Sakari Manninen’s Handicap 1–1 was created from almost zero.
Sakari Manninen aired Finland’s first hit against Latvia on Saturday. Teemu Hartikainen (left) and Jere Sallinen congratulate Mann. Petri Saarelainen / AOP
Sakari Manninen hit with an ingenious kick from almost zero angle to the Lions’ leveling goal 1–1 on Saturday in Tampere in the second match of the World Cup against Latvia.
– Obtained by overpowering the puck to the attacking head. Then I noticed that Mikael Granlund takes a shot towards the goal. It is agreed that then you have to get the upper hand over the finish line. And well, there were four guys, Manninen started.
– Luckily, the puck bounced off the end for me. I thought to put the puck on the goal, and it went from the goalie’s skate, he continued.
Did you try to get a limp in the oven with an NHL guard Elvis Merzlikinsin from the foot?
– Yeah. I noticed the goalkeeper was on the move. There’s only a half-bad puck, Manninen replied.
The plan worked perfectly …
– That’s right. Even if he hadn’t gone in, the two guys would have been on the loose disc. Great feeling when you went in.
Manninen and Teemu Hartikainen got Mikael Granlund on the other side of the Lions’ number one chain. MG’s evening was dizzying as he hit the blue-and-white winning goal 2-1 at the end of the third set.
– A really skilled gamer who reads the game well. It was easy to go when “Mike” has his eyes on his back. There will be small cunning feeds.
Michael’s little brother played with Manninen and Hartikainen at KHL’s Ufa and Beijing Olympics Markus Granlund.
– Mikael is a very similar player to Markus. Both know how to feed skillfully. Note that they have played a lot of yard games with each other.
Matsi was difficult for Leijon, but the most important thing was victory and three series points.
– Good taste when won. There was a wrestling match where we were well defended. It was known that big and strong guys are up against it, and it is an opposing team. And that was it.
The lions ’games continue on Monday against the United States.