The opening match of the SM league season, contrary to the custom that has already become a tradition, is not the “final renewal” of the spring.
Luko’s new number one goalkeeper Daniel Lebedeff made a save last season in Rauma with HPK’s goal. Elmeri Elo / AOP
The SM league season starts tonight as if with half lights, with one match classified as the basic game of the series, when Lukko hosts HPK in Rauma. Luko’s final ranking last season was Fifth and HPK’s 12th.
The audience following ice hockey already had time to get used to the practice, according to which the reigning champion hosts its spring final opponent at the season’s opening and at the same time raises the championship banner to the roof of the hall in a festive manner.
For example, a year ago, champion Tappara beat the previous spring’s silver team TPS 3–1 in the opening match.
– Luko’s wish was to start on Tuesday, Liiga’s director of competition Arto I. Järväla justifies the departure from tradition.
– However, Tuesday did not go full circle because of our television partner, he elaborates.
Because of this, the “final replay” Tappara–Pelicans will be played according to the original schedule on Wednesday, when there are five other matches in the program.
It’s going to be a bull week for Luka when they play four matches in seven days.
On Sunday, it played a CHL match at home against Adler Mannheim, suffering its first loss of the series with an ugly score of 0-6. As a continuation of Tuesday night’s HPK match, Lukko will travel to Ilves on Thursday and host HIFK on Saturday.
– It clears space for the possible playoffs of the CHL, Järvelä explains Luko’s HPK match a day before the start of the rest of the League.
According to the extension contract signed by the league with Telia last year, the matches will be shown on C More and MTV channels. The contract is valid until the 2026–2027 season.