Pelicans - Continued their inconsistent form after a mixed week of results. The side from Lahti managed just a single win, over SaiPa before following that up with defeats to struggling Lukko and JYP.
Pelicans were made to work hard for their win over SaiPa on Boxing Day. Twice they lead, only for their opponents to level the scores again. Vili Sopanen gave Pelicans the lead at 13:49 thanks to Mikko Kouss and Justin Hodgman setting him up. The partnership between Sopanen and Hodgman would prove vital as they combined for all three of their side’s goals. Mikael Kuronen tied it at 27:42, but just over three minutes later Hodgman and Sopanen combined to set up Antti Tyrvainen to restore their lead. However, Tero Koskiranta tied the game again at 54:54 to force the game into overtime. At 2:29 of the extra session, Sopanen set up Hodgman to give the Pelicans a deserved win.
Against Lukko, they threw the game away after Stefan Lassen had given them an early lead. Penalty trouble for Iikka Kangasniemi [29:20] and Bed Blood [36:41] who both received 2+10 misconducts mid-way through the game coast them dear, as Sami Lahteenmaki tied the game at 33:30. Aleksi Saarela then scored 24 seconds into overtime to give the Rauma-based side a much-needed win.
Michel Miklik scored twice in the opening three minutes to set JYP well on course for victory. Antti Suomela added a third before the first period was over and Janne Tavi completed the scoring with just under ten minutes left.
Lukko have hauled themselves back into contention in the standings with three wins last week, and are now level with SaiPa on 40 points, while KooKoo are just three points ahead and even 12th placed Ilves are within touching distance on 45 points.
Lukko raced into a three goal lead over Sport Vaasa thanks to Aleksi Saarela, Steven Seigo and Aleksi Saarela all netting during the first period. Saarela, then grabbed his second of the night to make it four, before Otto Karvinen pulled two back for Sport. Toni Koivisto completed the scoring at 55:07 to make it 5-2. They then grabbed the points at home to Pelicans with a 2-1 overtime-win.
Lukko had to come from behind, despite taking an early, to win at Pori, in their local derby clash with Assat. Aki Kangasmaki scored at 4:22 only for Simon Suoranta and then Jussi Makkonen to turn the game around. Makkonen’s late goal arrived at 57:15 and appeared to be enough to steal the points, but just 14 seconds later Lukko had tied the game. The late drama continued and although there were no further goals in overtime, the two sides went to the shootout. Jarno Karki, Charles Bertrand and Suoranta all missed for the home side, while Aaron Gagnon, scored Lukko’s first effort, and that proved to be the game winner. Aleksi Saarela, missed Lukko’s second attempt, but that proved academic once Suoranta missed for Assat.
Tappara – The league leaders now hold a commanding lead at the top of the table after coming under some pressure from KalPa last month. The team from Tampere, had surrendered their lead for a short amount of time, but no sooner had KalPa topped the standings, then they fell apart. Tappara on the other hand re-found their own form and have not looked back. Last week saw another three impressive victories to firmly cement their position.
Juhani Jasu scored twice as Tappara dismantled Assat in a 4-1 win. Aleksi Salonen opened the scoring at 3:11, only for Antti Kerala to level mid-way through the opening period. Jasu grabbed his first at 33:03, to restore Tappara’s lead, and then Manu Honkanen scored 62 seconds later to increase their lead. Jasu got his second early in the third period to make the game safe.
Tappara then destroyed Sport Vaasa two days later with a seven-goal haul. Pekka Saravo, Jere Karjalainen, Martin Reymark and Aleksi Salonen, all netted in the opening period to effectively have the game won there and then. Jani Lajunen scored late in the second period before Reymark grabbed his second and then Teemu Nurmi completed the win at 54:01.
Veli-Matti Savinainen, Henrik Haapala and Otso Rantakari all scored for Tappara to set them on their way to a third win in a week. Jesse Saarien scored for Karpat at 46:22 to briefly give the Oulu-based side hope but Rantakari’s late marker made the game and the points safe for the Tampere side.
KalPa – Now find themselves eight points behind Tappara, and matters were not helped when they lost away to Jukurit on Boxing Day. They fell behind to a Teemu Tallberg goal before taking the lead against Jukurit. Jussi Timonen and Mikko Nuutinen netted either side of the second intermission but Janne Ritamaki tied the game to force overtime, where Zach Budish hit the winner 2:15 in, to firmly dent the Kuopio-based side’s title aspirations. KalPa got back to winning ways against Assat, beating the team from Pori 6-0. Janne Keranen grabbed a hat-trick while there were single markers for Matias Myttynen, Santeri Lukka and Tommi Jokinen in the rout.
TPS remain in third place after wins over HIFK and SaiPa, but the team from Turku were unable to fully capitalise on KalPa’s dropped points after they slipped up themselves against HPK.
TPS had to come from behind against the Helsinki side after Henri Tamminen had scored for the home side. Tomi Kallio, Dave Spina, Jonne Virtanen and Erik Thorell all responded for TPS to give them a 4-1 victory. They were then easily beaten by HPK, as they lost by a 5-1 scoreline. Oskari Manninen, Philippe Cornet, Petteri Nikkila and Teemu Turunen gifted HPK a 4-0 lead before Tomi Kallio pulled a late consolation back but Janne Lahti netted a fifth for HPK to complete the impressive victory. On Friday, Ilkka Pikkarainen, Patrik Virta and Tomi Kallio scored within a six minute period in the final session to claim the points for TPS over struggling SaiPa.
HIFK are down to seventh after losing both their games last week. The Capital-City side, followed up their Boxing Day defeat to TPS with another loss, this time to HPK. The Hammeenlinna side are now up to Fourth in the standings following that victory. Juhamatti Aaltonen netted twice for HIFK, and on both occasions gave his side the lead against HPK, but ultimately it counted for nothing. His first arrived at 11:55, but two goals in 26 seconds from Juha Koivisto and Philippe Cornet gave the lead to HPK. Back came HIFK though and Corey Elkins tied it before the end of the opening period. Aaltonen scored his second to give HIFK a 3-2 lead, but that was as good as it got for the Helsinki side, as three unanswered goals gave HPK the win. Cornet scored his second to tie the game, before further markers from Severi Sillanpaa and Otto Paajanen completed the comeback.
JYP were another side who had a good week, with wins over KooKoo and Jukurit. Anssi Lofman, Antti Suomela and Janne Kolehmainen hit the goals against KooKoo in a 3-0 win.
They were then, thankful to Michel Miklik’s two goals to beat Jukurit. JYP had taken the lead but Antti Jaatinen tied the game. Miklik grabbed his second of the night to give JYP the win.
KooKoo are sliding back towards Lukko at the foot of the table after defeats to JYP and Karpat, but their win over Sport Vaasa has just about given them some breathing space for now.
Goals from Aku Kestila, Sami Anttila and Saku Maenalanen gave Karpat a convincing 3-0 win over the side from Kouvola. On Friday, Markus Nordlund gave Sport the lead at 19:38 but Juha-Pekka Haataja tied it at 37:31. That completed the scoring during regulation and so the sides went into overtime. Anrei Hakulinen netted at 2:18 to win it for KooKoo.
Ilves – Were busy last week too and came away with a couple of defeats but also an important victory over Jukurit that keeps them off the bottom for now. Against HPK, Ilves actually held a 2-0 lead when Jerry D’Amigo scored twice in just over a minute, but Oskari Manninen and then Philippe Cornet netted to force the game into overtime. Mathias Porseland scored with the winner for HPK with just 15 seconds to go before the sides went to a shootout. Ilves blew a lead again two days later against SaiPa. Matias Sointu scored at 14:50, but markers from Mikael Kuronen and Tomi Leivo turned the game around in SaiPa’s favour. Against Jukurit, Brett Bulmer and Aleksi Mustonen grabbed the goals for the team from Tampere.
Monday, December 26
HIFK v TPS 1-4
HPK v Ilves 3-2
Jukurit v KalPa 3-2
KooKoo v JYP 0-3
Lukko v Sport 5-2
Pelicans v SaiPa 3-2
Tappara v Assat 4-1
Wednesday, December 28
Ilves v SaiPa 1-2
JYP v Jukurit 2-1
KalPa v Assat 6-0
Karpat v KooKoo 3-0
Lukko v Pelicans 2-1
Sport v Tappara 0-7
TPS v HPK 1-5
Friday, December 30
HIFK v HPK 3-5
Jukurit v Ilves 0-2
Pelicans v JYP 0-4
Sport v KooKoo 1-2
Tappara v Karpat 3-1
TPS v SaiPa 3-0
Assat v Lukko 2-3
Mestis
SaPKo – The leaders from Savenlinna hold a nine point lead over closest challengers TUTO, although they have played a game more than the Turku-side. That is thanks to a crushing victory over Jokipojat, when they beat them by a 7-1 scoreline. However, two days later they were on the receiving end of a big defeat themselves. JYP Akatemia beat SaPKo 5-1 in Jyvaskyla to give TUTO some hope.
TUTO - Those hopes were dashed however, when they slipped up in a shock defeat at Espoo. It has been a challenging year for the Helsinki region club, after previous team Blues folded over the summer and were relegated from the SM-liiga. New side United have struggled to re-adjust but this was certainly a morale-boosting result against the team in Second-place.
Hokki – played a home and home series with IPK and managed to split the games, as the visiting side took the spoils in both encounters. Hokki visited Iisalmi and skated off with a 5-1 victory but just two days later they were humbled on home ice by the same side, losing 3-1.
KeuPa HT – suffered two defeats last week. They were beaten at home by JYP Akatemia 2-0 and two days later visited Hermes and lost 3-2 in Kokkola. Those results have left the side sitting in seventh position, right in the middle of a pack of times closely bunched together in the standings.
Round Up
Peliitat had mixed fortunes, beating Espoo United 3-2 last Wednesday, only to lose 6-2 away to Jokipojat in Joensuu. K-Vantaa and Leki were another pair of teams to play a home and home series, only this time the home side took the spoils. K-Vantaa winning 7-2 on their own ice before losing in Lempaala two nights later. In the other game on Friday, RoKi beat Hermes 4-2
Wednesday, December 28
Peliitat v Espoo United 3-2
SaPKo v Jokipojat 7-1
IPK v Hokki 1-5
RoKi v Hermes 4-2
K-Vantaa v Leki 7-2
KeuPa HT v JYP Akatemia 0-2
Friday, December 30
JYP Akatemia v SaPKo 5-1
Jokipojat v Peliitat 6-2
Hermes v KeuPa HT 3-2
Hokki v IPK 1-3
Espoo United v TUTO 2-1
LeKi v K-Vantaa 5-4
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