JYP almost out - Kärpät standing tall

Kärpät Oulu – HPK Hämeenlinna 3-2 OT (Playoff 3-0)

Once again HPK did not want to give in to a Kärpät dominance or let’s say Borna Rendulic did not want it. 9 minutes were played when he scored his first goal to bring HPK ahead. It needed half the game before Joonas Komulainen could equalize, but Rendulic was quick to get his team back in the lead three minutes later. Only the class of Finnish international player Juhamatti Aaltonen could avoid the first HPK win of the series. First he scored after 45 minutes to force the overtime, just to finish it himself at the 70:30 minute mark. Mika Pyörala assisted on both Aaltonen goals. Oulu can now move on to the next round with a win on Wednesday already.

Tappara Tampere – Lahti Pelicans 3-1 (Playoff 2-1)

Back home in Tampere, Tappara wanted to make clear who is the favourite in this series after losing in Lahti on Saturday. Over the first two periods Tappara put up a shot record of 21-13. Antti Erkinjuntti, Henrik Haapala and Jukka Peltola could establish a 3 goal lead from which Lahti never returned. With one minute left in the game Timo Pärssinen could only manage to break Juha Metsola’s shut out. Lahti will have to come back again on Wednesday, when the series returns to Lahti.

SaiPa Lappeenranta – JYP Jyväskylä 3-2 (Playoff 3-0)

Despite two early penalties against SaiPa they still managed to take over the game and scored 2 unanswered goals in the first period through Tomi Leivo and – of course – the line of David Spina and Patrick Davis that JYP just can’t stop in this series. Per Savilahti-Nagander added a third goal for SaiPa that brought them the 3-0 lead in the series that was supposed to be the closest of all. Juuso Ikonen and Anssi Löfman scored for JYP, but could not match Lappeenranta’s output today. JYP will face elimination on Wednesday when they host SaiPa for Game 4.

Lukko Rauma – Espoo Blues 3-5 (Playoff 1-2)

If there is one series that features goals it is Lukko and Espoo. The better start in Game 3 was reserved for the guests from the capitol region. 39 seconds apart in the mid of the first period Philip McRae and Kalle Kaijomaa scored for Espoo, but Jerry Ahtola, who had a goal in each of the first three games now, answered soon. In the second period the Blues managed to build on the lead by two power-play goals through Tommi Salinen, who collected four points in the game, and again Philip McRae. Filip Riska’s 2-4 early in the third period lit up the hopes for Lukko again, but Eetu Pöysti showed at the 52:35 mark that Espoo can’t just score on the power-play, but also shorthanded. Teemu Nurmi’s third goal for Lukko turned out to be just a goal for the spirit. It was already the third win on the road in this series and at least Lukko will hope that we’ll have to wait for the first home win until after game 4 in Espoo on Wednesday.

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