Lock will start defending the championship from the first round of playoffs.
- At the turn of the year, Sebastian Repo’s lock got the grain in place.
- The lock will face HPK in the first round of playoffs.
- The second match is KooKoo – Pelicans.
At the age of 25, the two-time Finnish champion and youth world champion has found a new chapter in his gearbox.
Sebastian Revon the autumn was ragged, but once he got up to speed he has made a devastating mark.
There is a clear date for the turning point: on December 30, Repo immersed Ilves in Rauma with his overtime paint.
Since then, he has been by far the hottest cannon in the League.
– There was a little injury from the beginning of the season, and it might have had some effect. Then the game started and I got successes. They then feed more, Repo describes his season.
Repo bounced a whopping 20 goals in 25 matches and raised his season balance to 21 + 9 = 30.
He was fifth in the regular season goal exchange, although he played only 40 matches. Tapparan Anton Levtchi won the paint kingdom with 26 hits.
– This year has been quite nice. However, it has been known to be able to score goals.
In his league career, Repo has waved the net at a steady pace, but now the 20-goal limit was broken for the first time.
– I have a good shot myself, and I try to use it as much as possible. We also have a clear division of roles. The guys have got good passes, so what’s in it when playing.
– Then when you hit, you gain that self-confidence and go to the button more sensitively. Then, to start more, Repo describes the positive twist that all scorers are striving for.
The flight stopped
If the Revon Regular Series was two-part, then for the team it was three-part.
The arduous fall sparked talk of a championship hangover until, in December-January, Lukko slammed the record for consecutive wins (12).
New head coach Marko Virtanen made the game of plops fall into its mouth. The lock began to dominate the puck and played on last season’s model until a new dip came in February.
– It is useless to go behind any corona, but of course it had some effect, Repo says.
All the teams suffered from the corona, but it hit Lukko the hardest. A new tsunami came after the autumn Korona wave.
Although Lukko was scrambling between substitutes and understaff, the regular season missed two matches and the team dropped to ten.
– The guys were taking turns on the sidelines, and the lineups were alive. We couldn’t play our best game, Repo admits.
– From time to time you could see how well you can play, but the level of performance within the games also fluctuated towards the end of the season.
“Easy to heal”
This was especially evident in the last three matches that Lukko lost. At first, it hit Tappara forcefully into the combs, but it bent over in overtime. Then it took an ugly pot in Helsinki and Mikkeli.
A total of as many as 16 discs ran into their own. It doesn’t reflect a defensive or goalkeeping game that wins the playoff series.
Part of the reason can be found in the calendar. Due to match transfers, Luko packed 12 games in the last three weeks.
– It’s useless to go behind that either, Repo acknowledges.
It is true that many other teams have also been pushed through the bull weeks.
– Too many goals have gone into their own. Of course, the focus is on what can be done better. It’s the kind of thing that’s easy to improve, Repo sees.
– A little too many mistakes have been made, and places have been given too cheaply.
Fighting HPK
Sebastian Revon’s exact itch shook Tappara’s paint iron last Saturday. He also scored two goals in the match. Elmeri Elo / AOP
The tenth place is the last starting box in the playoffs, but Lukko plans to tear everything off the plane and find overtaking spots.
However, the history of the puck does not support the fact that the team’s trend would change at the start of the playoffs than by pressing a magic button.
– I think we have got the lines together again and more common experiences. Let’s be ready, Repo assures.
Last spring, Lukko finished the winning streak in the regular season with eight games and left the pole position for the players. The trend continued and carried to the end.
– Needless to compare. The years are always different, Repo acknowledges.
– This is the new spring, and the regular season can be forgotten at this point. Now a new world begins and everything is open. Let’s go game one at a time and not go ahead with things.
As the reigning champion, however, Lukko cannot avoid speculating on the renewal of the title.
– It is certainly clear to everyone what has been going on here all season. I don’t think it’s useless to repeat it, Repo says.
– We do everything we can to win games.
The matches of the first round of playoffs, which will be played through Thursday and Friday, will be HPK – Lukko and KooKoo – Pelicans.
In the regular season, HPK and Lukko shared the wins 2–2. Lukko won the latest mutual in Rauma on Tuesday 4–2 last week. Lukko, the weather players, will also start the home game today.
– Will definitely be fighting against HPK. It’s their identity that does put everything in the league, Repo warns.
– We have to succeed in the struggle and respond to it.