Finnish Hockey - Weekly Round Up - November 28 - December 04, 2016

Weekly Finnish Hockey round-up by Aatami Mäkinen.
KHL

Jokerit

Finland's sole team in the KHL had a great week, winning all three game they played.

* They got off to a great start, last Tuesday, by beating reigning KHL champions Metallurg Magnitogorsk 3-2. Magnitka held an early lead from the first period but Jokerit came roaring back with three goals in the third to take the win.

* Thursday saw another impressive win as they dispatched the visiting Traktor Chelyabinsk. Their 2-1 win was ground out once again after coming from behind. 

* Sunday, saw a hat-trick of wins for the week as the team from Helsinki beat Salavat Yulaev Ufa. Jokerit had taken the lead but the team from the Volga Region of Russia tied the game to take it into overtime. With no further goals, the game went to a shoot out where Jokerit claimed the points.

* With those trio of victories, Jokerit find themselves in sixth place in the Western Conference, just two points behind Dynamo Moscow in fifth. While both SKA on 96 points and CSKA on 88 points are surely out of sight to catch now at the top of the standings, they can take some comfort in knowing the gap to tenth place is now 14 points. Dinamo Minsk, Vityaz and Sochi are all within three points of Jokerit, meaning one of those teams is likely to miss out on the playoffs, but with a few more impressive weeks like that the team from Helsinki won't have to worry about that.

 

SM liiga

* Pelicans - The team from Lahti didn’t have the best of weeks losing twice, but they are still in the top six in the standings. All three of their game reports can be read here:

Pelicans lost to Karpat 2-1: http://heshootshescores91.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/sm-liiga-pelicans-v-karpat-oulu-1-2.html

Pelicans lost to Assat 2-0: http://heshootshescores91.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/sm-liiga-pelicans-assat-pori-0-2.html

Pelicans beat HIFK 4-3:
http://heshootshescores91.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/sm-liiga-pelicans-hifk-4-3-saturday.html

* Lukko - The team from Rauma had a very successful week, winning twice and only losing to JYP in a shoot-out. That meant Lukko has now moved off the bottom of the standings to be replaced by KooKoo.

On Tuesday, Lukko came from two goals behind to take the game with JYP to a shoot-out, but they couldn’t cap a fine comeback, as Joonas Nattinen hit home the only penalty shot. Lukko had done well to have taken the game that far after Nattinen and then Janne Kolehmainen had given the side from Jyvaskyla a commanding lead. Aleksi Saarela and Ville Vahalahti scored twice in the third period to tie the game, but there were no further goals during overtime, meaning the two sides headed to the shootout, with Lukko missing all five of their shots.

Two days later, Aleksi Saarela’s solo effort at 39:21 was enough to win a crucial game away to Ilves, before they followed that up with a resounding win over Sport Vaasa, but had to come from behind to do so.

Filip Riska converted at 12:15 to give the visitors the lead, but Lukko came racing back. Toni Suuronen tied the game just over five minutes later, with Aaron Gagnon and Peter Tiivola scoring in the middle period to turn the game around. Janne Niskala made the game safe with Lukko’s fourth goal at 49:26.

They are now in 14^th place with 28 points, two clear of the bottom spot.

* Tappara - The team from Tampere lost at home to Jukurit in a game which saw them relinquish top spot in the standings. Topi Nattinen and Henrik Koivisto scored for the visitors before Jukka Peltola pulled one back just before the end of the first period. Joonas Kalliola then restored Jukurit’s two-goal lead early into the second before Juhani Jasu, once again cut the elad back to one. But, less than a minute later Miika Roine hit what would prove to be the game winner as they tested Tappara’s resilience. Tappara did pull one back at 51:12 through Jere Karjalainen but it wasn’t enough as they lost 3-4.

Tappara responded with a 4-3 win of their own on Saturday. KooKoo took the lead through Mikko Lehtonen but Tappara answered with goals from Jere Karjalainen and Jan-Mikael Jarvinen just 37 seconds apart. Jani Lajunen made it 3-1 early into the second period, but KooKoo tied the game up with goals from Josh Green and Robin Jacobsson either side of the second intermission. That took the game, Tappara once had well under control into overtime and then a shoot-out. Jukka Peltola was able to hit the only goal to eventually win the game for the Tampere side.

 

* KalPa - now lead the standings, and had a fine week, winning three times. Although they have played a game more than Tappara.

On Tuesday, Mikko Nuutinen had given KalPa the lead at 22:18 but KooKoo shocked them when they scored through Eero Savilahti with less than two minutes left in the second period. However, Jesse Makinen hit a dramatic winner with just a single second left on the clock to keep KalPa on the coat tails of Tappara.

Two days later, they took on SalPa who had taken the lead just five minutes into the game when Valtteri Virkkunen scored but two quick goals from Janne Keranen just before the end of the second period turned the game in KalPa’s favour. Mikko Nuutinen then extended their lead at 52:36, but less than a minute later Virkkunen scored again to cut the lead back to one. That set up a tense finish as SaiPa pulled their goalie for the extra attacker and Jyri Junnila made the game safe with the empty netter with 39 seconds to go.

Kalpa had to come from behind twice against third placed TPS. The Turku-based side scored through Jasper Lindsten and Jani Forsstrom but goals from Tommi Jokinen and Janne Keranen, tied the game on both occasions. Mikko Nuutinen and Jesse Mankinen’s empty netter then gave the leaders a match winning lead , before Jerry Ahtola pulled one back for TPS with six seconds left.

* TPS - The team from Turku got an important win over Assat on Tuesday. TPS raced into a three goal lead thanks to Julius Vahiitalo, Eric Perrin and Erik Thorell. Niko Ojamaki did pull one back for Assat with two minutes to go, but they couldn’t add to the score, despite having the extra attacker.

Against Jukurit, TPS raced into a two goal after Jani Forsstrom and Jasper Lindsten scored, but the team from Mikkeli scored twice in Four minutes towards the end of the game. Jesper Piitulainen and Miika Roine taking the game into overtime. There were no further goals though and so the teams headed to a shoot-out. Dave Spina scored the only goal of the shoot-out in the sixth round to give TPS the points.

* HIFK - The Helsinki based side eased to a 2-0 win away to SaiPa. Joe Finley scored towards the end of the second period to give HIFK the lead, and as SaiPa pulled their goalie with just over a minute to goal, Jesse Ikonen was able to hit the empty netter to make the game safe.

HIFK had to come from behind to claim the points against a difficult HPK side. Juho Keranen and Philippe Cornet had given the team from Hameenlinna a 2-0 lead but Jasse Ikonen, Mikael Johansson and Juhamatti Aaltonen responded with three unanswered goals to turn the game around for HIFK.

HIFK v Karpat 2-1 Jasse Ikonen and Teemu Eronen scored to give IFK a commanding lead by 23:19. Jesse Koskenkorva pulle done back for Karpat at 47:01. They lost to Pelicans Lahti however on Saturday.

* JYP - Although JYP won the shoot-out against Lukko, they followed that up with two straight defeats.

Tomi Korkko and Tuomas Vanttinen’s goals for Sport early in the third period proved the difference between the sides. While JYP gave themselves a tough job against Jukurit, after giving up first period goals to Keni Karalahti and Henrik Koivisto. Antti Suomela did pull a goal back early into the second period, but the team from Jyvaskyla, were unable to get a second.

Round Up

* Ilves had to come from behind in Vaasa, before hitting Five unanswered goals, four of them in the final period to claim an impressive win. Juho Liuksiala opened the scoring for the Tampere side, but goals from Markus Nenonen and Joel Kiviranta replied for the hosts. Liuksiala then grabbed his second goal of the night less than a minute later to tie the game at the mid-way point of the game. The Third Period really opened up though with Jere Helenius, Aleksi Mustonen, Jerry D’Amigo and Brett Bulmer all scoring. The last two goals coming just 15 seconds apart.

* Three early goals in the opening period set the tone for Ilves’ game against Karpat with, Markku Flinck and Ville Meskanen twice giving Ilves the lead. Inbetween those strikes Mikko Lehtonen had tied the game for Karpat, and he would repeat the trick again at 49:50. However, Markus Jokinen netted four minutes later to give Ilves the lead for the third and final time in the game.

* HPK left it late against KooKoo with two goals in the last five minutes from Mathias Porseland and Jaakko Turtiainen proving enough.

* Assat took the lead against SaiPa, through Jyri Marttinen but goals from Matti Jarvinen and Kim Stromberg looked to have stolen the points for the home side. Assat tied it with less than five minutes remaining Marttinen’s second of the game, before Simon Suoranta scored 55 seconds into overtime to win the game for the Pori-based side.

Tuesday, November 29

Lukko v JYP 2-3

Pelicans v Karpat 1-2

SaiPa v HIFK 0-2

Tappara v Jukurit 3-4

TPS v Assat 3-1

Sport v Ilves 2-6

 

Wednesday, November 30

HIFK v HPK 3-2

KooKoo v KalPa 1-2

 

Thursday, December 01

Assat v Pelicans 2-0

HPK v KooKoo 2-0

Ilves v Lukko 0-1

KalPa v SaiPa 4-2

Sport v JYP 2-0

 

Friday, December 02

HIFK v Karpat 2-1

Jukurit v TPS 2-3

 

Saturday, December 03

Lukko v Sport 4-1

JYP v Jukurit 1-2

KooKoo v Tappara 3-4

Karpat v Ilves 2-3

Pelicans v HIFK 4-3

SaiPa v Assat 2-3

Kalpa v TPS 4-3

 

 

Mestis

* SaPKo - Like Tappara in Liiga, SaPKo relinquished top spot in the standings this week. The team from Savenlinna Lost 5-2 away to TUTO, who have now replaced them at the top of the table on goal difference.

SaPKo, are still a force to be reckoned with though, and they bounced straight back, next time out with a convincing 8-3 win over Peliitat. However, with lots of time still to go in the campaign, I would expect the lead to change hands several times before the playoffs.

* KeuPa HT had a good week beating RoKi 2-1 before travelling to Joensuu and sharing thirteen goals with Jokipojat. KeuPa HT ended up winning 7-6.

* Having grabbed top spot in the standings after their impressive win over SaPKo, TUTO followed that up with a thrilling 5-4 win over Hokki to maintain their place. The following day Hokki were able to bounce back with an impressive 6-2 win away to struggling Espoo United.

* Espoo had a mixed week. They started off good enough with a 6-3 win over Hermes but followed that up with defeats away to Leki [4-2] and at home to Hokki as mentioned above.

* Fellow Helsinki region side, K-Vantaa were involved in two exciting games last week. They lost 5-4 away to JYP-Akatemia on Friday but won 5-3 at home the following day against Peliitat.

* Hermes had a disappointing week losing at home to Jokipojat and away to IPK. Elsewhere there were wins for LeKi over Peliitat, JYP Akatemia over Roki and IPK over Jokipojat.

Wednesday, November 30

Peliitat v LeKi 1-5

TUTO v SaPKo 5-2

Roki v JYP Akatemia 3-4

Jokipojat v IPK 2-5

Espoo United v Hermes 6-3

 

Friday, December 02

Hermes v Jokipojat 1-2

JYP-Akatemia v K-Vantaa 5-4

KeuPa HT v RoKi 2-1

LeKi v Espoo United 4-2

SaPKo v Peliitat 8-3

 

Saturday, December 03

IPK v Hermes 4-3

Jokipojat v KeuPa HT 6-7

K-Vantaa v Peliitat 5-3

TUTO v Hokki 5-4

 

Sunday, December 04

Espoo United v Hokki 2-6