Tappara’s Joona Luoto is about to become a real KooKoo.
KooKoo kit Eero Teräväinen is injured when he tries to save Joona Luoto’s puck from behind Nick Malik. Petteri Puhakka (right) witnesses the emergence of a 1–0 hit close to Tappara. Mikko Lieri / AOP
- Tappara claimed a 5–1 victory from Kouvola, driven by the Luodo hat trick, and took the 3–1 lead in the semi-finals.
- The final place will be interrupted for Tappara for the first time on Thursday in Tampere.
Tappara four-way winger Joona Luoto has been in the semi-finals all right on fire.
Luoto has made a terrible power of 4 + 4 in four matches, and with an playoff balance of 7 + 6 = 13 in eight matches, he rose to the top of both the goal and points exchanges.
– It’s easy to light up these meaningful games. There is a bet and you have to win to be able to go towards the brightest, Luoto, who won Tappara’s previous championship 2017, answered the question about his hard spring mood.
– There may be games in the regular season that you can ski a bit and see what’s enough. That’s not right for me. In these games, I light up in a completely different way and I know I can make a difference. It hasn’t come as a surprise to me that way.
Joona Luoto scored three goals for Tappara. The young defender Riku Tuomola got more responsibility with the thinned back lines of KooKoo and played a good match. Mikko Lieri / AOP
Despite the hat trick, Luoto still sees room for improvement in his game.
– Today I couldn’t create anything myself. It now happened to hit the discs well in place and scored goals.
– The whole game is my thing. I still have to focus on that, although of course the paints are warming up and I can’t be disappointed now, he laughed.
Broken season
In the last two seasons, Luoto, 24, played mainly in North America, except for a short HIFK visit. During the Corona messed-up seasons, he accumulated 16 NHL matches in the Winnipeg Jets and 29 AHL in Manitoba Moses.
He returned to Killer in October but played only 27 matches in the regular season at 9 + 5 = 14.
– Like I said, it’s hard to catch fire in those games. A little was flicked to strike now in the spring, Luoto highlighted her broken winter with a twinkle in her eye.
– Well, there could be a little bit of an injury in it, he explained.
Kivikova Nelonen
Tappara’s so-called Nelonen, where, in addition to Luoto, the captain plays Otto Rauhala and Petteri Puhakkais one of the hottest playoffs in the playoffs.
– I have been playing with Oto for a long time, after both of Tappara’s junior paths and playing in the league together. Puhakka is a bit of a player of the same style as me and Otto, so it has become quite easy, Luoto described the trio’s interplay.
The chain, which throws hard on the ice, has the profile of being created for relentless playoff twists, where nothing is free.
– It’s easy to operate. Everyone puts on their work pants every day and goes to deprive, grate and tear, Luoto stated.
Culmination point
Luoto scored the first goal of the evening and the opening goal of the match in the middle of the second round.
It was not only the culmination of the match, in all likelihood, but also of the entire semi-finals, as the KooKoo kit Eero Teräväinen injured evil-looking after colliding with a goal post at speed.
KooKoo, who played a strong opening round, still came Toni Suuronen paint quickly to levels, but the hard strain and thinning lines began to take their toll.
The game inevitably began to tilt in the direction of Tampere, and Veli-Matti Savinainen, Jukka Peltola and Luoto twice added Tappara to 5-1. Luoto made the last one in 56.35 empty when the hosts were already desperately seeking a reduction.
The pace of KooKoo has been terrible. It has played 13 matches in 20 days – four more than Tappara.
To top it all off, KooKoo has lost its best defenders Sam Lofquistin in March and Petteri Nikkilän as well as probably now also in Sharpinen’s ongoing semi-final series.
Third installments
Tappara, in his ironic condition, has taken advantage of his opponent’s difficulties and won the final rounds of the last three matches a total of 8-0.
The final place will be interrupted for Tappara for the first time in Thursday’s home game.
Playing for the best time in its history, KooKoo needs a little miracle to lengthen the set and a giant miracle to win the required three times in the tube.
As is the case, Luoto warns against going ahead.
– The series really hasn’t been patted yet. The hardest game is coming on Thursday. We need to be awake right away, because the beginnings of the games have been difficult for us, he reminded.
– The guy is sure to put everything in the league. Yes, we have to be at the heart.