Ice hockey | A wild robbery from HIFK – Lahti saw a confusing display

Lahti

Pelicans-HIFK 0–3 (0–1, 0–0, 0–2), match wins 3–2

Helsinki IFK persistently stays in the SM league playoff clinchers. Sweaty, but still.

HIFK, who played with their backs against the wall again, took their second consecutive victory when the Pelicans fell 3–0 in Thursday's fifth quarter-final match in Lahti.

The Pelicans were still a goal away from the semifinal spot at the Nordenskiöldinkatu ice rink on Tuesday, but now HIFK is breathing down their necks in a suddenly tightened 2-3 series situation.

The fifth match was not beautiful and exciting hockey from HIFK, but the robbery was successful. HIFK has crawled out of a deep hole to join the match series, which inevitably increases the pressure in the Lahti camp.

HIFK's number one name in the away win had become the number one keeper in the middle of the quarter-final series Niko Hovinenwho saved his first clean sheet of the spring.

The Pelicans have completely fallen into a knot with Hovisen, as the experienced 36-year-old veskar has kept a clean sheet for an unimaginable 141.51 minutes straight.

Lahten on Thursday night we saw a very different HIFK than before.

HIFK started the match with a moderate underdog attitude. Pelicans were able to control the puck as much as they wanted, and HIFK disciplinedly stayed in shape without taking any unnecessary risks. Elephant pucks and long demolition pucks became familiar during the evening.

Although HIFK's second chain gave oxygen to the visiting team with their 1–0 goal in the opening quarter, HIFK had to make long defensive rounds in their own area with continuous passes.

The long offensive mills of the home team sucked juices from one change to another, which was reflected in HIFK's puck mistakes and puck losses. HIFK's attack was based on counterattacks and, as a whole, a very random pulse.

Perhaps HIFK's coaching has come to an end Ville Peltonen in the lead up to the brutal outcome of the Helsinki team simply not being able to respond to Pelicans' speed puck, so the better chances are to play with scorched earth tactics.

The style worked at least on Thursday, because Hovinen, who had saved convincingly in the previous two matches, was again phenomenal between the posts. Hovinen made a lot of big saves during the Pelicans' strong rotations.

As the game progressed, frustration began to grow in the Pelicans camp as possession didn't pay off. Clubs got a ride and heads were spinning.

At the beginning of the final set, HIFK was able to reap the fruits of the anesthetic battle. The visiting team put strong pressure on the Pelicans end, and Joonas Rask hit from close range for HIFK's 2–0 lead.

In the leading position, HIFK played wisely and patiently, and forced the Pelicans to freeze. However, in accordance with the match series, HIFK's superiority game continued to be ineffective.

After five matches, HIFK's superiority percentage is 13.33. Pelicans' even weaker, just 7.69.

The final readings hit blank Iiro Pakarinen a minute and a half before the end.

of HIFK the coaching team used all means and played with their lineup before the fateful match.

Released from a three-game suspension Leo Komarov announced at noon unexpectedly Jori Lehterän to the edge of the leading chain. However, when the warm-ups began, a different lineup appeared on the league's pages, and Komarov was grinding as usual in the quadruple chain. As expected, Komarov received heavy verbal pressure from the Lahti audience throughout the evening.

The background of Veivailu was the number one defender Luke Martin uncertain playing condition. Martin's name did not appear in the original lineup, but the Yankee defender appeared in the warm-up. On Thursday, Martin played in the top pair By Trent Bourque alongside.

Despite his uncertain playing condition, Martin spent the second most minutes among HIFK's defenders.