Kärppie’s power defender Topi Niemelä has had a very difficult start to the season in light of his performances.
Topi Niemelä (behind) defends Kärppie’s goal against Joona Iko of Ilves. Goalkeeper Joel Blomqvist and Ville Leskinen, who got a berth, are also involved in the situation. Mika Kylmäniemi / AOP
One of the most well-worn concepts in hockey is the curse of the second season, which usually refers to the difficulties of a young player who has made his breakthrough after his peak season.
Flies Topi Niemelä, 20, truly dazzled last season with 32 power points in 48 games. He was the second most effective defender in the series per match after Lukon Vili Saarijärvi after.
However, the beginning of this season has been difficult for the power pack, who is probably playing his last league season. Hannu Jortikan I said the performances in the first five matches: zero plus zero is zero.
– I wouldn’t say it would have been more difficult. I feel that I have gained more strength and developed as a player. The most important thing is to give everything, Niemelä comments.
Another worn-out concept is the training jam, which refers to the busy early season after the summer of large amounts of training. Is this perhaps what inefficiency is all about?
– There is nothing like that… or has it looked like that to your eyes? The most important thing, however, is that the team succeeds.
– Now I feel like I can fight well, now that I have gained strength and weight, Niemelä acknowledges.
Superiority time dropped
What is striking about Niemelä’s role compared to last season has been a clear decrease in the time of superiority. Among others, the Stanley Cup winner washed by Kärppie in the summer has taken this time for himself David Rundblad.
– He only goes on the field when there is an order, Niemelä inches from his reduced superiority responsibility.
At least based on the beginning of the season, Niemelä will probably still get his edge with superiority, as the Kärppi’s superiority has been the second weakest in the series so far, which is undeniably a weak performance from the existing roster.
Kärppi’s head coach Lauri Marjamäki admitted an important aspect of coughing. Against Ilves, Kärpät did not succeed even once in his five attempts.
– Yes, it’s quite slow-paced – the game has to be put in front of the goal. We have the skills, but we probably need more experience and practice.
– I believe that it will start to work. There are still many games left, Niemelä can see.
Work dropped
On Tuesday, Kärpät suffered its first loss of the season, when Ilves was stronger in the battle for the top 3–1.
– In this series, when you slack off and drop the work for a while, it paid off today’s victory, Marjamäki concluded.
– A bad taste left in the mouth. We started well, but the second set was weak. A couple of goals were given to a friend, and we couldn’t tighten them up, Niemelä commented on the losing evening.
Ilves is at the top of the SM league with 17 points. There is now six points behind the fourth-placed team from Oulu.
Matter corrected at 10:56 p.m.: Kärppi’s superiority is not the fifth weakest in the league, but the second weakest.