HIFK, the leader of the Ice Hockey League, reached victory after two losses, when it beat Ässät 3-1 in its rink.
Iiro Pakarinen the comeback completed HIFK’s number one defense, but in front of it, the attack tandem attracted attention Joonas Rask–Otto Somppiwho scored the opening goal.
Rask played Daniel Mäkiahon with Somppi, who moved from Tappara to the Helsinki team during the match, served as the center forward. The joint play between Sompi and Raski immediately seemed to go smoothly.
In the first near-miss situation, Raski’s shot from in front of the goal was missed by the Ässät keeper Joni Ortion guarded by the cage, but still shook at the end of the first round. There were barely three seconds left in the first period, when Somppi served the puck to Raski, who confidently hit his third hit of the season from close range behind Orti.
The hosts’ number one joker Kristian Vesalainen–Jori Lehterä-Pakarinen was ineffective with the upper hand, but in the final set Lehterä scored his sixth goal of the season from a rebound puck. The power center’s point exchange lead is now recorded after the 24th match in the form 6+30=36.
with HIFK’s goal Roope Taponen advanced with a few saves towards his first clean sheet of the season. However, the opportunity for a full-time goal was lost 49 seconds before the final buzzer, when Ässien’s cross Patrik Juhola succeeded in finishing.
– Aces washed their faces yesterday, and today it was our turn. We had to take the cap more humbly and defend better as a five. Patience was at play. The second batch was Ässien, I’m not satisfied with that, the HIFK coach Ville Peltonen stated.
An important attacker for Aces Lenny Hämeenaho was missing from the crew. There is no coach behind it Jarno Pikkarainen gone.
– An even game in which both played with discipline. Not bad for us, but not good enough. It wasn’t a terrible mess. A disappointing goal at the end of the opening set, it still didn’t sway us. HIFK was patient and deserved its bounce, summed up the Ässä pilot.
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