Anni Saarela
Playouts and qualifiers are at their best, writes Anni Saarela.
The Jukuri remains in the SM League. Tomi Natri / AOP
The Playout Series and the Fall Qualifiers are the best thing that has happened to the SM League for a while.
Written open and when the quarterfinals are in progress, the statement may seem absurd. However, the Jukuri and the Pelicans showed that this was the case.
I wondered in advance whether the teams left for the jumbo are getting the people to the ice rink. Who would go to see now?
A surprising sight showed that I was wrong.
In Mikkeli, I watched the fourth game on the spot in Jukuri and Pelicans. The seating was virtually full, the audience clapped before the opening disc fell and the atmosphere was awesome. So in a game where the two of the two of the regular season were on the field. I couldn’t wait.
There were 3,208 spectators in the match. The Average viewer of the Jukuri regular season was 2,444.
The Pelicans, led by Sami Kapanen, will have to play their place. Tomi Natri / AOP
Admittedly, more than 3,000 spectators did not reach the other matches in the series. On Friday, the crowds were sure to bring the 8-3 crushed victory of the previous Yukuri game and a tight grip on staying in the SM League.
The latter, in particular, matters. The big stakes made the game meaning.
Playouts and qualifiers are a small opening from domestic hockey to the open series. Although the door to the SM league is not open, more important games have been obtained.
The stakes are huge. The loser falls in the qualifying and, in the worst case, in Mestis. During the series, the players showed how big the setting caused.
I much prefer to watch rugged stakes games rather than the fact that Pahnan’s basic ones start emptying and play in the late winter for personal honor.
The past regular season showed that even a big club can end up in the playouts. Fate was not far from TPS, Kärp and JYP. Last year’s silver team Pelicansias could not be predicted in advance in the suffering series.
Excitement and the fate of the club are sales elements. The SM League, who has been criticized and fought for consumers’ free time, needs.
Pelicans and Mestis winner will start the league qualifiers over the weekend. If the Jokers are facing, the series is unlikely to lack feeling and cracking.
Hopefully there are crowds in the audience too. Thanks for the qualifiers, the SM League.