Ice hockey | In Ville Peltonen's opinion, HIFK faced harassment in the playoffs – opened up in an exceptional way: “Pretty brazen action”

Lahti

HIFK went into the SM league season as the biggest champion favorite, but it didn't start working at any point.

The big club's fiasco was sealed on Tuesday night in Lahti, where the Pelicans advanced to the semi-finals with a 4–3 match win.

Head coach of HIFK Ville Peltonen was a violently disappointed man after the match.

“We improved even after the start in this game. We had a good drive in the third set. The end was the kind that makes me sad,” Peltonen said.

HIFK came from behind in the final set, but Pelicans didn't give in. Lars Bryggman scored a 4–3 winning goal in 58.57.

“A great series that ended with the smallest possible difference. We played especially well in the second game, but we lost it. After that, quite big moves were made. They were not visible until the third,” said Peltonen.

“There was a lot here that I haven't had every time. We had to make big moves, playful things.”

I will fight after a break, Peltonen wanted to highlight the “harassment” experienced by HIFK.

“I want to thank the huge amount of support from our genuine supporters. But there is much more. In my opinion, there has been some pretty brash behavior during the playoff series. The match is a bit like half-way through.”

“In general, such a distraction for the team. Of course, it belongs to the playoffs, because this is a passionate thing. Everyone wants to be involved somehow. Our signal in the booth within the team has had to be strengthened enormously every day, so that the noise outside doesn't start to disturb. Probably at some point during the season it was a bit similar.”

However, Peltonen did not agree to say more about what kind of harassment he meant.

“I won't say more about it. What I want to say is that when the series is still in progress, it's too early to judge.”

Field and HIFK have received a lot of public criticism during the season and the playoffs as well. In the fourth quarter-final match, some of HIFK's fans, on the other hand, demanded that Peltose be kicked with the bleachers.

“I do understand all the criticism and everyone has to have a thick skin tanned for this. It's not about that. But when the playoff series is over, it feels somehow… We have to remember that everything is kind of still going on.”

“

I do understand all that criticism, and everyone must have tanned thick skin for this.

At least some of HIFK's players have also received hate messages on social media. One of them is Jori Lehterä.

“After all, there is dm in the playoffs [sosiaalisen median yksityisviestit] full of positive messages after good games and slightly worse messages after bad ones. It is important that this divides opinions, the halls are full and the atmosphere is loud. But sometimes some comments go a little too far,” Lehterä said.

of HIFK the season did not take off as expected at any point. In the main series, it seemed to have the handbrake more or less on. Also in the playoffs, the departure came immediately in the first series of matches.

The team's final ranking of seventh is a high-class farce compared to the giant stakes.

“The whole season was built for us to be a strong defensive team that relies on that. In the regular season, we scored the most 5v5 goals, and our defense was very good. Together with Pelsu, we were the strongest endgame team. It was all built into that. The special situations were also at a sufficient level,” said Peltonen.

“Game-wise, all such blocks were on point. Attacking quickly from defense was very strong. With those weapons, we managed in this series as well. But Pelsu was a goal better after the seventh game.”

“We are on the right track. It just wasn't our game today,” Peltonen said and praised his “wonderful” and “committed” team.

Peltonen coached HIFK in his third season. Twice the road has been boring to the quarterfinals. The best performance is last season's fourth place.

His credibility as head coach has been questioned after the results. However, Peltosen has an extension contract in his pocket that was signed in the fall and covers the next two seasons.

He is not worried about his own position.

“I think that's the wrong question to ask me. I'm not worried about anything. I prepare for all games like to game seven. I think that way we are in the best position to win these. We've lost this twice. First in Turku and now here in Lahti.”

“I work every day with my staff and players, so to speak, that the next game is always the most important game. I don't think about it any more, Peltonen said.”