IFK Helsinki is trying to pull off a wild trick in the semi-finals of the Finnish Hockey League. On Saturday, it tied the quarterfinal series against the Pelicans at 3-3. The match ended with HIFK winning 2–1 at home.
The legendary game seven will be played on Tuesday in Lahti. It should be emphasized that in the history of the SM League, the miracle has only been seen once, that the teams that were down 0–3 in the match series have risen to win the series. In the spring 2012 playoffs, the Blues lost the first three matches against KalPa in the quarterfinals, but advanced to the semifinals with a 4–3 win.
Pelicans got a great start to the match when Leevi Tukainen shook the people of Lahti to a 1–0 lead in 1:48. At the same time, Tukiainen finished HIFK Niko Hovinen over a 143-minute clean sweep.
HIFK equalized at the end of the opening set when the defender Niko Seppälä rushed to the attack and Juha Jääskä finally finished. Jääskä is the most efficient 4+1 HIFK’s point leader in the playoffs.
Jori Lehterä finally succeeded
When the Pelicans took a 3–0 lead in the series, HIFK and its head coach Ville Peltonen were heavily criticized for the team’s mistake-prone and confused playing. Since then, HIFK has adjusted its playing to be more cautious. Hovinen has played a big role in closing the hatches, replacing the one who fell into heavy mistakes Roope Taponen.
Accurate play was seen even now, so the actual playing time ended with the opening set 1-1. Drama was seen in the overtime when HIFK Petteri Lindbohm got frozen. Then HIFK Iiro Pakarinen ran away with underpowered driving. He was fouled, but Pakarinen did not manage to pass the ensuing penalty shot Niklas Kokkoa.
In the end, HIFK’s captain and golden helmet became the hero in the first overtime Jori Lehteräwith his first goal of the playoffs.
– Well, yes, even the blind chicken sometimes finds a grain, Lehterä grumbled at first in an interview with MTV Urheilu.
Lehterä decided to shoot when the others didn’t like it.
– Pakarinen was given a rankarin, but it didn’t taste good, so someone had to take care of it.
MTV’s Antero Mertaranta asked Lehterä how the battle expression was unearthed. Lehterä mentioned the “Peltonen ulos heti” sign that HIFK fans waved in the fourth quarter. At that time, HIFK was still 0–3 down in the series.
– Yes, it probably started from those Peltonen out comments. We have a close-knit group, and the coaches, players, the entire management, we are in this team. It’s great to do work for this group, Lehterä said.
A year ago, the 36-year-old champion was able to celebrate the first championship of his career in Tappara. Still, Tuesday’s stoppage game is a big deal even for a puck expert who has seen it all.
– It hasn’t come… Probably the last time I played game seven was 9 years ago. It might be a little stressful.
The coaches have the same tone
Pelicans head coach Tommi Niemelän in my opinion, there was no difference in the match compared to the previous ones. Lehterä’s winning goal came with superiority, when Aatu Jämsen got into the ice shelf, after just breaking Lehterä.
– Tight twisting, hard struggle. Today, this time, the special situation was resolved, and the guy was a goal better. That’s not it, Niemelä said at the press conference.
– This has been exactly the kind of series we thought, but the results have gone a little differently. Now we get game seven, what’s better than that.
Niemelä was completely calm in front of the press, but he had been very hot in the corridors of the ice rink, says Ilta-Sanomat.
Niemelä was furious with the cameramen and MTV’s production team that there was a TV crew microphone behind their bench, but not behind HIFK’s goal.
– Now this is outrageous! Niemelä roared according to IS.
– Equality! Pass the message on, Niemelä roared to the TV crew.
According to Niemelä, it is quite appropriate if the discussions at the exchange table belong to outsiders, but only in the case that the situation is the same for both teams.
Ville Peltonen agreed with his colleague at the press conference.
– Such an evening is really great. Playoff dope. Both teams fight hard and sacrifice themselves, it’s really sweet to be here today.
– As “Hölö” said, game sevens are what everyone involved in this wants to experience. It’s about to be experienced.