The Tappara pilot was happy, especially for his team’s experienced guard. Tapola found the assembly choices very difficult.
TAMPERE. Four-time champion coach Jussi Tapola admitted that the fifth final was very emotional. In the opening minutes, Tappara finished with one hundred percent efficiency and quickly jumped to a 3–0 lead. The Pelicans got close and passed, but Tappara managed a 5-4 overtime victory by Marcus Davidsson by hitting
– This game was such that I don’t know why my heart rate drops. In the beginning, we did s-tana in five minutes from each place. Then at the end we equalized with a second to go. Then for the Pelicans Pass in the overtime (Iikka Kangasniemi) and a winning goal for us, Tapola blessed.
Tapola’s heart rate was probably at its highest at the end of the third period. Jori Lehterä Kähmi took some initial wins, but the sand in the hourglass decreased second by second. In the end, the puck ended up on the blue line for Valtteri Kemiläinen.
– I was thinking, shoot the j-board now and don’t move anymore. I knew who was going to be in front of the goal, Tapola pointed to Kemiläinen and the one at his workplace Veli-Matti Savinainen.
In the playoffs, Tappara was extremely strong in front of the opponent’s goal. Savinainen scored seven playoff goals from close range, and Davidsson’s winning goal was also scored right in front of the Pelicans’ goalie.
– Savinainen was a great asset and an example to others. He showed how those goals are made.
Tapola gave full credit to Pelicans, who made Tappara hard, especially tactically.
– Pelicans play such puck that the opponent has to be on their toes all the time. Second best team this season.
In the regular season, injuries ravaged Tapparaa badly at times. The club management reacted by strengthening the group with several players. For the rest of the season, this led to the fact that mostly Kristian Kuusela, Patrik Virta, Geoff Platt and Sami Moilanen had to watch the games from the sidelines.
How difficult was it to leave such tough players out of the lineup?
– Damn hard, Tapola said.
He justified his choices by the fact that the lineup with the most responsibility was constantly scraping wins.
– The players’ roles and responsibilities in special situations also had an effect.
During the interview, Tapola’s eyes went to the players who were raising the Canada toast in front of the main stand.
– It’s the best thing about this whole thing, when you see these players who don’t have much of a career left.
Tapola’s Tappara sky ends, at least for the time being. The man has been pushed to the helm of Mannheim, Germany.
Is your next address Mannheim?
– There is no new address here yet. My next address is a sauna in Tampere.