Nick Ritchie, a 500-game NHL forward who was brought to Finland with much fanfare, fell into a blunder during a hockey round.
Having played in the first team of the Kärppis By Nick Ritchie the coils burned miraculously at the end of the second period in Turku, when the own team led the game at that point with goals 4–3.
TPS agitator player Markus Nurmi somehow managed to confuse Ritchie during the stoppage in the game so that the Canadian started hitting the opponent lying on the ice with his gloves in the neck and head area several times from behind.
‘s hockey expert was surprised by the rude act Top from Nätti.
– A confusing and dangerous situation! There was a break in the game and a bit of shoving. I don’t understand how any hockey player can start hitting another player without a helmet, in the turtle position, with gloves on the head many times.
Expert Nättinen said that even though Nurmi is known as an outstanding “instigator”, a professional player must always understand what helps his own team and what doesn’t.
– The turf fell a bit easily to the ice first, and for a moment Ritchie thought before he started hitting. That should be a suspension, Nättinen saw.
Ritchie’s balance from the TPS match on Thursday was 2+2+5+20 ice minutes in just under two sets and an unsuccessful penalty shot. In the first period, he tackled a tough but clean Nurme, but the night ended with an absurd blackout, which the League’s discipline will have to look into.
However, Kärpät fought the end of the match well without Ritchie’s services and endured, among other things, his understrength that lasted 3:40 at the beginning of the third period. The Oulu crew sealed the final score to 5–3 in an empty TPS goal.
Results of the Ice Hockey Championship League:
Jukurit – KooKoo 6-4 (4-3.0-0.2-1)
JYP – HPK 3-4 (0-1,2-2,1-1)
Lock – HIFK 4-2 (0-1.3-1.1-0)
Pelicans – Aces 5-2 (1-0.2-1.2-1)
SaiPa – Lynx 0-3 (0-1.0-2.0-0)
Tappara – Sport 2-3 (0-1,1-1,1-1)
TPS – Kärpät 3-5 (1-2.2-2.0-1)
Series table