Liiga Playoffs: Pelicans Cause Upset on Opening Night with Win at JYP
In an unexpected twist on the inaugural evening of the Liiga playoffs, Pelicans triumphed over JYP with a scoreline of 3-1 in an away match, marking a significant start to the best-of-five wildcard round. JYP, having narrowly missed out on a quarter-final spot during the regular season’s final day, entered this encounter with just one victory in their last four games, yet they held the home advantage against a team that had concluded the season trailing them by 21 points.
However, the Pelicans proved to be a formidable opponent, seizing the lead in the dying moments of the first period thanks to an unexpected contribution from teenager Eerik Kolehmainen, who netted his inaugural goal of the season in his return after nearly a month out of action.
The game took a dramatic turn towards the end of the first period when two players from each team received penalties for fighting. This shift in dynamics altered the course of the match, and despite an early penalty against Pelicans at the start of the second period, JYP managed to equalize after five minutes through Pekka Jormakka.
Despite accumulating powerplay opportunities, Pelicans found a way to regain the upper hand just three minutes later when Oskars Batna scored, followed by Miro Vaananen, who extended Pelicans’ lead to two goals while short-handed, with seven minutes remaining in the period.
In the final period, JYP intensified their efforts to claw back into the game, but the Pelicans maintained their composure, ultimately securing a 3-1 victory, demonstrating their resilience right from the outset of the playoffs.
Lukko Survives a Tough Match Against Hameenlinna
In another fixture, Lukko Rauman, despite finishing fifth in the league, faced challenges before claiming a 2-1 victory over Hameenlinna. When Antti Saarela scored early in the second minute, it appeared Lukko would glide towards an easy win. Yet, Hameenlinna had other plans as Sami Paivarinta equalized merely a minute later, sparking a competitive match.
The second period saw more frustrations as both teams sought the decisive third goal, but it remained elusive until Saarela surfaced again, scoring his second goal and giving Lukko a crucial 1-0 advantage heading into game two.
Defending Champions KalPa Dominates IFK Helsinki
In their playoff opener, reigning champions KalPa showcased their prowess by defeating IFK Helsinki 4-1 on home ice. KalPa quickly established their dominance with Aleksi Klemetti scoring twice in the first eleven minutes, placing them in a strong position. Although Petrus Palmu managed to score for HIFK nearing the end of the first period, the home side responded effectively, leading to a late second-period shorthanded goal from Jaakko Lantt to restore a two-goal cushion.
The match concluded decisively in the third period with Klemetti contributing again by assisting Patrick Curry in sealing the scoreline.
Hard-Fought Overtime Victory for Assat Against Kiekko-Espoo
In a tightly contested matchup, Assat emerged victorious against Kiekko-Espoo, winning 4-3 in overtime. This dramatic game featured Joonas Rask canceling out Roope Talaja’s opener, followed by a pair of powerplay goals from Janne Hamelainen and Kasper Kulonummi putting Kiekko up 3-1.
However, Assat demonstrated resilience as they battled back in the closing minutes. Nestor Noiva played a pivotal role, first narrowing the gap before assisting Jonne Tammela to equalize with just two minutes remaining in regulation. In overtime, Noiva set up the winning goal for Oskar Nilsson, completing a memorable comeback.
With exciting match-ups in the wildcard round, tomorrow’s games promise to keep the thrilling momentum of the Liiga playoffs alive.
