Aces beat Jukurit Jonne Virtanen in the first match 5–1. Lukko won its eighth consecutive victory by defeating Tappara after extra time 3–2.
21:22•Updated 22:17
On Tuesday, Mikkelin was appointed as the head coach of Jukurie in the ice hockey SM league Jonne Virtanen debuted today in Pori against Ässi. The course of the series jumbo did not change at least immediately after the change of coach, as Ässät won dully 5–1.
Peter Tiivola hit in the opening set and was sidelined for three months Olli Palola in the other. Lassi Old House steered the goal in front of the goal in the last seconds of the second period 3–0. Powers 2+2 made by Palola and Roope Talaja changed to Numbers another 5–0 until Kim Johansson scored Jukurie’s consolation goal.
Virtanen commented on his debut after the match.
– It was just as nice to get to Pori’s Friday night. I didn’t know what to expect and I was positively surprised by many things, Virtanen said.
– In the first set, I think we were really good, and the third one was great too. The second set was difficult for us. A lot of good things, but we have a lot to shake. We thought we’d win two starts today and with an understrength it’s too easy to score goals. The morale was fine, you can’t blame it.
Virtanes had a ready answer to the question of how the league has changed since his time as a player.
– When I played myself, the coaches were stupid and the players were smart. Now the players are stupid and the coaches are smart.
League leader Lukko’s winning streak already stretched to eight matches when it beat Tappara after extra time 3–2.
Lukko dominated the second set, but in the middle of the set Christian Tanus flagstone Patrick Khodorenko after a rough stray pass alone through and gave Tappara a 2–1 lead. Erik Gelinas however, brought Luko to level and the same man decided the victory in overtime.
HIFK came second
In Tampere, league runner-up Ilves and third-placed HIFK met. The people from Helsinki came from two goals behind to win 3–2 after the winning goal contest and also passed Ilves for second place in the table.
Ilves Czech defender Daniel Gazdan the opening goal with the upper hand was fantastic. Gazda started from behind his own goal, skated through the entire field and misled the goalkeeper Niko Hovinen. Ilves’ second hit was also spectacular. That too is overwhelming. At the end of a handsome pattern Ville Meskanen shot the puck into the net.
HIFK leveled in the third set Luke Martin and Vincent Marleau with hits. In overtime, Ilves hit the post twice, and at the last second, Tampere got a puck goal, but it was disallowed.
HIFK in the race for the winning goal Petrus Palmun the goal was rarely disallowed because the puck was already moving backwards before the blue line. However, HIFK won by Kasper Lundell on the finish line.
Played wonderfully in the Junior World Championships Petteri Rimpinen returned to Kiekko-Espoo’s goal. Marko Anttila passed Rimpinen once, but Rimpinen saved 33 times and Kiekko-Espoo claimed the points from Kärpi with 4–1 goals.
TPS Interiori made a hat-trick when the people of Turku took full points away from HPK with goals 5-1. Yliniemi is on rent from Kärpi. TPS improved their positions at the tail end of the series and left second-last HPK four points behind.
SaiPa beat JYP 2–1 and KooKoo beat KalPa 3–2 on the away field after the winning goal contest. In the late game, JYP beat Pelicans 3–1.