS pack to pick up pucks from the corner, Joensuu praised the importance of the record crowd.
Karri Kivi kept the match series really even.
– It was even in the events of every place, and now it turned for us at the end. For us, it was mainly about whether we would get the Equalizing goal and the power spike from it. After that, the game was completely new again, stated the Ässä pilot and pointed to the euphoria created by the audience, which gave “extra wings” to the players of the home team.