SM League playoffs begin! The expert will not give the teams in the opening round a chance – at least against Tappara

The playoffs in the men’s hockey league will start on Thursday. The reigning champion Lukko will host HPK and Pelicans will face KooKoo. On Friday, the decisive parts will be played in Hämeenlinna and Kouvola.

Unlike usual, matches in the first round of Playoffs can also lead to a tie. If the teams’ winnings after the actual playing time of the second round are equal, a third follow-up match will be played immediately after which the win of the match series will be decided. The follow-up match will be played against five to five, with a 20-minute split and cross-finish.

Sports Hockey Specialist Topi Nättinen according to the model equalizes the power relations of the 1st playoff round.

– When I only play one game at home, I don’t think there are any big presets. HPK is definitely annoying the good Jarno Pikkarainen after the regular season, the fact that the team bounced in the last meters, 16 seconds before the end of the straight semi-finals, thus losing valuable rest time, Nättinen points out.

Nättinen doesn’t think any of the teams playing in the opening round will be able to challenge Tappara, who won the regular season.

– Whichever of these teams ever goes on, it will be difficult to challenge in the future when you have to play in a fair amount of matches. I don’t see anyone in the “pity player team” having a chance against Tappara. However, it is certain that HPK would not face Tappara in the quarterfinals if they went on to the 1st playoff round, Nättinen says.

If HPK advances, it will face Jukurit in the semi-finals.

– Although the Jukuri have a terrible flow on it, I would see that challenging the team is not as difficult as Tappara.

In the series between Lukko and HPK, Nättinen sets the Club as a favorite.

– The lock had a good phase on both sides of Christmas, but now they have had a pretty hard time. However, HPK was only 17 seconds away from reaching the top six in the regular season. The club has better flow and when Eetu Laurikainen ticks the net, so with routine, strong puck play, and a five-handed defense, I would get HPK to go on with this pair.

Kouvola has the largest trough and Lahti has the smallest trough in the League. According to Nättinen, this places different demands on the two games ahead in the Pelicans and KooKoo playoff mini-series.

– Personally, I would see that Pelicans are in better “form”, not the least Hannes Björnisen through entry. And they may have a goalkeeper game in slightly better patterns than KooKoo. However, when only two games are played, I can’t find any big differences between the teams, Nättinen says.

The already known semi-final series Ilves – Kärpät and TPS – HIFK Nättinen call it “delicious”.

– There are traditions in both series, and big emotions and big players are promised. It’s for sure that the series will see a decent Playoffs heat from the start.

In the encounter of the lynx and the flies, for example, the cool Marko Anttila, Petri Kontiola, Eemeli Finland, Atte Ohtamaa, Saku Mäenalanen and Juhamatti Aaltonen. Nättinen ponders that Ilves can be visited in a series.

– I see great potential in Flies. It was close that Ilves would have received HPK. Coach Lauri Marjamäki there are hard screens in Oulu, and now experienced players are at least awake. Keeper Stanislav Galimov has twice won the KHL Gagarin Cup in Kazan in 2009 and 2010.

– A little even on behalf of Ilves scares. The flies are so strong that they have a slim chance of even championship. However, it probably requires winning Tappara. In my opinion, if someone wins Tappara, it may be Lauri Marjamäki who can cook the necessary snake soups.

Correspondingly, the merger between TPS and HIFK shows, inter alia, that Markus Nurmi, Juuso Pärssinen, Ville Lajunen, Jere Innala, Eetu Koivistoinen, Iiro Pakarinen and Olli Palola.

– The stills are pretty much the same. TPS has found its own play and goalkeeper at the last minute Andrei Karejev has been a man in place. HIFK has also had a variable season. On paper, I would say that HIFK has such a hard bundle since their last acquisitions that they therefore have a small advantage. When TPS has a home advantage, we are very close to seven games, Nättinen povaa.

Goalkeeper of Tappara Christian Heljanko decided to play in the regular season against Ace. “Veskar’s Dream” was his ninth season. Only the Yukuri goalie sensation was able to do the same in the series this season Oskari Salminen.

– When you win the regular season, even in bad games you have to be able to win games. That’s what has happened to us, too, and we have been able to turn a lot of games to our advantage, Heljanko says.

– The victory in the regular season only went to the last round. I think we have been really strong in the last few weeks. Personally, I appreciate the victory in the regular season.

Heljanko admired aloud that Tuesday’s Ässä regular season game drew more than 9,000 spectators to Tampere. The goalkeeper refused to even consider a possible encounter with Ilves at this point.

– Quite a few games both have to win first for it to happen. However, the terrible puck hype is now on. This has probably never been experienced here in Tampere. It is great to be involved here.

Heljanko defeated Tappara for the third most victory in the League by three points, a total of 24 points. Jukurien Salminen contracted 29 wins and TPS Andrei Karejev 25.

– It ‘s good to cut off this loud squeak. The regular season win will be celebrated with the team at dinner and then recharged with batteries to keep the heads together for the next few weeks. We will meet again on Friday, Heljanko said.

Kill – 1st round sequel 2
Jukurit – 1st round sequel 1
Ilves – Flies
TPS – HIFK

Lock – HPK
Pelicans – KooKoo

Friday 25.3. at 6:30 p.m.

HPK – Lock + possible extra-match
KooKoo – Pelicans + possible follow-up match

Kill (1st season of the regular season) – sequel to the 1st round 2
Ma 28.3. Kill – 1st round sequel 2
Ti 29.3. Round 1 Continuer 2 – Kill
To 31.3. Kill – 1st round sequel 2
The 2.4. Round 1 Continuer 2 – Kill
Su 3.4. Kill – 1st round sequel 2
Ti 5.4. Round 1 Continuer 2 – Kill
Wed 6.4. Kill – 1st round sequel 2

Jukurit (2) – 1st round sequel 1
Ma 28.3. Jukurit – 1st round sequel 1
Ti 29.3. Round 1 Continuer 1 – Jukurit
To 31.3. Jukurit – 1st round sequel 1
The 2.4. Round 1 Continuer 1 – Jukurit
Su 3.4. Jukurit – 1st round sequel 1
Ti 5.4. Round 1 Continuer 1 – Jukurit
Wed 6.4. Jukurit – 1st round sequel 1

Lynx (3) – Flies (6)
Su 27.3. Ilves – Flies
Ma 28.3. Flies – Ilves
Wed 30.3. Ilves – Flies
Fri 1.4. Flies – Ilves
The 2.4. Ilves – Flies
On 4.4. Flies – Ilves
Ti 5.4. Ilves – Flies

TPS (4th) – HIFK (5th)
Su 27.3. TPS – HIFK
Ti 29.3. HIFK – TPS
To 31.3. TPS – HIFK
The 2.4. HIFK – TPS
Su 3.4. TPS – HIFK
Ti 5.4. HIFK – TPS
Wed 6.4. TPS – HIFK